The Ultimate Guide to Matching Your Personality to Sports Jobs

You did it. You submitted applications to sports jobs for companies you researched, nailed your phone and in-person interviews, and got that job offer. Fast forward a few months, and you’re miserable in your new role. The company is great, but you don’t feel like the position suits you.

Unfortunately, many professionals follow this path. They push forward through internships and land awesome opportunities, but they’re miserable.

The fact is some sports jobs just don’t fit your personality type.

When it comes to managing your career, consider what your personality is so you can clearly define what your ideal sports jobs look like. Many people determine this through the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Let’s take a look at what personality types exist and explore the best sports jobs for them:

Which Type Are You?

The MBTI recognizes 16 different personality types. Each type corresponds with a four-letter code. Letters fall under four categories:

Favorite World

• E = Extraversion – you focus on your outer world
• I = Introversion – you focus on your inner world

Information

• S = Sensing – you focus on the basic information you take in
• N = Intuition – you prefer to interpret and add meaning

Decisions

• T = Thinking – you first look at logic and consistency when making decisions
• F = Feeling – you first look at people and special circumstances to make decisions

Structure

• J = Judging – you prefer decisiveness when dealing with the outside world
• P = Perceiving – you stay open to new information and options from the outside world

Introverts and Extroverts

When it comes to finding sports jobs, you should know where you fall on the spectrum of introversion and extroversion.

Let’s first look at Emily, the extrovert. She feels energized by getting involved in events and several different activities, and she’s excited around others. She likes moving into action and energizing others, as well.

Some might call her outgoing and notice she knows a lot of people. Emily understands problems better when she talks out loud and hears what others say. In her work life, she might tend to forget to be clear about what she wants to do and why she is taking on a project. Instead, she just takes action.

On the other hand, there’s Ian, the introvert. He feels energized by dealing with ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions inside his head. He also prefers to be either alone or with just one or two people who he’s comfortable with.

Others can tell Ian is reflective and reserved. At work, he will often spend a lot of time reflecting on getting a clear idea of the project before he starts. However, he might forget to bounce ideas off of others and fail to take action quickly.

Keep in mind that both Emily and Ian spend at least some time extraverting and introverting. Just because you are more introverted or extroverted doesn’t make you exclusively one or the other.

Your Ideal Work Environment

Your physical workplace can have a big impact on your day-to-day. You should feel comfortable coming into the office and feel like you’re set up to succeed.

Emily thrives in open office spaces, where she’s close to her colleagues and can collaborate regularly. She would feel too isolated in Ian’s preferred work environment.

Ian is more comfortable working alone, so his projects are often things he can accomplish by himself. If he were working in group settings regularly, he would feel drained, whereas Emily would be energized.

Your Ideal Culture

When you research sports jobs, pay attention to the perspective employers’ cultures. It’s important to work in a culture that aligns with your values as well as your personality.

Introverts like Ian like structure and need to be pushed into action, which is why managers who adopt a more hands-on approach might be better for him. They encourage him to take action and give him a clear vision, but they also assign him duties where he can work alone.

In Emily’s world, she wants a culture that adopts open communication policies and encourages collaboration. Extroverts need to be surrounded by people so they can create a clear vision before starting something. She can succeed when leaders help her set goals and keep her busy with different projects.

Your Perfect Sports Jobs

Are you more of an Ian or an Emily? Consider taking the MBTI Assessment online to get a better understanding of how you operate and what helps you succeed. Then, you can find sports jobs that are perfect for you.

Here are some of the best options for both introverts and extroverts:

Introverts:

• Sports analytics
• Freelancing careers, like consulting
• Photographer
• Sports scout
• Research analysis
• Financial jobs, like accounting
• Information technology
• Sports writer

Extroverts:

• Broadcasting
• Sales
• Agent
• Coaching
• Marketing
• Event coordination
• Project manager
• Sports management
• Customer service

Ready to start your sports career? Sign up for your membership now!

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