ESFP Jobs and Careers - 5 Tips to Find Your Fit
The ESFP favors the two of the four MBTI® mental functions; Sensing and Feeling.
- As an SF (Sensing-Feeling), you want to provide service!
You will at minimum want a job where there are regular opportunities for you to provide service.
Not only is it hard these days to find a job, but harder yet is it to know what kind of job or career to go after and how to begin your search. I list here some tips on what things to look for in a job situation that would be energizing to motivate you ESFPs for the long term. Follow these tips so that you can manage your strong tendency to speculate, and avoid what you are so prone to do—making the worst possible conclusions.
Life for ESFPs is like a 3-ring circus
Two Favorite Mental Functions
As one of the 16 Myers-Briggs® personality types, you ESFPs use your favored S-F mental functions in your own personal style.
The fit of the job situation to your favorite mental functions, so you can use the lion's share of your psychological energy, are a must for job choice. This will take into account how your particular personality type is motivated.
1. Job Types
Those jobs that are most fitting for your ESFP personality are those that require
- INCLINATION: an outgoing nature
- INCLINATION: attention to detail
- SKILL: masterful at team support and encouraging others to perform
Occupational areas with these kinds of jobs tend to be:
- Service-related fields, health care
- Coaching, teaching
- Skilled trades
Most attractive occupations:
- Child care worker
- Teacher
- Designer
- Receptionist
- Transportation worker
- Factory supervisor
- Library worker
- Cashier
- Lifeguard or recreation attendant
- Food service worker
2. Job Environment
A good job match for the ESFP will include a situation with these elements.
- Tasks that will clearly benefit self and others
- Situations where you can be with others who have common ground with you
- Structured, organized where you can take initiative with personal, hands-one involvement
- Minimal criticism and hostility or unsupportive environments.
3. Information to Gather
- What the long-term outlook is for the job.
4. Making Contacts
- Make sure networking time is productive.
- Pause during interviews so that others can ask questions.
- Prepare for hypothetical interview questions.
- When interviewed by an iNtuition type, don't overwhelm him or her with too many details.
- Convey in what ways your people skills can help the "bottom line."
5. Making Decisions
- Don't ignore uncomfortable facts.
- Systematically consider the consequences of alternatives.
- Set a deadline for deciding, posting it or announcing it to friends.
This hub combines some information from the two following books, as well as from a seminar I attended.
- Introduction to Type and Careers
Get your clients involved in their own career search using MBTI results. The updated Introduction to Type and Careers provides interactive exercises and realistic descriptions to explore personality type and career matching.
- Introduction to Type and Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) refers to a person's ability to control impulses, show empathy, and persist in the face of obstacles with resilience and flexibility. This new booklet explores the connections between personality and EQ.
© 2010 Deidre Shelden