The 3 types of Work Orientation

Live to work or work to live? This is a question that is often found in the world of personal development. But according to Amy Wrzesniewski, a professor at Yale University, there are not 2 but 3 types of profiles at work. And knowing them would make it easier to find your place in the company and to be more satisfied with your work. There are 3 types of work orientation, which one are you?

Work as a job  

Job Orientation: This is the profile that conceives of work as a means of receiving a salary to meet one’s needs, one’s hobbies, one’s family, or anything related to life outside of work. “The job serves as a basic necessity in life” in other words, work is a resource for achieving personal goals. According to a Yale professor, these people prefer to separate their professional and personal lives. If this vision of work resonates with you and you want more information to combine work and personal life. it is important to know some tips such as how to highlight the gap years on your CV or what holidays we can have to set up personal projects. 

Also read: How do you find that job matches your value?

Work as a career  

Career Orientation: this is the profile that considers work as a means of prestige, success or social recognition. Career first! According to Professor  Wrzesniewski, “Career Orientation People” will be more interested “in the ability to progress in one’s career, to receive raises and new titles, and to achieve the social status that comes with one’s career”. If you feel you belong in this category, certain key events such as annual interviews can be important moments in your career, such as an internship choice or continuing education opportunities.

Also read : How to know business is good for us?

Work as a vocation 

Calling Orientation: it’s a passion job, more than a job, your work is a vocation. Studies conducted by Amy Wrzesniewski show that these profiles “consider their career as a form of self-expression and personal fulfillment”. Artists, athletes and entrepreneurs, your talent is the raw material of your work. Even if these profiles have inspiring journeys , beware of the pitfalls of overwork !

Profiles found in all sectors

According to research by Professor Yale, the amount of salary or job title has no influence on work orientation. His studies even show that in the same profession, the 3 profiles are distributed fairly evenly with about ⅓ for each category. Knowing your profile can help to see more clearly to make professional decisions. Promote a work environment adapted to your own expectations. To discover your profile, the University of Pennsylvania has put the Work-Life questionnaire online .