The five work styles: a short self-check

HappyJob describes five work styles: connector, creator, builder, commander and sage. Everyone has all five to different degrees. This self-check gives a rough idea of which way you lean. Answer by what you actually do, not what you would like to be.

Ten questions

Pick the one answer closest to you for each.

1. You get a new, unclear task. The first thing you do is

a. ask everyone involved what they need b. sketch a rough idea c. ask for the goal and the deadline d. split the work and tell the team who does what e. read up until you understand it

1. Your best workday is one where you

a. helped two sides agree b. made something new you're proud of c. hit the target d. made a key call and the team moved on e. understood a hard problem deeply

1. In meetings you're usually the one who

a. gets everyone talking b. suggests a new route c. sums up who does what by when d. decides when the debate goes in circles e. asks the question nobody has thought of

1. The work that drains you most is

a. working alone all day b. repeating the same steps c. work with no clear picture of "done" d. work with no say in decisions e. being rushed to answer before the facts are in

1. Colleagues usually ask you to

a. talk to the other side for them b. come up with a name, an image or a new angle c. run the numbers or check the costs d. decide which way to go e. explain something they don't get

1. The feedback you like most is

a. the team finds you easy to work with b. people love the work c. a number that went up d. being given bigger responsibility e. "now I understand"

1. When a project is in trouble, you

a. get the people involved together b. try a fix nobody has tried c. cut what isn't essential to meet the goal d. take charge and direct e. find the root cause before fixing anything

1. If you could choose, you'd work in

a. client or partner care b. design or content c. sales or budgets d. team or operations lead e. analysis, research or teaching

1. What you find hardest to tolerate in a team is

a. people not talking straight b. being micromanaged c. work that drags on d. nobody willing to decide e. decisions made without data

1. People around you describe you as

a. easy to get along with b. full of ideas c. someone who finishes things d. decisive e. deeply knowledgeable

Answer key

Count which letter you picked most.

• Mostly a: Connector. Works best with people around, draws others in naturally. Suits coordination, client care, HR.
• Mostly b: Creator. Turns ideas into finished work quickly and needs room to experiment. Suits design, content, marketing, product.
• Mostly c: Builder. Sees results in numbers and gets things done. Suits sales, finance, purchasing, project management.
• Mostly d: Commander. Decides under pressure and sets the team's pace. Suits team leads, operations, fast-decision roles.
• Mostly e: Sage. Learns deeply and makes hard things simple. Suits analysis, planning, research, training.

If two letters are close, you use both styles, which is normal. Read more about each one in The five work styles.

Using the result

• Write the opening line of your résumé from your main style.
• Use it to answer "what are your strengths?" in interviews, with one real example.
• When choosing a job, check how much the role draws on your style.

This is a rough self-check. For a more detailed result with the industries that suit you, try Careers that fit you, and turn on LINE job alerts from your account page.