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The Myers Briggs assessment test seeks to fit personalities into 16 categories, each with defining characteristics and preferred modes of expression and social conduct.
Exploring personality types can be a useful tool for discerning learning and working styles to determine whether a candidate will fit within an organisation or in a particular role. It also provides individuals with an awareness of their defining qualities, which enables informed exploration of the career paths that may be the best fit.
This article will explore the Myers Briggs personality type of ENFP, and the careers most (and least) suited to someone in this personality category.
Best And Worst Jobs For The ENFP Personality Type
The ENFP at Work
At work, the ENFP is concerned with using their creativity to express themselves and benefit others. ENFPs want to explore the possibilities for themselves and other people, and approach their work with vision and inspiration. They enjoy taking on creative or people-centered problems that call for an imaginative, original solution.
ENFPs are often motivated by their beliefs in humanitarian causes and want work that is consistent with their values. They are particularly interested in helping other people develop as individuals. They tend to choose careers that allow them to pursue ideals of personal growth and artistic expression.
ENFPs dislike routine work and want a variety of tasks and challenges. They prefer to set their own schedule and chafe when saddled with excessive regulations or mundane details. They seek out fun, novel tasks that allow them to be imaginative and relate to other people in an unstructured, supportive way.
The ideal work environment for an ENFP is relaxed and friendly, with few restrictions on creativity. The ideal job for an ENFP allows them to follow their inspiration, satisfy their curiosity, and develop solutions that benefit people in innovative and original ways.
Careers for ENFPs
Research suggests that ENFPs do especially well in creative, meaningful occupations. Artistic fields such as music, theater, visual arts and interior design are several options. ENFPs can also be strong writers or graphic designers. ENFPs who score high in the Extroverted category are usually socially motivated and can apply their talents toward working with people as a teacher, a social worker, a healthcare professional or a member of the clergy.
Here is a list of ENFP careers and fields to consider:
Arts and Humanities
One of the best professional arenas for ENFPs is in the arts. If you’re willing to take a risk or have a strong desire for creative expression, consider the following:
Commercial Media
Similar to the Arts, the Commercial Media industry offers many opportunities for ENFPs to express themselves creatively. Additionally, there is generally less risk and greater financial security in these positions, so if you’re looking for an ENFP job with an eye on the bottom line, check out the following:
Product, Sales and Customer Service
Because of their outgoing personalities, ENFPs are natural at networking and persuasion—two vital skills when it comes to successful entrepreneurship and customer service. In these roles, ENFPs can find opportunities to work creatively on the big picture and adapt to meet changing needs—ensuring the job stays interesting and dynamic. Here are a few examples of jobs where ENFPs can build or sell products and services or provide customer service:
Education
ENFPs thrive on social connections. Teaching environments can be highly satisfying for this personality. Additionally, ENFPs frequently enjoy public speaking and presentation—a common occurrence in many classrooms. If you’re an ENFP and you want to teach and mentor students, consider the following opportunities in the education industry:
Healthcare and Social Service
Healthcare is a consistently growing industry that should be considered by any personality type. For ENFPs, roles that involve interacting with patients one-on-one in a consultative function are likely to be more rewarding than solitary time in labs or in high-stress hospital interactions. If nutrition, exercise or physical and mental health interest you, consider the following positions in healthcare:
ENFP personality overview
ENFP stands for Extraversion – Intuition – Feeling – Perception, characteristics identified by the Myers-Briggs test. This can be a powerful combination in many workplaces. The ENFP type is generally innovative, inspiring and often unafraid of taking risks. ENFPs makeup approximately 8% of the general population and includes more women than men. They are highly perceptive when understanding how individuals and groups function, making them natural leaders inside organizations. ENFPs seek excitement, enjoy abstract and experiential learning, and seek maximum potential in their career experiences and in others.
Often friendly and outspoken, ENFPs are drawn to more casual work environments where their creative drive is given room to grow. They are often successful regardless of the career they pursue, but because they have little patience for details, they typically shy away from bureaucratic or corporate roles. When making career choices, ENFP personality types are motivated more by goals they are passionate about rather than money.
Which careers should ENFPs avoid?
Although any personality type can potentially succeed in a variety of fields, aligning your career path with your natural talents, personality and preferred work style provides a good foundation for overall professional happiness. Careers that require ENFPs to spend hours alone or mired in detail may be stressful or draining and ultimately are not a good fit for this personality. These fields include:
Making the most of your Myers-Briggs
Every personality type has traits that manifest differently depending on what’s happening around you. As you apply your understanding of your personality type to the workplace, it’s useful to consider how you might react on good and bad days.
ENFP on a good day
ENFP on a bad day
ENFPs should strive to build or find a work environment that fosters a spirit of adventure and openness. With lots of charisma and an often positive outlook, ENFPs can quickly become valued team members in many work settings.
The ENFP as a Leader
In leadership positions, ENFPs convey enthusiasm and excitement for their ideas. Their leadership style tends to be democratic and flexible, with an eye toward developing human potential. They enjoy helping others grow as employees and as people, and grant plenty of freedom to their reports to develop innovative and unique solutions. ENFP leaders motivate with their passion for their ideas and beliefs, and they are often insightful in their assessments of people problems.
Because they are so focused on their ideals, ENFP leaders can sometimes neglect the practicalities of implementation. They are more focused on people than on process, and can lose sight of the ultimate goal as they explore relationships and human development. They may need to develop planning and organizational skills to ensure that their creative ideas become reality.
FAQ
What career is best for ENFP?
What jobs should ENFP avoid?
- Bank Teller.
- Financial Manager.
- Judge.
- Flight Engineer.
- Civil Engineer.
Can ENFP be successful?
Is Psychology a good career for ENFP?
