I didn’t get the job I applied for recently. I’m not bitter. I’m just pudgy.

“Ah, you’re sanguine,” said Dr. Richard Ferrara, who diagnosed my problem over the phone from Naples, Fla. “They probably wanted someone a little more choleric.”

(I’m sure I didn’t see anything on the job posting that read, “Only cholerics need apply.”)

I tracked down Dr. Ferrara because of his new, self-published book that adds a physiological twist to the historic medical theories of Hippocrates.

Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, referred to as the Father of Medicine, came up with the theory that illnesses results from imbalances among four body fluids, or humours. Over the centuries, others have extended Hippocrates’ theory to identify four distinct human temperaments or personalities types: choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic. Most of us, the theory goes, have dominant and subdominant personality types.

Now, Ferrara applies nearly 50 years of experience as a medical doctor and student of Hippocratic theory to argue that our body shape also helps define our personality – and our best career fit.

“Skinny people should be teachers,” Ferrara said, for example.

Why? Skinny people tend to fall into the phlegmatic category, which makes them patient, easy-going, efficient, comfortable with a routine.

Ferrara’s book: “The Deck of Life: Playing the Cards You’re Dealt. Know Your Temperament and Insights For a Better Balanced Life!” aims to help us best match ourselves with the jobs that best suit us.

But he takes it further than that. In the business world, Ferrara suggests, companies should look to match the personalities and body builds of applicants to jobs they need to fill.

“When I first started in private practice, I hired the wrong type of temperament, and I had quite a few problems,” he said. “It took a while for me to learn that you have to hire different temperaments for different jobs if you want a harmonious business environment.”

On one level, it sounds absurd and pop-psychological to pigeon-hole people like that, but …

“Nobody is just one temperament,” Ferrara said. “We’re a combination. However, by understanding the nature of the temperaments, the body builds, you can tell by observation, whether a person predominates in one area. You can pretty well tell the character of that person.

“No matter what your combination, one can do anything if they make up their mind to do it. People can adapt,” he said. “But there are certain jobs that are easy and enjoyable. The natural tendency is to do something you enjoy and feel good doing. You’ll naturally gravitate to those careers.”

Ferrara includes a short personality test in the book and has extensive descriptions of the choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic personalities – foods they like, diseases they get, mates they choose, how they parent. He lists strengths and weaknesses.

I asked Ferrara to briefly describe the four categories and match them with their most suitable careers:

 • Choleric: The leadership type with a “success tendency.” Think California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Strong, athletic, practical, confident, productive. Risk-taking doers. A well-proportioned, physically fit and developed body shape. Best as entrepreneurs, foremen, supervisors, statesmen, military leaders, CEOs.

 • Melancholic: The creative type. Think the late suspense motion picture director Alfred Hitchcock. Weak features with a round, often overweight body shape. Generally higher IQ and imagination. Analytical loners. Best at humanitarian vocations, artists, musicians, medical practitioners, investors, writers, accountants. Also excel in craftsman fields – carpentry, architecture, plumbing, interior design.

 • Phlegmatic: The easygoing type. Think late comedic actor Don Knotts. Everybody likes the phlegmatic, because they are so easy to get along with and loyal. Dependable and efficient peacemakers. Good sense of humor, often withdrawn. Capable of leadership but rarely seek it. More or less the best-balanced of the types. Skinny and frail-looking body type. Best as teachers, mechanics, electricians, computer technicians but also foreman, supervisors and managers in government, military or institutional careers.

Yes, Doc, but what about me?

 • Sanguine: The upbeat communicator type. Think former President Bill Clinton or the late TV newsman Tim Russert, who hosted NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The loving, cheery, friendly uplifting type. Like to make others happy. Rounded apple figure, rounded shoulders and prone to abrupt weight changes. Unhappy in careers that don’t include people around them. Best as salespeople, actors, entertainers, preachers, physicians, receptionists and news media personalities.

“The idea,” Ferrara said, “is to have an introspection about your temperament so that you can promote your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses.”

I’ll see you in the weight room.

Dan Voelpel: 253-597-8785

dan.voelpel@thenewstribune.com