The 5 Human Design Types: Find your dream job!

The Human Design Types are one of the fundamental aspects of the Human Design System. They were one of the last aspects defined by Ra Uru Hu, the founder of the Human Design System. What type am I? is the most frequently asked question about Human Design on Google. One more reason to take a closer look.

This article provides you with general information on Human Design Types in a professional context. You can find more detailed information on the individual types in the blog articles linked here. I wish you many insightful insights about yourself and your working environment.

First of all – you are more than your Human Design Type

The Human Design System not only offers great added value for your life in general, but also for your professional development process in particular. Whether you are at the beginning of your career, in the middle of it or about to retire.

Type is often the first aspect we come into contact with when we discover human design. But typecasting is a tricky thing. Even though the human brain likes to think in categories, we have to be careful not to pigeonhole ourselves and think: This is who I am now and that’s that. Or: I have to act this way now because my type analysis says so.

This less favourable attitude towards typology brings with it a variety of personality tests in addition to the Human Design typology. Even if Human Design is not directly comparable with classic personality tests, it is important to remember that you are more than your Human Design Chart and more than your Human Design Type anyway. So don’t use Human Design as a restrictive model, but as a model that shows you what is possible on an energetic level. If you want, you can calculate your Human Design Chart with the calculator below.

How human design types are created

Which Human Design Type you are assigned depends on the connections (channels) of the Human Design Centers in a Human Design Chart.

In general, the group of motor centers (consisting of the sacral, root, emotional and heart centres) of the Human Design Chart and the throat center are responsible for the corresponding typing. The decisive factor is how the centers are connected to each other. The mode of the sacral centre (open or defined) divides the Human Design types into two broad categories: energy type (defined sacral centre) and non-energy type (open sacral centre).
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

The distinction between energy type and non-energy type says a lot about your general energy level. This can also be a criterion for your professional orientation. In my Human Design Coaching sessions, I often find that people who fall into the non-energy type category choose jobs that completely drain them. This was also the case recently with Luke, a sales representative in beverage distribution. He had long felt that the job didn’t suit him, but needed clear confirmation from our coaching to recognize this for himself.

After you have entered your birth data into the Human Design Calculator, you can see which Human Design Type you are, which centers are defined and which are open, and how the defined centers are connected to each other.

The 5 Human Design Types at work

Now it’s time to get a little more specific. Because so far I’ve talked a lot about types, but not yet about what types there are. So – there are the following 5 Human Design Types:

• Manifestor (Initiator)
• Projector (Coordinator)
• Generator (Doer)
• Manifesting Generator (Specialist)
• Reflector

To return to the energy and non-energy types mentioned above: Generators and Manifesting Generators are energy types because they have a defined sacral center. Manifestors, projectors and reflectors are non-energy types with an open sacral center. Originally, generators and manifesting generators were combined into one type. It is therefore possible that only 4 Human Design types are mentioned in other sources. The terms in brackets after the type designations can be regarded as synonyms in a technical context. They already describe the character of the respective type.

The links above will take you to the detailed descriptions of the individual Human Design Types. But give yourself a little more time, because there is still some exciting information waiting for you in this article.

Human Design: What type am I?

The Manifestor at work likes to be at the top of the hierarchy

Is the answer to your question What type am I? Manifestor?

Then discover how you can make the most of your visionary power and innovative strength in your job as a manifestor (initiator). As an initiator, you are predestined to transform systems, processes and structures and be successful in management positions such as managing director or division manager. Find out more about the diverse career opportunities for manifestors in the main article Human Design Manifestor in the job. By the way, 40% of all newborns will be Manifestors in 2025. There have never been so many in one year. More on this in the main article.

The Projector at work as a team coordinator

Is the answer to the question: What type am I? Projector?

As a Projector, you can find out in the linked article how you can make the most of your exceptional coordination and leadership skills at work. As a projector, you are predestined to lead teams and shine with your perceptive powers in advisory and supportive roles. Find out more about the diverse career opportunities for projectors in the main article “Human Design Projector at work”.

The Generator in the profession as builder of the world

Is the answer to the question: What type am I? Generator?

Find out how you, as a generator, can make the best use of your drive and stamina in your job. As a source of energy, you are predestined to drive projects forward and be successful in different areas. Find out more about the diverse career opportunities for generators in the main article “Human Design Generator in the workplace”. Incidentally, only around 5% of generators will be born in 2025 – lower than ever before.

The Manifesting Generator in the profession as a multi-talent or also as a ‘fast mover’

Is the answer to your question: What type am I? Manifesting Generator?

In the following blog article, you will find out how you, as a Manifesting Generator, can make the most of your realisation skills and spontaneity in your job. As a multi-talent or ‘fast mover’, you are successful in positions where you can demonstrate versatility and speed. Use your long-lasting energy and flexibility to achieve top performance at work and beyond. Discover more about the diverse career opportunities for Manifesting Generators in the main article ‘Human Design Manifesting Generator in the workplace’.

The Reflector at work as a mirror of the working society

Is the answer to the question: What type am I? Reflector?

As a Human Design Reflector, you should know how to use your unique perceptiveness and openness optimally in your job. As a valuable observer and “mirror of society”, you are successful in positions where you can recognize and react to moods and dynamics. Use your natural flexibility to promote a harmonious working environment and support change. Find out more about the diverse career opportunities for reflectors in the main article “Human Design Reflector in the profession”.

Not every person immediately recognizes themselves in his or her Human Design Type

If you do not recognise yourself in your identified Human Design Types, this may be due to imprints, conditioning or beliefs that you have accumulated over the course of your life or genetically. We pick up on such issues particularly quickly as children, which is why as adults we often talk about our inner child*. Although such issues are not explicitly considered in the Human Design Chart, they are certainly interwoven somewhere in your life cycles. In my Human Design self-coaching course, I have dedicated a separate chapter to this topic and, of course, related it to Human Design.

The strategies of the Human Design Types

In addition to the characteristics of your Human Design Type, the assigned strategy plays an important role in the realisation process – naturally also for your professional life. Your strategy shows you how you should behave in order to attract experiences and situations that serve your life path.

If you don’t follow your strategy, your career path will be difficult. If you follow your strategy, you will take the smart path of ease and can set yourself up for long-term flow. Understanding and, above all, consistently implementing your strategy will probably take some time – but it will be worth it. Understanding your strategy has a lot to do with trial and error, especially at the beginning. So take your time and be mindful when implementing your strategy in life.

My experience in the strategy process

In my experience (I am a human design type generator), there is a form of passivity in every Human Design strategy. What I mean by this is: let life have its effect on you before rushing to make an impact. In my opinion, the Daoist doctrine of Wuwei comes very close to this concept of action. The philosophy of wuwei is fundamentally about action through non-action, without being inactive. My mentor Theo Fischer* has written wonderful books on this philosophy, which I can warmly recommend to you.

Prioritize the implementation of your Human Design Strategy

You should consider the implementation of your Human Design Strategy as one of your first projects in your personal development process, because it will give you a sense of ease relatively quickly. That’s what happened to me and some of my friends. If you follow your strategy, you will have reached an important milestone on your agenda. Try to integrate your strategy into your life as much as possible until it becomes a habit.

The Human Design Types of your team colleagues

There are bosses, mentors, colleagues or other business partners in your company who can of course also be categorised as Human Design types. It is therefore an advantage to know the characteristics of the other types, even if you cannot categorise all of your colleagues. Unfortunately, they do not have their Human Design types on their business card. However, as soon as you know the date of birth of a colleague, you can determine their Human Design without the time. Simply enter 12 o’clock in the Human Design calculator. It is very likely that your Human Design type will not change throughout the day. To be sure, you should test this by entering a few hours before and after 12 o’clock.

Generally speaking, if you know the other Human Design Types, you can not only get to know your colleagues better, but also yourself. Because we all only recognise ourselves in comparison with others. And you may even be able to recognise which Human Design type your colleagues are by their obvious character traits.

Thought experiment of a company hierarchy with Human Design Types

Below is an example of the description of a functional organizational structure. An organization chart in which the Human Design types have found their authentic place could look like this. However, consider it only as a theoretical thought experiment that relates only to the type aspect. The reality in business is of course different.

Two principles must be observed. In Human Design, no Human Design Chart and no Human Design Type is considered better or worse. Secondly, anyone can be anything when interacting with others. Because in interaction with others, our chart also takes on the aspects of others.

Outlook into a new world of work

In principle, every Human Design Type can find its authentic place in the company. There is no better or worse among the Human Design Types. The Human Design System conveys cooperation at eye level. However, it will probably be a while before there is an awareness of an organization or working environment based on the Human Design System.

The transformation of the world of work is in full swing. It will be interesting to see when human design conquers the business world commercially. Don’t be idle. Be the change yourself and realise what life has in store for you.

What experiences have you had with your Human Design types? I would be very interested to know. Feel free to write it in the comments below.

FAQ: Questions and answers about the Human Design Types