Katharina Buczek
Our Personality Types And Career Choices Are Linked
Nowadays, it might seem obvious that our personality types and career choices are linked. If you tend to be more creative, you might lean toward writing, designing, or interior design. On the flip side, those who think more mechanically may enjoy engineering, architecture, or business management.
Work Is No Longer Just A Means To An End
Back in the day, though, this relationship was not really explored in the United States. In fact, due to wartime, the Great Depression, and societal pressure to provide for their family, many people just viewed work as a means to an end, a way to keep food on the table that did not necessarily have to line up with individual interests.
Here Are The Best Careers For You Based On Your Myers-Briggs Personality Type
Over the decades, though, psychologists have studied how personality types and careers are undoubtedly linked. So, using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)– the world’s leading personality assessment– you can actually figure out what career paths best fit your temperament and which avenues to avoid at all costs.
“The Negotiator” – ESTP
If you are an ESTP, then you are known for being both practical and flexible. You might notice that you require a lot of stimuli to keep you motivated and enjoy doing hands-on work as opposed to dwelling on ideas.
ESTPs thrive in environments where they can wear different hands– requiring a bit of structure and high energy to keep them on the ball.
For this reason, people with an ESTP personality type usually thrive in careers such as marketing, general contracting, sales, litigation, and talent management. In order to save their sanity, though, ESTPs should stay away from strict routines, deadlines, and cubicles.
“The Boss” – ESTJ
If you have ever felt like you are a total Type-A personality, then you may be an ESTJ. These personalities crave control and love to manage, delegate, and coordinate teams in order to reach goals.
ESTJs live for structure and organization and work best when collaborating with other people. In fact, too much alone time can drive ESTJs to feel uninspired and drained of energy.
Gratification and practicality are also necessary. In other words, they prefer to see the real impact of their work on a day-to-day basis.
So, ESTJs are well-suited for careers in business management, finance, leadership positions, and the military. However, they will definitely want to stay away from occupations that offer too much alone time, little control over their day-to-day, and tasks that are subjective.
“The Guardian” – ESFJ
People with ESFJ personalities thrive when they are caring for others– whether that be through teaching, mentoring, or simply stepping in as a team player.
Now, ESFJs do love to be in charge, but they are not in love with logistics and strategy. Instead, they tend to have warmer, more personable qualities that encourage collaboration and good workplace culture.
Guardians also enjoy predictability, clear expectations, and seeing measurable improvements,
Due to this, ESFJs tend to be great healthcare administrators, teachers, social workers, and hospitality professionals. These personalities should also try to avoid positions that lack guidelines, do not have a measurable impact on others, or are work-from-home.
“The Director” – ENTJ
ENTJs are actually the highest-paid personality type, and these people know how to combine business and creativity with ease.
This personality type also thrives when they can lead and innovate– preferring organization and structure above all else. However, ENTJs are not just about results; instead, they also want to feel personally connected to their goals in some way.
Likewise, people with this persona enjoy using their creative instincts. So, without any creativity, ENTJs can start to feel stifled and like they lack direction.
For these reasons, ENTJs are well-suited to be producers, directors, entrepreneurs, salesmen, and chief executive officers (CEOs). At the same time, they should steer clear of any work that leaves no room for innovation, development, or creativity.
“The Traveler” – ESFP
ESFPs love all things novel, such as meeting new people, embarking on new experiences, and trying their hand at new tasks.
In other words, people with ESFP personalities despise routine and all things boring. Instead, they prefer to stay in the line of action and get their hands dirty. These people also tend to enjoy other people, animals, and working in practical fields.
ESFPs are also able to adapt easily and prefer to work without a clear guideline or agenda.
So, people with this personality type make great performers, travel guides, artists, teachers, consultants, and fitness trainers. However, they should not get trapped in professions that require lengthy schooling, administrative work, or data entry.
“The Innovator” – ENTP
ENTPs are the masters of all trades. They enjoy using all of their skills to develop, innovate, and create solutions.
So, much like ENTJs, people with this personality type want to feel attached to their careers. ENTPs also tend to be creative, extroverted, and able to adapt to a wide variety of environments.
In turn, ENTPs are often great human resources professionals, marketers, salesmen, consultants, corporate trainers, and community organizers.
On the flip side, these people should try to avoid any forms of “busy work,” working from home, or positions that do not require them to influence strategy creation.
“The Romantic” – ENFP
ENFPs crave opportunity and are typically pulled in a lot of different directions. This means it can be hard for people with ENFP personalities to pick just one direction.
Still, ENFPs love being in the spotlight, being on high-energy teams, and getting opportunities to be creative. At the same time, they tend to have shorter attention spans that require new challenges to keep them engaged and helping others.
Due to this, people with ENFP personalities are well-suited for careers in teaching, advertising, counseling, writing, entrepreneurship, public relations, and human resources. However, they should try to avoid positions that are too structured, require busy work, or require a lot of authority.
“The Muse” – ENFJ
People with ENJ personalities typically feel an intrinsic need to be impactful, help out others, and work in an energetic and creative fashion.
They love people, bring out others’ talents, and enjoy fostering inspiration and creativity among teams.
At the same time, ENFJs also enjoy leading others for the sake of creativity. And even though they like being creative, these people still opt to structure and organize their days inside of just going with the flow.
For all of these reasons, ENFJs typically make great social workers, teachers, counselors, real estate agents, public relations, and human resources professionals.
But, in order to feel satisfied, they should steer clear of work that lacks impact, does not allow for creativity, or offers a work environment that is unstructured.
“The Enforcer” – ISTJ
Those who are ISTJ are known to have a great work ethic and be loyal, practical, and reliable. These people often dedicate themselves to stable, long careers in well-established fields.
ISTJs thrive when they are able to stick to a routine and can be in control of their day. They also tend to be self-sufficient, do not require motivation from team members, and feel satisfied when they see a project through to the end.
That’s why ISTJs are often stellar surgeons, accountants, economists, lawyers, auditors, stockbrokers, and police officers. However, these personality types can feel unsatisfied if they fall into careers that require unpredictable schedules, large teams, and subjectivity.
“The Philanthropist” – ISFJ
People with ISFJ personalities are known for combining two important skills– organization and people management. They tend to understand the needs and wants of others and are able to organize operations, systems, and products which best reflect that.
These skills allow ISFJs to thrive in a variety of careers. However, these people do highly value stability and jobs that make a practical impact.
For these reasons, ISFJs often enjoy careers in nursing, design, dentistry, childcare, social work, and veterinary medicine. However, these people should likely avoid work that lacks service to others and sometimes warrants harsh criticism or unpredictability.
“The Engineer” – ISTP
Those who have an ISTP personality are always curious about how the world works and enjoy offering practical solutions. Interestingly, though, they also enjoy unpredictable schedules and the abstract and learn the most during “hands-on” opportunities.
ISTPs also crave the freedom of exploration, and without it, they can feel bored or unsatisfied. These people also tend to be more introverted and despise routine and authority.
Due to this, people with ISTP personalities are well-suited to be engineers, mechanics, athletes, computer programmers, detectives, and carpenters. At the same time, they should stay away from positions that afford little spontaneity, strict hours, and busy work.
“The Iconoclast” – INTJ
People with INTJ personalities are known for being original, independent, and able to turn abstract theories into practical solutions. They often prefer to work alone and value autonomy. That way, they are able to practice creativity and solo problem-solving.
INTJs also tend to be more analytical, valuing structure and despising busy work. At the same time, they do not enjoy authority, networking, or making small talk.
This means that INTJs often enjoy careers in computer programming, law, science, medicine, and other tech fields. However, they should try to avoid occupations that do not provide tangible results or require busy work and micro managers.
“The Artist” – ISFP
Those with ISFP personalities don’t just want a job; they want an occupation that feels like their calling. They enjoy using their hands, connecting with the world around them, and exercising creative freedoms that don’t always fly in the corporate world.
ISFPs also prefer colorful environments, like to live in the present, and do not thrive when forced to plan ahead. Instead, opportunities that involve independent contracting are much closer to their ideal situation.
For these reasons, ISFPs thrive when they pursue careers in art, cosmetology, photography, design, music, and teaching. But, they should be wary of positions that require strict routines, long-term commitments, and deadlines.
“The Prophet” – INFJ
INFJs actually make up less than one percent of the population. However, these creative and passionate people tend to make a large impact on the world around them.
They are known for being optimistic and idealistic, which helps them aid others and create an impact. Those with INFJ personalities also tend to flex their compassionate side, valuing personal connections and feelings of purpose.
Due to this, INFJs tend to make great bloggers, life coaches, screenwriters, counselors, and healthcare professionals. But, they should steer clear of work that is ripe with conflict or allows for little connection or purpose.
“The Professor” – INTP
INTPs make up about 3% of the population and love being original. These people tend to be a bit eccentric, highly independent, and a bit non-conformist. So, suits and ties are not really their forte.
Instead, logic is often INTPs’ best friend. These people enjoy conducting analysis on abstract ideas and pondering over theories. They also prefer to innovate and work independently– with competition not being a huge motivator. This means that INTPs often thrive as engineers, technical writers, university professors, lawyers, scientists, and consultations. However, they dislike occupations that lack logic, theory, and non-project-based work.
“The Poet” – INFP
People with INFP personalities usually have a tough time locating an occupation that they really love. However, once they nail down a position they enjoy, they tend to thrive. INFPs usually don’t enjoy the idea of a lot of schooling but still desire careers that emphasize higher education. Due to this, these people perform best when their required schooling and work coincide with their internal core values.
In turn, INFPs typically make great authors, musicians, teachers, life coaches, and counselors. But, they should avoid occupations that require little flexibility, unnecessary education, and lack purpose.
