There are many definitions of what being an entrepreneur is. Most descriptions are either focused on the personality types of most entrepreneurs or the type of job an entrepreneur is interested in. Although these are good indicators they fail to direct someone who is entrepreneurially minded to any particular career.
The best careers for entrepreneurially minded people include, social interaction, creativity, risk, problem-solving, time pressure and consistent change. Without these elements the career will begin to become boring, unfulfilling and confining.
Choosing a career for the entrepreneurially minded is not as simple as comparing the results of the various personality tests with the available job options. This seldom results in a fulfilling experience and can lead to failure and disappointment. Since entrepreneurship is not a career but rather a way of describing the pursuit of developing businesses for profit it can include a wide variety of career choices.
Those who are entrepreneurially minded are not long for working for others. They will constantly be looking for opportunities outside of their current situation so to assume they will be happy in one career path over the long term is short-sighted. Rather when choosing a career they should look for learning, skill building and networking opportunities.
Strengths and weaknesses of the entrepreneurial personality
When considering a career as someone with an entrepreneurial personality one has to take into account the strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
- Outgoing
This means to be out focused rather than introspective. It includes being interested in people, places and how things work. People who are outgoing are always wanting to learn more about what is around them currently and what interests them currently.
- Goal oriented
Being goal oriented means more than having a goal which you someday want to achieve. Instead it is an inner drive to achieve things which have been personally selected. Those who are goal oriented are always working on something or another.
- Creative
Being creative is the ability to take information from a variety of domains and put them together in new ways. This can be in the artistic, business and entertainment genre. Creative people are good at solving problems in unique ways. They are very resourceful being able to see opportunities where others may not.
- Risk tolerant
Being risk tolerant has more to do with not being affected by the specter of failure. Fear of loss can slow progress but those who are risk tolerant take into account the possibility of failure but are still willing to take the chance that their skills and knowledge will be enough to overcome the challenges.
- Project oriented
Some would say that entrepreneurs are focused and obsessive and in some cases this is true but this is just a result of being project oriented. Being project oriented means the work is well defined with a specific end date or physical condition. It is something which can be affected directly without having the input of uncontrollable actors.
- Energetic
Having an abundance of energy is a hallmark of entrepreneurship. Being able to be enthusiastic about tasks, continue working for long periods of time and maintaining a positive state of mind all require energy.
Weaknesses:
- Gets bored easily
Repetitive or simple tasks are hard for those who are entrepreneurially minded. Once something has been accomplished, having to repeat it over and over causes a lack of interest and poor quality work.
- Dislikes defined structures
Being confined to a specific structure, whether it is physical or bureaucratic, causes frustration. Having to do things because that is how it is done here makes entrepreneurially minded crazy. Even when there are reasons why something is done a certain way they are always wanting to improve it, make it more efficient or easier.
- Discounts risk factors easily
Risks are things which are not currently known or understood and they can be hard to describe. When taking risks some want to understand as much of the situation before taking action. Those who have a high tolerance for risk can push those around them past their limits and cause distension.
Jobs for aspiring entrepreneurs
Aspiring entrepreneurs have several options for jobs which would be valuable to an entrepreneurial career. They are jobs which provide training and knowledge in a wide variety of areas. They provide experience in dealing with people, promoting and selling products and creative thinking. They can also be used as springboards into a business when the opportunity arrives.
Sales
Having sales skills is of utmost importance to an entrepreneur. It is required not only for being able to sell the product which they represent but also can assist in selling ideas. This can aid in the ability to secure financial resources when a business needs capital for startup or expansion.
Marketing
Marketing is often paired with sales but in fact it is completely different. Sales is the act of influencing one or more individuals to purchase a product. Marketing is a system of promotion in order to provide value and preference to a product or service. Marketing requires skills different from those of a salesman including writing, artistic design and understanding human psychology.
Management
Being a good manager includes the ability to delegate work, motivate people, hire and fire effectively and manage paperwork. All things which an entrepreneur will need when starting a business. By getting some experience on any level of management prior to starting a business you will be getting paid to learn these valuable skills.
Content creation
Content creation is becoming a vital aspect of successful businesses. It is a method of providing value to customers outside of the product produced. It can act as an advertising platform while aiding those who consume the content.
Content creation is not easy to learn. It requires practice and lots of trial and error. To become good at content creation many hours must be spent writing to learn how to write persuasive, engaging and valuable content efficiently.
Production work
Above it was mentioned that repetitive boring work is not an ideal career for an entrepreneur and that still holds true if the only goal is to become a worker in a factory. Instead the concept is to work in production work to learn how it is done. To learn what processes are used, how things are organized, how management interacts with employees. This knowledge will be of great value when starting a business
How to determine if a career is entrepreneurial
There are many personality tests which can be done to determine what one’s personality type is and they have some value to help guide individuals to make positive choices so if you want to determine your personality type check out this article which explains some of the various tests used, their value to the participant and what the results mean.
Entrepreneurs cannot be put into a box but rather have a way of thinking which includes ways to create income from opportunity where others do not. That said, there are some career choices which can provide the challenge of creating new opportunities where others can’t see anything and providing value to the employer with little risk.
Sales professional
As mentioned above becoming a sales professional is great training for an entrepreneur it can also become a long term career if one so desires. It provides interest, social contact, continuous learning and creativity. Depending on the company it can allow a certain amount of freedom to organize the work schedule and earn as much as possible.
First responder
A first responder needs to be creative, be able to take risks, learn continuously and have a high energy level. This is a career where there is a lot of autonomy allowing freedom to act as the responder sees fit for the specific situation.
Computer Professional
This includes a wide variety of career choices. Software development, web programming, IT professional and computer security. These careers require the ability to learn quickly, adapt the change rapidly, be creative and maintain a high energy level.
Architect or engineer
Both these careers require creativity, being able to adapt to changeable situations, continuous learning and maintaining a high energy level. One of the prime roles of architects and engineers is to solve problems, something creative people thrive on, making this career a good choice for anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Artist or performer
Artists have to be very creative. Today there are many systems to provide artistic design which is lackluster. They have little imagination and provide a low amount of impact. It takes someone who is highly creative, able to include ideas from many domains and willing to risk rejection to make truly original art.
It does not matter whether it is physical art like paintings and sculpture or performing art such as live theater, movie acting or stand up comedy, an artist must be creative, willing to risk rejection, highly energetic and project oriented.