05/01/2025

A Holistic Approach to Unlocking Career Potential

By Jennifer Nunez

The Need for Human Design

There are dozens of assessments that have been successfully utilized in the career development field including the Clifton Strengths Finder, YouScience, and several assessments developed by the Myers-Briggs Company. These assessments are grounded in psychological and behavioral research and theory (Lopez et al., 2005; Myers et al., 1998; National Center for O*NET Development, 2021). They support self-awareness and motivation, and help people identify careers that align with their interests or skills. These traditional assessments often take a more narrow or compartmentalized approach meaning they tend to focus on a single aspect of the individual such as their aptitude. Career development work, however, could benefit from a more holistic approach - one that considers the interplay of many aspects of a person’s character, energy, values, purpose, and patterns.

One holistic tool that has potential value to clients is called Human Design. Although not formally recognized within the career development field, Human Design is a personal development toolthat seeks to reveal a person’s unique energy dynamics and provides a blueprint for how to use that energy to engage with the world effectively. It serves as a map of many aspects of one’s life such as the inherent strengths, life themes, potential, purpose, and decision-making strategies. Ultimately, it can help individuals make decisions aligned with their authentic selves.

While the research on Human Design is still in its infancy, it is grounded in the wisdom of ancient systems such as quantum physics, the chakra system, Chinese I’Ching, kabbalah, and astrology. Although peer-reviewed studies are currently limited, Human Design has anecdotally shown to have powerful impacts on lives and has the potential to support career development across all ages and stages. An introduction to and increased awareness of Human Design may lead to cautious usefulness and appropriate research in the field of career development.

How Human Design Can Support Career-Seeking Clients

Recent studies highlight a significant issue: a substantial number of individuals feel unfulfilled in their careers, potentially leading to negative outcomes. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2025 report revealed that 79% of people surveyed globally are either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” at work (Gallup, 2025). This may be due to many reasons including misalignment between one’s inherent abilities or preferences and their work. Chronic disengagement can lead to burnout and mental health challenges (Gallup, 2020) which impact productivity (De Oliveira et al., 2022) and ultimately, job security.

Human Design has the potential to help individuals obtain more fulfilling careers as it serves to align their work with their natural energies, strengths, and purpose. Career professionals that are interested in a more holistic approach for their clients could partner with Human Design Specialists to offer readings that enhance career development. A Human Design reading can be applied in the following ways:

1. Understanding energy type and work style.  Human Design identifies 5 types of individuals based on their natural energy levels. It also provides insight on whether someone is designed to work more autonomously or collaboratively, or whether someone is designed to initiate or carry out the ideas of others. Understanding one’s type allows individuals to identify careers that align with their natural rhythm and flow of energy.
2. Decision-making strategies based on type. Human Design provides guidance on how to make decisions based on someone’s authority. For example, someone with sacral authority is meant to respond to their environment (such as career opportunities or a potential mentor) with a strong gut reaction. On the other hand, those with emotional authority require time before making a decision and should “feel out” the potential impacts. Knowing their decision-making strategy allows individuals to respond to and make more fulfilling career choices. 
3. Identifying strengths. One’s gates in their Human Design identifies their natural strengths and talents. For example, an individual with the Gate of the Listener (Gate 13) may thrive in counseling or Human Resource roles where empathetic listening is critical. By knowing their gates, individuals can leverage and pursue careers that align with their natural talents and strengths. This aligns with Gallup Australia research which showed the effectiveness of growing strengths instead of focusing on weaknesses (Clifton, 2022).
4. Enhancing relationships in the work environment. One’s Human Design profile can give them information about their roles and patterns or preferences around teamwork and communication. For example, a 5/1 profile thrives in roles where they can provide practical solutions and be seen as an expert. A 3/6 profile needs the freedom and exploration of trial and error. It may take them a while to find a well-fitting and aligned career path or they may experience frequent career shifts. Knowing their profile can guide individuals to workplaces that fit their collaboration and communication styles or help them to have more effective collegial interactions.

The Influence of Human Design on Well-Being

When clients learn to work with their natural energies, they decrease the risk of engaging in unfulfilling work and of experiencing burnout. Being in a well-suited career contributes positively to mental health, wellness, and satisfaction (Allan et al., 2016; Wen et al., 2023). As more people engage in work that resonates with their authentic selves, the positive effects ripple outward, contributing to a more fulfilled and productive workforce and community at large (Parker, 2020; Seligman, 2011; Simmons University, 2021).

By integrating Human Design into career development, professionals can provide a more tailored, holistic, and meaningful approach to career coaching, ultimately leading to clients finding work they are “designed” to do.

References

Allan, B. A., Dexter, C., Kinsey, R., & Parker, S. (2016). Meaningful work and mental health: job satisfaction as a moderator. Journal of Mental Health, 27(1), 38–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2016.1244718

Clifton, J. (2022,). Build your career around your strengths, not your weaknesses. Gallup.com. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/402500/build-career-around-strengths-not-weaknesses.aspx

De Oliveira, C., Saka, M., Bone, L., & Jacobs, R. (2022). the role of mental health on workplace productivity: A critical review of the literature. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 21(2), 167–193. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9663290/#Bib1

Gallup, Inc. (2020). Gallup’s perspective on employee burnout: causes and cures. The Gallup Organization.

Gallup, Inc. (2025). State of the global workplace. The Gallup Organization.

Lopez, S. J., Hodges, T., & Harter, J. (2005). Clifton StrengthsFinder technical report:  Development and validation. The Gallup Organization.

Myers, I. B., McCaulley, M. H., Quenk, N. L., & Hammer, A. L. (1998). MBTI® manual: A guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument (3rd ed.). Consulting Psychologists Press.

National Center for O*NET Development. (2021). The science behind YouScience. https://resources.youscience.com/rs/806-BFU-539/https://www.associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/am/gi/Discovery_TheScienceBehindYouScience_Report.pdf.

Parker, K. C. (2020). The quantum human design encyclopedia: A comprehensive guide to understanding your energy blueprint. GracePoint Matrix, LLC.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.

Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership. (2021). The importance of authenticity in the workplace: 2021 leadership development survey. Simmons University. https://www.inclusiveleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/The-Importance-of-Authenticity-in-the-Workplace.pdf

Wen, J., Zou, L., Wang, Y., Liu, Y., Li, W., Liu, Z., Ma, Q., Fei, Y., Mao, J., & Fu, W. (2023). The relationship between personal-job fit and physical and mental health among medical staff during the two years after COVID-19 pandemic: Emotional labor and burnout as mediators. Journal of Affective Disorders, 327, 416–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.029.

Jen Nunez is a Holistic Life Coach and Human Design specialist who believes that true success begins with self-understanding and acceptance. As the founder of Holistic Coaching by Design, LLC, Jen supports individuals in discovering their authentic strengths and building careers and lives that reflect who they truly are. With a background in mental health counseling and education, she creates safe, empowering spaces for clients to explore new possibilities, overcome self-doubt, and step confidently into their next chapter. You can learn more about Jen at www.HolisticCoachingByDesign.com and connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-nunez-1255a04b/ or at holisticcoachingbydesign@gmail.com.