The relationship between students’ personality types and career aspirations among secondary school students in Eldoret west district

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality types and career aspiration among Form three secondary school students in Eldoret West District. According to Nyantino (2005), “Schools are not providing Career guidance to students. This explains why many Kenyans end up in wrong careers” (pg 2). Godia (2009) reiterated “people go for what is available, rather than what is in line with their personal interests, values, abilities and skills. This situation results in job frustration and low job satisfaction” pg 1. A sample of 429 participants took part in the study. This group comprised 223 girls and 206 boys from 12 secondary schools which were selected by stratified sampling. The study was based on Personality Job Fit Theory which asserts that persons obtain satisfaction by performing the particular kind of activity that closely fits their particular kind of work that closely fits their personality. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. Data analysis was done using the chi-square and ANOVA test statistic. The reliability of the instrument was established through a pilot study in two schools outside the area of study and the reliability estimate (Internal Consistency) was shown by Cronbach’s coefficient (α=.639), and supported by ANOVA with Cochran’s test, Q= 64.043 showing that the instrument used to collect data was reliable. The Pearson Chi-square test of independence between Career Aspiration and personality types was significant at α = 0.05, that is, p = 0.000 <0.05, indicating that there is a relationship (dependency) between personality types and Career Aspirations. From the findings, it is recommended that counselors, parents, school administration and education policy makers should put in place strategies on how to guide students into making suitable career choices that would give them satisfaction. The strategies include: 1. The teacher counselor needs to assess the students’ personality types in his/her school when they join the school in form one, so as to guide them in their possible career paths. This will enable them to select the right subjects and work very hard so as to achieve what is suitable for them. 2. Parents respecting and supporting their children in their preferences on career choice matters. 3. School Administration and guidance counselors, organizing Career day for students so that they get exposed to careers and types of personality that fit different careers. 4. The University Joint Admissions Board (JAB) needs to select students into university for particular courses, basing on their personality types, and not on their academic performance only.