Careers for Highly Conscientious Individuals

Those who are conscientious tend to be dutiful, hard-working and analytical. Indeed, people who score high on this trait are often found organizing and following rules! In this article, we will take a closer look at the “Conscientious” personality trait. What are their key strengths? What careers are they best suited to? And, what careers may they want to approach with caution?

Overview of the Conscientious Trait

When exploring personality using the Big Five, all of the five very different traits are considered. One of these five traits is “conscientiousness”. People who score higher on conscientiousness than any of the other traits will have particular strengths, and therefore may be suited to particular careers. However, it is important to note that potential jobs for highly conscientious people could vary if that person has an additional strong trait.

The conscientious scale indicates how self-disciplined and thorough a person is. Those who score high on the conscientious scale tends to display high-levels of self-discipline. They are also very persistent, driven, achievement-striving, organized and dutiful. Whereas, at the opposite end of the scale, individuals who score low on conscientiousness tend to be careless, impulsive, disorganized, easy-going and spontaneous.

The Facets of Conscientious

Each of the Big Five personality traits are very broad and cover many personality-related terms. Due to this, each of the broad traits is measured by six more precise ‘facets’. Each facet is related to the other, but they are not identical and are measured on separate scales.

To give a deeper and more precise understanding of conscientious, it is measured on the six facets (sub-scales within the test) of: competence, order, dutifulness, achievement striking, self-discipline and deliberation.

Career Considerations

Someone who is highly conscientious has many strengths, such as their organizational skills and reliability. At work, they truly stand out because they have skills such as:

• Organizational skills. Those who score high on conscientious are dutiful and like to organize things.
• Attentions to detail. Conscientious individuals tend to be very attentive to details and specifics.
• Time Management. Highly conscientious individuals are excellent at finishing assignments and projects in advance.
• Goal-oriented. Conscientious individuals very much enjoy setting plans and schedules and working towards these.

Best Careers for Those who Score High on Conscientiousness

Conscientious individuals are naturally organized, planned and like to follow strict rules. Therefore, they tend to succeed in jobs that require routine and following or implementing rules. Careers in the public sector, in particular in the military and police, are likely to appeal to time-bounded and conscientious people.

Those who score highly on conscientious tend to have excellent attention to detail and thoroughly enjoy data analysis. For those who are extraverted and conscientious, a career as a physician may suit them well. For the more introverted, yet highly conscientious, individual, they may be suited in careers in scientific research, as an accountant or as a bookkeeper. Conscientious people are also persistent, able to stick  to deadlines and thrive on cooperation, meaning that make great managers to teams of like-minded people (e.g., IT project management).

Worst Careers for Those who Score High on Conscientiousness

Those who are highly conscientious may struggle with any careers that require spontaneity, have erratic schedules or are too easy going. Careers in things such as an artist, media producer or sale representative are likely to frustrate those with high levels of conscientiousness. Similarly, unpredictable situation, such as those firefighters encounter, may overwhelm conscientious individuals. However, all of these careers are likely to be suited to someone who has low levels of conscientious, as they are far more easy-going and flexible.