Barriers to Employment: Personality and Cognitive Predictors of Employment Status (Report‪)‬

Barriers to employment are linked to individual factors such as thinking styles and personality traits. Personality and cognitive differences between employed (n = 55) and unemployed (n = 57) cohorts were analysed to quantify the association between these variables and employment status. Using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Thinking Styles Inventory, three hypothesised relationships were examined in terms of identifying predictors of employment status. Personality temperament was found to be a significant predictor (particularly Sensing Perceiving style: SP), and thinking type also accounted for variance in employment status. These findings may help direct training strategies adopted by employment agencies in assisting people who are unemployed, collaboratively targeting positive job access outcomes through their consultative partnerships. Studies suggest significant relationships exist between decision-making style and career decision-making (Hardin & Leong, 2004; Watson, Creed, & Patton, 2003) and between personality and employment status (Creed, 1999). Related research also cites significant relationships between personality and cognitive style (Bell & Fox, 2003; Riding & Wigley, 1997), and between thinking style and personality (Zhang, 2001). As the process of becoming employed involves certain goal-setting and decision-making behaviours, specific aspects of personality style (e.g., planning) and of cognitive style (e.g., critical thinking), are implicated in the process of accessing employment.