MBTI

There are a few reasons why I think that the MBTI is, as far as a job interview setting is concerned, one of the least-applicable of the assessments I have taken.

First, I think that the MBTI is limited in what information it provides; it shows where an individual falls on a predetermined spectrum. By nature it doesn't have anywhere to capture anything unique. It reduces a person to a number on four "this or that" scales.

Second, still continuing on the fundamentals of the test itself, under what circumstances is supposed to accurately reflect an individual's type? The most general circumstances? I would propose that a more valuable piece of information is what type a person is under pressure. That's when performance matters most. Just because some test tells me I'm usually an introvert is not reflective of how I will perform when required to do so.

And third, the MBTI is not going to be of very great concern to someone interviewing me. Here is why:  The jobs I will be interviewing for are focused on a work product (be that a system design or an approach for cutting costs or a development plan); the focus is not going to be my personality type. They will be interested in my social interaction skills, as much engineering work is team-based, but they'll likely get everything they need to know from interviewing me.

Also, offering up my MBTI in the interview will only be relevant for evaluating me as an individual; it doesn't say anything about how I will fit in with the team. What are my coworkers' MBTI scores? Do my highs and lows clash with any of theirs? Does the team have a variety of approaches to decision-making? The interviewer would have to have a frame of reference of the team.

For the reasons above, the MBTI seems impractical for my applications.

Back to the old country.

I spent my summer in Houston, Texas, enjoying family and sunshine. Being back in Ohio, I find myself missing the pleasant Gulf climate that so skillfully couples 100+ degree temperatures with near-100% humidity. My dad and his family are located in Houston, and my dad just recently started full-time as an independent oil and gas consultant. My dad loves his work, and therefore enjoys being busy. It becomes a logistical challenge when he agrees to several projects that promise to fill his schedule, and then each project ends up taking longer than anticipated.

That's where I came in. I was able to - after some instruction - assist in smaller pieces of the projects. Generally speaking, this involved the gathering and packaging of data, which my dad would then interpret using his industry expertise.

Though not a traditional one, it was indeed an internship; it gave me a view of the upstream oil and gas industry that I couldn't have found anywhere else. This summer was extraordinarily significant for me because of the time I spent with my family, in particular my baby brother. It was a unique set of the circumstances that allowed me to be with family while learning about a prospective career. Those six weeks are something I am very thankful for, especially since "Summer Break" isn't in my vocabulary anymore.

It was a great experience observing my dad at work and apprenticing from him where I could. I learned a great deal this summer, but it also served to open my eyes to the expanse of knowledge I do not possess, and the breadth of experience I can only hope to gain. And while I may be able to more accurately describe where I want to be with a career, my time down south proceeded to shine light on additional paths I can potentially take in pursuit of those achievements.

Mentorship

Sunflowers in the Windstorm

Learning Objectives

Well-Defined, Useful Goals

Why BLF?

Simple - iPads and chocolate bunnies.