Outed as an Introverted Sign Painter by Myers Briggs Test

Sign Painter at Work

Upon graduation from UNC with a much sought-after (haha) degree in English, I decided to temporarily parlay my part-time sales associate position in the bridal registry department  at a Chapel Hill department store into a full-time position as Head Cashier/Customer Service Manager while looking for more suitable and lucrative employment.  While acting in this management position I, along with the rest of the management team, was asked to take the Myers Briggs personality assessment during a team building event.  I remember feeling uncomfortable. The questions were very personal, and I was a private person.  According to the test, I was revealed to be an INFP (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving).

Much to my surprise, our personality types were shared with the team.  Next I was required to have a one-on-one with the store manager, who noted to my discomfort that INFP’s weren’t usually found in management positions, especially customer service.  I wondered if this was grounds for termination. I felt at the time like a dark, dirty secret had been revealed - my hidden introversion.

It’s possible that introversion is better understood and appreciated now, but back in the eighties when I took the test, there was a clear bias against introverts, particularly in management.  Being a “people person” was touted as a most desirable trait.  I’ve always said that I’m an extroverted introvert.  I actually enjoy conversation, can manage parties relatively well, and do have friends.  Without question through, I charge my battery with time alone.  

After discussing the personality traits associated with my assessment - notably not being a "team player”, I was provided with a booklet listing suitable jobs for someone with my particular makeup.  While the job listings for other personality types, especially those with a big “E” for extroversion, took up many pages, I remember there only being a few pages for mine.  On my personalized final assessment which was reviewed by the store manager, the most suitable occupation for someone like me was listed as “sign painter” as well as graphic designer and artist.  At the time I felt mortified.  My parents had always cautioned me never to consider making a living as an artist.

Sadly, I could not appreciate at the time all of the positive traits associated with "my type" such as empathy, creativity, strong personal values, and the desire to make the world a better place.  I wish I had.  
As you might have surmised, the experience had quite an impact on me as I’m writing about it now many years later.  Being older and wiser (I hope), I understand that the test was not meant as a  tool to box me into a narrow definition of potential or a particular role.  Rather, it should have been used as a tool to provide insight and a degree of self-awareness to me, not others in charge of my fate.  It never should have been shared with management at my place of employment in my opinion.  Judge me by the job I am doing, not by trying to see inside my mind. 

 
I had a number of different jobs over the years including a very extroverted recruiter position at a major financial firm.  Was I suited for that job?  Maybe not, but I was darn good at it.  My life took an interesting turn after my marriage ended when I started my career as an artist painting portraits, commissioned work, and murals.  The people at Myers Briggs would have smiled smugly, thinking “I told you so”.

One day years later, I was painting a logo and sign on the exterior of a building when it hit me.  I was a sign painter after all.  There was no shame in it at all. I was proud of the occupation I had built from nothing.  I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing all along.  Maybe we can’t fight our nature after all.