Personality and vocational interests of gifted adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Personality and vocational interests are critical factors that impact on the kind of decisions considered and adopted by gifted adolescents as they contemplate their future career paths. Faced with a multitude of options to consider, adolescence becomes a crucial phase for one’s vocational identity that develops through a combination of selfawareness and reflection, prioritizing and decision-making processes. Gifted and talented adolescents tend to gravitate toward a specific area of interest earlier in life, catapulted by their advanced skills and precocity in their field of interest. Yet, some other gifted adolescents may take a more winding path to identify their focus. A deeper understanding of the unique personality traits of adolescents of high potential and abilities together with possible interests in vocational routes that they are more likely to be attracted to is required to facilitate the process of their career development. Other background factors influencing career choices include socioeconomic background, networking, educational trajectories, culture, gender, and identity. This entry explores how personality traits and vocational interests in gifted adolescents affect their career trajectories and decisions as they engage in making occupational choices. This will be achieved through an exposition of a number of theoretical ideas and models that underpin the notions of “personality” and “vocational interests” in gifted adolescents and a discussion about the connection between the two factors. The role of societal influence and education in ensuring vocational and personal success is also discussed.