Future-Proof Your Career: Upskilling Advice for Every Personality Type

I’ve been thinking a lot about upskilling lately. Ever since the launch of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, I have been constantly reminded of just how important it is to be proactive about staying up-to-date on the latest advances in technology and future-proofing your career.

What Is Upskilling?

The term “upskilling” refers to building up your skills and expanding upon your professional proficiencies. Beyond that, it requires staying on top of trends and embracing the notion that change is inevitable. Upskilling involves an intentional effort to master the skills that your job is likely to require in the future.

But upskilling is not limited to the obvious skills that one instinctively associates with a specific career. It makes sense for me, as a writer, to learn about AI technologies and how they can be utilized within my field. But it might also be prudent to learn leadership skills or maybe even how to build a website. Both of these areas will help me stay relevant, continue to grow in my chosen career, and build my transferable skill set in case I ever want – or need – to change careers in the future. The economy is constantly changing, after all, and there are jobs now that didn’t exist 10 years ago, with new kinds of positions emerging every day.

Where I decide to upskill ultimately depends on my personal interests, the immediate needs that I see in my current workplace, and my vision for my professional trajectory.

This holds true for anybody in any profession.

Upskilling for Every Personality Type

In this article, we’ll look at how different personalities tend to approach professional development and offer some general upskilling suggestions for each of the 16 personality types.

We hope that these ideas can serve as a starting point for finding the motivation and inspiration to future-proof your career – or to just give yourself a small career boost now. Who knows – maybe you’ll discover a new passion or even a whole new career path along the way!

Not sure what your personality type is? Take our free personality test and find out now.

Analyst Personality Types

Architect (INTJ)

Architects typically spend a fair amount of time staying up-to-date with the particular skills that their job requires. They’ve probably got a bit of a competitive streak, too, and they tend to be willing to do the long-term hard work to be the best at what they do. In terms of upskilling, they’re probably already on it.

Architects’ next step in future-proofing their career might be to develop their natural talent for leadership, especially the human aspects of managing people. Architect personalities have the potential to become phenomenal leaders if they can deliver their expertise and authority with finely honed interpersonal skills.

Logician (INTP)

Thanks to their combination of Intuitive, Thinking, and Prospecting traits, Logicians have a strong tendency to get lost in their research. Leveraging this as a strength, these personalities might want to do a thorough review of the state of their profession. This should help Logicians figure out where they can direct their educational pursuits.

Once they have an idea of what it is they want to learn, Logicians might consider formal educational or training programs dedicated to the subject. Structured courses may help them focus their attention and follow through on their goals.

Commander (ENTJ)

People with the Commander personality type are generally ambitious and laser-focused on their plans, and they often see themselves as natural leaders in their field. They also tend to have a drive for self-improvement, likely putting them well ahead of the curve when it comes to mastering the different facets of their career.

This doesn’t mean that Commanders have everything figured out, however. They may want to upskill by doing a focused and comprehensive self-assessment to identify areas that are ripe for improvement. Are there inefficiencies in the way that they work or their personal systems? What new technology can they explore and make relevant to their field of work? What are the latest trends in managing teams? Once Commanders know where to focus their energy, they can map out specific goals and create a timeline for achieving them.

Debater (ENTP)

Debaters are often confident in their intellectual capabilities, especially when it comes to efficiently researching and looking at issues from all angles. They have an uncanny ability to understand nearly any concern within the big picture, which happens to be a highly sought-after skill in today’s workplace.

Debater personalities can sharpen these talents – and put them to work productively – with formal training in strategy and analytics. Not only will they future-proof their career but they might also help future-proof their company.

Diplomat Personality Types

Advocate (INFJ)

Like many people, Advocates enjoy learning new things in the digital realm. But our research shows that, compared to most other personality types, Advocates tend to be somewhat less confident in their tech skills, making this the perfect area for them to dig a little deeper and learn something new just outside their comfort zone.

“Tech” is a broad category, so Advocates will want to put their talent for research to work to discover which domain of digital mastery will most enhance their current career. These personalities might then turn to trusted tech-savvy friends or coworkers for specific recommendations on how or where to jump-start their learning.

Mediator (INFP)

Mediators may struggle when it comes to thinking about the future of their livelihood. They are among the least likely personality types to feel that they are in control of what happens to them, and they’re generally more doubtful about the inevitability of their professional success.

Working with a coach or a mentor may be helpful for Mediators, both to explore new developments in their field and to identify the best strategies for upskilling. A coach might also provide helpful guidance and the support that Mediators need to achieve their objectives and feel more empowered in their career.

Protagonist (ENFJ)

People with the Protagonist personality type have nearly unparalleled optimism when it comes to the future. They also happen to be among the most environmentally conscious people out there. When it comes to future-proofing their career, Protagonists will likely find hope and inspiration if their upskilling efforts reflect these idealistic aspects of their personality.

Protagonists in any profession could become sustainability experts, for example, and play an important role in the “greening” of their company or industry. This is a way for them to make a positive impact in the world while staying relevant in their line of work.

Campaigner (ENFP)

As Prospecting personality types, Campaigners don’t always project their career plans far into the future. Luckily, they are comfortable when it comes to thinking on their feet. So while they may not anticipate the changes that are coming for their field, they will most likely be able to stay ahead of the curve thanks to their overall adaptability.

Once the need for a new skill becomes obvious, Campaigners will likely find it useful to participate in short but intensive microcertification courses or weekend workshops to keep up with the changing demands of their job.

Sentinel Personality Types

Logistician (ISTJ)

Logisticians are one of the more ambitious Introverted types. They tend to strive for success and are not likely to shy away from professional challenges. But they may find themselves worrying about their future more often than others. For these types, it’s important that they have a solid sense of control over their employment situation to feel good about moving forward with their career.

That is why Logistician personalities may want to take advantage of the upskilling opportunities that are offered by their current employer. They might want to consider speaking with their supervisor or HR specialist to see what options are available. This will let Logisticians rest assured that the skills that they are seeking will be of instant and ongoing benefit, while shoring up their job security for the immediate future.

Defender (ISFJ)

As Judging personalities, Defenders are not exactly comfortable improvising in their career, yet at the same time, they may not have a clear professional trajectory that stretches far into the future. Out of all Judging types, they are the least likely to report being proactive about expanding their professional knowledge. Thinking about the future can actually make them pretty uncomfortable or anxious.

That is why Defenders may want to simply ask for advice. Talking to supervisors, coworkers who seem to have it together, or even people in their professional network may give Defenders some insight or guidance about how they can prepare for whatever lies ahead.

Executive (ESTJ)

Executives, more than almost any other personality type, tend to want to be important and influential in their career. They are strongly decisive, actively seek out challenges, and tend to lay the plans for their future years in advance.

Because of this, it’s likely that Executives are already on track with upskilling for their job. But their intense focus on career development may be pulling them away from the deeper interests and values that originally attracted them to their line of work. For Executives, it may be helpful to engage in a little self-reflection. They may want to shift their focus beyond the immediate demands of their current position and concentrate instead on achieving the loftier personal goals that they have for their career.

Consul (ESFJ)

As Judging types with the Feeling trait, Consuls are significantly less likely than Judging types with the Thinking trait to say they know exactly what they want in life. They still have a fair amount of drive, however, and they want to be successful at whatever it is that they end up doing. Consuls are natural leaders, but they likely derive more satisfaction from the quality of their professional relationships than they do from their job.

For Consul personality types, volunteering may be the most satisfying way to boost their career. Working with community organizations can provide opportunities to build new, qualified skills while simultaneously giving their work purpose and meaning.

Explorer Personality Types

Virtuoso (ISTP)

Virtuosos can be surprisingly competitive, but this doesn’t mean that they want everyone’s admiration. They tend to prefer tangible rewards instead – especially if the rewards are monetary. In fact, Virtuosos are one of the most likely personality types to report that they prioritize financial stability as a factor in their overall happiness.

That is why Virtuosos will likely be attracted to educational opportunities that offer immediate financial incentives. This might look like an employer-sponsored training with a guaranteed promotion upon completion or a certification course that assures job placement after graduation.

Adventurer (ISFP)

Learning new skills is not only good for future-proofing your career – it’s also helpful for feeling good about what you are doing in the here and now. But Adventurers may not always feel motivated to upskill just for the sake of career advancement. They’re more likely to find motivation from a place of personal inspiration. If a specific skill will ultimately result in more flexibility in their work-life balance, for example, they’ll probably be interested in mastering it.

Adventurer personality types can also focus their attention on fine-tuning and expanding upon the skills that they already have. This will allow them to keep up with the latest trends and enhance the quality of their work while staying true to their individual preferences. Adventurers might consider seeking out hands-on learning opportunities, such as workshops, or taking on a project slightly outside their comfort zone to build upon the skills that they are interested in improving.

Entrepreneur (ESTP)

As natural leaders, Entrepreneurs would much rather give orders than take them. People with this personality type are also known for improvising and possibly even changing their plans at the last minute, which can sometimes be challenging for the people who work under them.

Entrepreneurs can bring some balance to their resourceful style by further developing their strategic planning skills. While there are plenty of online courses available for this, they will likely prefer in-person, intensive training courses that are specific to their current position, where they can try out new skills in a group setting.

Entertainer (ESFP)

Entertainers embrace spontaneity, which can sometimes make it challenging for them to plan ahead and stay on track with their professional development. People with this personality type can be persistent when they have a goal, however, believing that if they just try hard enough, they’ll succeed at whatever it is that they set out to do.

Entertainers’ tenacity, combined with their tendencies to be incredibly social, thrive when they feel needed, and crave work that lets their creativity shine, makes them the perfect candidate for upskilling in the areas of social and digital communications. These skills might help their company up its social media game while allowing these types to capitalize on their natural talents.

Final Thoughts

As you read through this list, maybe some of the ideas or suggestions that we offered for personality types other than your own resonated with you. If so, seize that inspiration and go with it! These tips and recommendations are valid for anyone.

The takeaway here is that there are a multitude of ways to go about upskilling in your profession, some of which are bound to click with your personality. Find what works for you, and get to it.