Whether you’ve completed a DISC assessment and received the Compliance result, are mentoring an individual with this personality type, or simply want to learn more about DISC, you’ll probably be interested in which careers are best suited to the C type. 

Logical, analytical, and independent, Compliance personality types are great problem solvers who can thrive in a wide range of careers. In this blog, we’ll look at a few career paths for this personality and why these jobs are well suited for Compliance styles. 

However, it’s important to note that a person’s personality style does not mean that they should avoid particular careers. In fact, C types can thrive in a wide range of roles other than those listed below. So, if you suspect that you’re a type C but don’t currently work in any of these roles, this article will help you evaluate how your strengths, and opportunities for growth relate to your current job instead. 

But, before we get stuck into some of the best careers for people with the Compliance style, let’s explain what DISC is and take a closer look at the C personality type’s key characteristics. 

What is DISC?

DISC is a type of personality profiling tool based on the theories of psychologist William Moulton Marston. In 1928, Marston published his book Emotions of Normal People, which set out a model of personality that became the basis of the DISC assessment. The modern DISC assessment identifies four key personality types, although people may be a mix of multiple styles:

  • Dominance: assertive, risk-taking, and ambitious, people with the Dominance style are direct in their speech and approach to tasks. They are most effective when working independently and are motivated by results and their competitive nature, although their preference for looking at the bigger picture means that they struggle to focus on details.  
  • Influence: optimistic and energetic, individuals with the Influence styles are people-focused and motivated by building relationships with everyone around them. They’re great at keeping team spirits up and making everyone feel included and valued, although over-generalisation is a trait they often need to overcome. 
  • Steadiness: reliable and sometimes reserved, Steadiness types prefer a harmonious and consistent work environment. They’re good team players who are known for their hardworking nature and good listening and planning skills, but they struggle with change and taking risks. 
  • Compliance: methodical and thoughtful, Compliance types tend to be good problem solvers who thrive when working independently on complex tasks. They care a lot about the accuracy of their work, which means that they might beat themselves up if their quality of work isn’t as high as they hoped for. 

Each DISC personality type responds to their environment in different ways, exhibiting different strengths, limitations, and preferred work and communication styles. This means that an understanding of your DISC behavioural style is a great way to foster personal growth and find the next steps in your career. 

Want to learn more about the DISC assessment? Read our DISC explainer here. 

Characteristics of the Compliance DISC style

Let’s take a closer look at the Compliance or C personality. Compliance type individuals are known for their meticulousness, analytical nature, and high levels of discipline. Pragmatic and logical, they tend to look to facts rather than emotions when evaluating a situation or making decisions. Compliance types are often nicknamed ‘the Analyst’ because of their rational and sceptical approach to problem-solving. 

In a group setting, they may come across as quiet or reserved. People with this personality aren’t necessarily anti-social – they just feel that they can be more effective and accurate when working alone. This is why you’re likely to find a type C personality independently working late into the night to solve a problem, preferring to handle it themselves than put it to the team. If a C type is quiet in meetings, don’t worry; their mind is probably working away at solving a problem the rest of the team hasn’t even considered yet! 

C styles take their work seriously, striving for high levels of accuracy and efficiency in everything they do. While this means that they are exceptionally hard workers who can be trusted with difficult duties, it also means that they sometimes struggle to finish tasks because of their over-critical nature. A C type can easily work at the same task for far longer than is necessary in pursuit of total perfection. This perfectionism can prove a problem for some C types – they’re so afraid of making mistakes or getting things wrong that they can struggle to make decisions or take risks in their work. 

Overall, though, DISC C personalities have a wide range of traits and characteristics that make them great employees and valuable members of any team. Check out our blogs on the Compliance type to learn more about their strengths and limitations or goals and fears. 

So, what kinds of career paths are suited to these highly motivated and meticulous individuals? Let’s look at a few examples. 

Journalist

Responsible for accurately and efficiently researching topics, independently collecting information, and synthesising data into stories, journalism is an ideal career for creative and curious Compliance types. C types’ natural scepticism and tendency to evaluate situations from multiple angles help them cover news stories in a fair and objective manner. Meanwhile, their eye for data and statistics helps them write compelling stories that use information in effective ways. In fact, sectors of journalism such as data journalism might be of particular interest to Compliance personalities with great analytical skills. Whether they’re working as a freelance journalist which suits C types’ independence and motivation or within a newsroom where they can be a valued team member, journalism is a great possible career for C type personalities to consider. 

Actuary 

Often working in finance, investment management, or insurance companies, actuaries are responsible for providing strategic advice based on their statistical analysis of risk. As a job that requires the analysis of complex data and a meticulous approach to information, actuary roles are perfectly suited to Compliance DISC types. Providing the opportunity to work independently most of the time, a job as an actuary allows Compliance types to do their favourite things: use their analytical skills to get stuck into a problem and find the best solution. 

Data analyst or scientist

The role of a data analyst or scientist is to analyse and process large amounts of data and turn it into meaningful information for a business. Perfectly suited to the High C tendency to gather as much information as possible and evaluate many different angles and solutions before making decisions, a data analyst or scientist role may be the ideal job for C types. While data analysts primarily evaluate and translate data into meaningful insights for businesses, data scientists do this in addition to finding new ways to capture data such as by using machine learning and creating algorithms. Both roles are particularly suited to C types who are meticulous, accurate, and curious. 

Software engineer

Also referred to as a software developer or programmer, software engineer roles are a great job for detail and task-oriented C types. Building, updating, and auditing software systems, software engineers often work independently but also need to be able to work alongside other developers and colleagues in a team. C types are particularly suited to this job because of their exceptional problem-solving skills and the way they strive for accuracy and perfection in all their tasks. This makes it easier for them to focus on a screen for hours at a time, writing and testing code, coming up with new ideas, and solving tricky problems to produce great results. 

Take the DISC assessment

Not sure what your DISC profile is? Want to use DISC with your employees or mentees? The best way to find out is using the DISC Flow® CORE Report. 

The CORE report combines the highly accurate results of the assessment with a wealth of personalised insights to help you better understand your traits, behaviours, strengths, limitations, stressors, motivators, and opportunities for growth. This allows individuals to play to their strengths and focus on areas for improvement for better career success. 

Ready to use DISC to unlock your full potential? Use the CORE report today or check out our suite of other DISC profile reports to find the perfect assessment for individuals, teams, or leaders. Combining the reliable DISC model with the power of emotional intelligence, our offerings empower you and your people to thrive in your careers.