CAO: Home

FINDING OUT ABOUT YOUR WORKING PERSONALITY

Just as different types of animals have different behaviour patterns and like different food, people are different - they are good at different kinds of work and have different likes and dislikes. These differences make up your `working personality.

In this handbook you will fi nd details of over 730 different programmes. To decide which could lead to a satisfying career for you, you need fi rst to think about what sort of working personality you might have.

We have chosen four animals to indicate different working personalities: the Ant, the Bee, the Eagle, and the Honeyguide. Most people will be like one of these animals. Our society needs people with different working personalities, as they each have an equally important role to play. No working personality is better than another. The Self-assessment quiz will help you to decide which type you might be.

Once you have an idea of what working personality type you might be, you can answer the further questions to see if you are more organised or more fl exible. Knowing this, too, should help you in choosing a career.

REMEMBER

The self-assessment quiz is only a guide. Work through it; it may help you fi nd out which working personality type you are like. Read the descriptions of the four types and if you feel that another working personality is a better description of you, you could use that as your guide. Look at the career opportunities, where possible career directions are listed.

When you are trying to decide on a career and programmes of study, you also need to weigh up other issues. Ask yourself: Will this career suit the sort of lifestyle I want? Do I qualify? Can I afford it? . . . and so on.

ANT (INTUTHWANE)

Ants are incredible creatures. They live in large colonies, and work extremely hard for the common good. They can carry items ten times their own weight, and are able to build huge structures.

Some people can be compared to ants. They are usually very helpful to others, and do practical things to keep society organised and running smoothly. Ant people are often good administrators, and can organise an offi ce, a social function or a business well. Whether working with facts or fi gures or helping others, Ants are usually fair and objective. Justice is important to them.

Ants are very good at working with detailed, factual information, and they can usually remember facts well. They are also good at following directions when doing complicated work. They can be objective and logical. Ants play an important role in holding society together through good and bad times.

BEE (INYOSI)

Bees work hard to gather pollen to make honey, and they care for their queen and their babies.

Unlike bees, Bee people do not often sting! They are warm, friendly people, who like to be of service to others. They care about peoples feelings and they like harmony in relationships. Although they may be either shy or outgoing, their focus on the practical needs of others is central to their character.

Bees are practical, and they like to approach tasks in a step-by-step way. They are often found organising social and community events. In their approach to the world, Bees may be matter-of-fact, and when making decisions, they are likely to take into account how others will be affected by the outcome.

EAGLE (UKHOZI)

Eagles perch in high trees and can see far into the distance. This enables them to plan effectively. They are quick to swoop down on their prey.

Eagle people focus on the whole picture rather than the details, and they value their hunches or gut feelings. They are good at working with complicated ideas. They tend to work in bursts of energy and to do things their own way. When dealing with people or groups of people, they may have deep understanding and insight into their situations. They usually prefer to make decisions using their heads rather than their hearts, as they value justice and fairness.

Eagles are also excited by possibilities, by how things could be done differently and better.

HONEYGUIDE (INHLAVA) Honeyguides are different from other creatures - they communicate with people and animals, leading them to the bees nest so that they can get honey. They make sure that the route they show them is safe and one that they can follow. Honeyguide people are warm and enthusiastic. They value their hunches or gut feelings and are ruled more by their hearts than their heads. They are good at communicating with others, and they often want to save those who are in trouble. Honeyguides like to live their lives according to the things that are important to them. Although they are usually gentle, they get angry when others do not respect what is important to them. For this reason, Honeyguides often fi nd themselves in situations where they are defending causes, organising people or involved in communication.

HONEYGUIDE (INHLAVA)

Honeyguides are different from other creatures - they communicate with people and animals, leading them to the bees nest so that they can get honey. They make sure that the route they show them is safe and one that they can follow.

Honeyguide people are warm and enthusiastic. They value their hunches or gut feelings and are ruled more by their hearts than their heads. They are good at communicating with others, and they often want to save those who are in trouble. Honeyguides like to live their lives according to the things that are important to them. Although they are usually gentle, they get angry when others do not respect what is important to them. For this reason, Honeyguides often fi nd themselves in situations where they are defending causes, organising people or involved in communication.