Big Five Personality Factor Openness Vs. Closedness To Experience: Best Jobs and Careers for Openness Personality Traits

Are you intrigued by new and daring adventures, or maybe you prefer structure and stability? Do you often think creatively when solving problems or use time-tested solutions? Does the prospect of moving outside your comfort zone and exploring uncharted waters excite you, or would you rather stick to familiar routines where you know what to expect and how to succeed? Your answers to these questions can reveal a lot about where you fall on the spectrum of Openness to Experience.

Finding the right career based on your level of openness personality trait is no mean task, but we have simplified it for you. This article will tell you what your score on the openness personality scale represents and how it determines the best career path for you. We will also recommend jobs based on your openness personality trait score.

Big 5 Traits of Openness: Career and Job Satisfaction

Openness to experience is a personality trait that significantly shapes how individuals approach work, learning, and collaboration. Those who score high in openness are naturally drawn to novelty, creativity, and intellectual exploration. They tend to seek out careers that offer freedom, variety, and opportunities for innovation.

These individuals enjoy experimenting with new ideas and solving problems in unconventional ways. Routine tasks and rigid systems may feel limiting to them. They prefer environments that encourage continuous learning, personal growth, and original thinking. Their curiosity also extends to people and cultures, making them adaptable and open-minded colleagues who thrive in diverse, dynamic teams.

In contrast, people with low openness to experience are typically more comfortable with structure, routine, and established practices. They tend to prefer familiar environments where expectations are clear and changes are minimal. Rather than seeking out new experiences, they focus on reliability, consistency, and tradition.

A high job satisfaction can be achieved only if your work environment matches your Openness level. So let's take a look at best careers for different Openness levels. But remember, most people usually fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum between openness and closeness.

Jobs For People Who Score High In Openness (Low In Closedness)

People high in openness thrive in roles that allow for creativity, exploration, and innovation. Here are some careers that suit their personality:

• Pilot
• Travel writer
• Journalist
• Flight attendant
• Travel agent
• Lawyer
• Artist
• Entrepreneur
• Film producer
• Film director
• Fashion designer
• Interior designer
• Art director
• Musician
• Music teacher
• Poet
• Painter

Jobs for People Who Score Low In Openness (High In Closedness)

Individuals who score low in openness often prefer predictability, established rules, and familiar routines. They thrive in careers that are structured, procedural, and rely on clear systems and traditions. Here are 18 professions that align well with this mindset:

• Accountant
• Bank teller
• Bookkeeper
• Auditor
• Loan officer
• Insurance underwriter
• Real estate agent
• Administrative assistant
• Paralegal
• Tax preparer
• Court clerk
• Medical billing specialist
• Factory or production supervisor
• Procurement officer
• Compliance officer
• Human resources specialist
• Customer service representative
• Logistics coordinator

Workplace Traits of People High in Openness

People high in the Openness personality trait possess a wide range of characteristics, making them suitable for specific careers. Here are just some of them:

• Adaptability - They are fast learners and can adapt to almost any work environment. They are constantly learning for the sake of learning. Plus, they can easily survive turbulent times within an organization.
• Innovativeness - Where others see a challenge, people with high openness see an opportunity. They can be great innovators and can contribute to organizational performance.
• Creativity – They generate original ideas and often approach tasks with a fresh perspective. This makes them ideal for roles that require problem-solving, design thinking, or brainstorming new concepts.
• Multidisciplinary Thinking – They can connect ideas across different fields, making them excellent at finding creative solutions by combining knowledge from diverse domains.
• Risk Tolerance – They’re more willing to take calculated risks and experiment with unconventional solutions, which can drive innovation and growth in uncertain markets.

Workplace Traits of People Low in Openness

If you score low in Openness, it doesn't mean you are inferior to those scoring higher. In fact, low Openness can be beneficial in various professional settings, especially those that value consistency, reliability, and attention to established procedures. People low in Openness often thrive in environments where rules, traditions, and clear expectations are the norm.

• Reliability – They are consistent, dependable, and trustworthy in their work habits. Colleagues and managers can count on them to follow procedures and meet deadlines without surprises.
• Practicality – Rather than chasing novelty or abstract ideas, they focus on solutions that are proven, logical, and grounded in reality. This makes them valuable in roles requiring precision and clear-cut decision-making.
• Rule–following: They are comfortable with hierarchy and structure and often excel in environments with well-defined roles, routines, and standard operating procedures.
• Process-Oriented – Rather than reinventing the wheel, they prefer refining existing systems to run more efficiently and with fewer errors.
• Low Distraction – They tend to stay focused on routine tasks and are less likely to be sidetracked by the temptation of new ideas or constant change.

How Do I Know If I Have A High Level of the Big Five Trait of Openness?

If you have read our article up to this point, you should be able to tell whether you have similar characteristics to those who score high or low in the openness trait.

However, to save you the trouble of figuring it out, we recommend taking our Big Five Personality Factor Test. Created by professionals, we have yet to see a more accurate way of knowing your openness to experience score.

Why stop there? By taking our career test, you can also get accurate recommendations on the best career path for your personality, with a Big 5 Career Personality Score and a Holland Career Interest Score!