CD Careers

In this article, we will outline the best and worse careers for the CD personality type, who are accurate, determined and disciplined. Which careers are the best fits? And which careers should the CD approach with caution? If you, or someone you know, has tested as “CD” then we hope you find the information below useful. Enjoy!

Overview of the CD (The Perfectionist)

The CD, or otherwise known as “The Perfectionist” displays a combination of the task-oriented DISC styles: Conscientiousness and Dominance. Due to this combination, CDs are incredibly detail oriented. They have high standards and expect others to meet their expectations.

Overall, CD-style individuals are typically independent, skeptical, determined and disciplined. Often, they are analytical and critical thinkers. They tend to strive for efficient results and fear failure and a lack of control. Due to this, they can sometimes become passive aggressive, cold, stubborn and blunt.

Career Considerations

Many of a CDs strengths lie in their discipline, their realistic views of the world and their attention to detail. They truly stand out at work because they are:

• Straightforward. CDs don’t tend to over complicated things. Typically, they are straight to the point and concise. In fact, they are often accused of being blunt!
• Objective. CDs have a task-oriented nature and, as a result, work in a logical and objective way to reach goals.
• Results Driven. CDs take responsibility and ownership over results. They focus on what needs to be done, when its needs to be done by and who it needs to do it.
• Decision Makers. CDs tend to have the ability to make logical and rational decisions.
• CDs are also able to set high standards and stick up for themselves in conflict.

Best Careers for the CD

In general, perfectionists require a vast amount of alone time. Ideally, they will be suited to results-driven, structured and logical careers that don’t require excessive social interaction. This, along with their analytical, critical thinking and independent nature, means the CDs are suited to careers using data and solving problems. Such careers include in various types of systems administration, engineering, architecture, software developing or financial analysis.

However, despite being independent, CDs can feel energized at work when they can find a way to improve teams efficiency. As a result, they may thrive in leadership positions. However, CDs need to be in management positions where they display authority and focus on success and problem-solving. Careers in project management, warehouse management, sales or operations management, for example, are all success-driven, yet independent. CDs are also likely to thrive in executive positions, where they can take responsibility and set high standards.

Worst Careers for the CD

Perfectionists tend to seek personal space, privacy and autonomy. Due to this, it might be advisable that they steer clear of careers that promote large group activities, as these may frustrate and drain them. Similarly, CDs can appear rather cold and detached. They want to focus on solving problems, not emotions and thus, they may want to consider avoiding and careers that are too emotionally charged. Such careers may include counseling, psychiatry, nursing or social work.

CDs tend to have incredibly high standards (hence the nickname “perfectionist”). They expect compliance and have a low tolerance for errors and unauthorized changes. Therefore, careers where others make errors and/or don’t comply (e.g., teaching, policing, rehabilitation work) may not align with a CDs natural working style.