Sarah has it all. A fancy office, a hefty paycheck, a recent promotion and a supportive team. She’s known for being a natural strategic thinker with exceptional networking skills. Everything’s spot on. Everything, except Mondays – they make her feel queasy. But she can’t seem to figure out the underlying causes for her lack of fulfillment and often blames herself for not being resilient enough. “Maybe it’s normal to feel this way. I’m probably complaining a bit too much. I think I need to learn how to appreciate better,” she shares. But here’s something to ponder: if everything’s as perfect as it seems, why is Sarah’s spirit spiraling downwards?
Here’s what we’ve learned from working with hundreds of professionals: When talented people struggle, it’s rarely about them. It’s usually about the environment they’re in. If you’ve ever felt this way – competent yet drowning, successful yet unfulfilled, don’t be too quick to disregard your emotions. The truth is, there are many hidden reasons behind this growing disconnect.
So, what do you do? The solution is simpler than you think. Personality assessment tools like the Birkman Assessment® can help you clear this visual fog and direct you toward a career path that brings satisfaction and fulfilment. Most traditional career assessments can leave you with generic results that don’t quite fit, but Birkman works otherwise. Let’s look at how the Birkman Method can help you gain perspective and build a meaningful career.
Your Professional Blueprint: What Birkman Uncovers
Trusted by professionals worldwide, Birkman acts as your career GPS by showing you exactly why certain paths are best for you to follow by evaluating four important areas.
Your Natural Behaviors
Think back and recall the last time you worked on a new project. Did you immediately gather the team and talk through ideas or did you need to sit with it alone first? People inherently have varying traits. Some people think out loud and gain energy from collaboration. Others need quiet spaces to work efficiently. Neither is better. They’re just different approaches. What’s important is that your environment should enable you to work better rather than drain you.
Your Intrinsic Needs
Here’s something most people don’t realize: Your needs at work are just as important as your skills. Perhaps you’re someone who loves having clear goals and defined timelines. Or your personality is entirely the opposite, and you need space to experiment, pivot, and find your own path. No matter who you are, if your environment gives you what you need, you’re most likely to do your best work.
Your Genuine Interests
What sort of work makes you lose track of time? Do you get excited analyzing spreadsheets and finding data patterns? Or is it brainstorming creative campaigns that light you up? These interests are what make you unique. Work and environments that align with your true interests are fuel for your soul.
Your Stress Behaviors
Ever notice how you act when you’re stressed? Do you start micromanaging? Or do you shut down and pull away from everyone? Some of us get snappy, others recluse. These aren’t character flaws; rather, they’re warning signals indicating something’s just off.
Are you aware of your warning signals? Our client Johnathan wasn’t. He constantly felt anxious and irritable despite working in his dream industry. His Birkman Assessment revealed why: he enjoyed working on projects more independently, with greater autonomy, something his manager didn’t exactly support. But did this mean that he was failing? Should he have given more time to adjust better? No.
In Johnathan’s case, we curated our coaching sessions to help him focus and realize that he was simply working in the wrong environment. Two months later, at a new workplace, we see a happier, wiser, and more productive Johnathan. That’s the power of working in an environment that truly values you.
The Power of Knowing Yourself
Still wondering how your professional blueprint can help you? Let’s look at how the Birkman Assessment can help you uncover your secret superpowers to positively impact your career decisions.
You Choose Wisely: You stop forcing yourself into boxes that don’t fit. The job may look perfect on paper, but if it makes you feel miserable, opt out of it. If the work environment is pulling you down, you may want to look into choosing cultures that value your strengths and unique personality.
You Spot Red Flags: Does a role require constant collaboration even when you need time to focus independently? Is the company culture built on autonomy and flexibility, while you thrive on guidelines and clear structure? The Birkman Assessment empowers you to identify environments that are or aren’t meant for you.
You Voice Your Needs: You gain the ability to advocate for what you need. Instead of being constantly uncomfortable, you develop the confidence to say, “I need more autonomy in how I approach projects,” or “I perform best with regular check-ins, not just annual reviews.” Communicating your needs clearly is much easier than being stuck in perpetual discomfort.
You Identify Stress Patterns: Birkman increases your self-awareness of how stress affects you, so that you can prevent countless misunderstandings just by knowing how you behave or react in difficult situations.
Your Best Career Path
In a nutshell, the Birkman Assessment is a valuable tool that allows you to approach opportunities and seek jobs that best fit your skills and interests. It gives a clear understanding of who you are, what helps you thrive, what roadblocks stifle your growth, and what environments uplift your potential. At Crosworks, we believe that you deserve work that lights you up, not brings you down.
Our comprehensive career coaching programs help you understand your Birkman results so you can take the next steps toward your career advancement. Schedule a brief, introductory call with Crosworks to learn how we help professionals like you find clarity, focus, and direction.
*This blog has been updated as of 12/7/25 with current content.