You probably took a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test at some point in your life.
You got four mysterious acronyms like ENTJ, INFP, or ESTP, without much insight on what they mean or how to use them.
Here’s the rundown:
The letters in each MBTI personality type refer to a specific trait. The combination of those traits forms your personality type.
Your personality type is powerful:
It explains why some people are okay with navigating spreadsheets on a computer all day; while others need to feel like they are helping others through their careers. It also explains why some make better CEOs and some better psychologists.
Curious to see which career path you should take?
We’ve created an AWESOME guide that splits 101 career paths based on the 16 Myers-Briggs personality type groups.
- 101 Career Paths by Personality - Visual Guide
- What Myers-Briggs Personality Traits Mean
- 16 Myers-Briggs Personality Types
Haven’t done the MBTI test yet? You can take it here.
What Myers-Briggs Personality Traits Mean
Your personality type will depend on four crucial factors:
- Favorite world - Extrovert (E) or Introvert (I)
- Information - Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)
- Decisions - Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
- Structure - Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)
Here’s a refresher on what all these mean and where you fall.
Extrovert (E) or Introvert (I)
Your favorite world is a descriptor of how you allocate your energy.
- Do you like to focus on the outer world - other people, nature, external environment? Then you are an extrovert (E): outgoing, comfortable in groups, and energetic around other people.
- Do you put your attention on your own inner world? Then, you are an introvert (I): you like doing things alone, like to reflect and are usually reserved.
Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)
The second criterion has to do with how you collect information.
- A sensing (S) personality type pays attention to physical reality when collecting information. If you’re a sensor, you trust experience first, are pragmatic, and only rely on facts.
- A person who collects information through intuition (N) pays more attention to patterns in the information, rather than the hard facts. They like to work with symbols, theories, and look at the bigger picture.
Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
The third preference pair describes how you make decisions.
- If you make decisions based on objective principles and facts, you are a thinking (T) type. You enjoy technical and scientific subjects, where logic and facts are important. You are task-oriented, and sometimes can be a bit “uncaring” or “untactful”.
- If you think you make the best decisions by putting more weight on the people involved, then you are a feeling (F) type. You’re all about maintaining harmony and making others happy. You are caring, tactful, but can sometimes be too idealistic or downright “cheesy”.
Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)
Last, but not least, structure is all about what behaviors others tend to see from you in the “outer” world.
- Are you structured and decided? Do you prioritize work before play, start things well before the deadline, and enjoy making to-do lists? Then you are a judging (J) type.
- Are you flexible and adaptable? Do you work in bursts of energy, procrastinate, and hate planning? Then you’re most likely a perceiving (P) type.
Different combinations of these characteristics yield 16 different personality types, which is a “code” with four letters.
For example, if you’re an extrovert, sensing, feeling, and perceiving, you’re an ESFP.
It goes without saying that you can have both traits of the same pair, as very few people are 100% one thing. You could be both an extrovert and an introvert, for example. These personality characteristics only refer to what’s more dominant for you, and in no way put you in a box!
Now that’s all cleared up, let’s get to your career path!
16 Myers-Briggs Personality Types
INTJ - The Orchestrator
You are an INTJ if you are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging.
You are creative but dwell on the details, and usually like to work alone. You’re an analytical problem-solver, always trying to improve systems, processes, and whatever else you find in your path.
Famous INTJs include Hillary Clinton, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Sir Isaac Newton, and Stephen Hawking.
The top careers for an INTJ are:
- Project Management
- System Engineering
- Marketing Strategy
- System Analysis
- Software Engineering
- Financial Analysis
INTP - The Rationalist
You are an INTP if you are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving.
You love thinking and experimenting with new ideas. You’re very independent and like to analyze theory and numbers. Because you love deep thinking, you prefer positions that allow you to innovate.
Famous INTPs include Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, and Abraham Lincoln.
The top careers for a theory-loving INTP are:
- Computer Programming
- Software Development
- Research & Academia
- Business Analysis
- Corporate Strategy
- Technical Writing
INFJ - The Humanitarian
You are an INFJ if you are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging.
This personality type is very rare - only 1% of the population are INFJs. You approach work with deep thoughtfulness, care, and imagination. You care deeply about others, but you are not a dreamer. You take actionable steps to make the world a better place.
Famous INFJs include Dr. Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and Daniel Day-Lewis.
The best careers for a humanitarian are:
- Counselor
- Psychologist
- Human Resources
- Writing/Editing
- Environmental Science
- Special Education
INFP - The Imaginative
You are an INFP if you are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving.
You are quiet, imaginative, and open-minded. Although intelligent, you dislike school and dread the thought of years of unimaginative routine tasks. This is why anything that is routine doesn’t work for you.
Famous INFPs include Princess Diana, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, and William Shakespeare.
The description should give you a hint to the best career paths for an INFP:
- Writing
- Music
- Visual arts
- Massage therapy
- Social work
- Museum curation
- Speech-language pathology
- Fashion design
- Graphic design
ISTJ - The Organizer
You are an ISTJ if you are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging.
You are rational and don’t like making impulsive decisions. You make for a great employee because you are reliable, objective, and sharp. You respect authority and want a sense of security and consistency from your career.
Famous ISTJs include Queen Elizabeth II, Warren Buffet, George Washington, and Harry Truman.
The top careers for an ISTJ are:
- Military & Police
- Legal counsel
- Supply Chain Management
- Medical
- Inspection (of any kind)
- Financial management
- Data analysis
ISFJ - The Protector
You are an ISFJ if you are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging.
You are efficient and responsible but have a great desire to help others. Your personality traits are essential to the modern world - you are altruistic and skilled, so you usually find yourself happy in the service of others.
Famous ISFJs include Beyonce, Kate Middleton, Rosa Parks, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and The Godfather himself, Vito Corleone.
The most suited careers for an ISFJ are:
- Nursing
- Teaching
- Social work
- Religious work
- Customer service
- Human resources
ISTP - The Explorer
You are an ISTP if you are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.
You are highly creative and have an individualistic mindset - stopping at nothing to achieve your goals. You thrive in the unknown and are a born problem-solver, although the problems you want to solve might not be so practical. This combination of curiosity and grit make ISFJs one of the most unique personality types out there.
Famous ISTPs include Michael Jordan, Bruce Lee, Tom Cruise, and Arya Stark from Game of Thrones.
The top career paths for an ISTP are in:
- Mechanics
- Engineering
- Forensic science
- Sports/Athletics
- Intelligence agencies
- Gastronomy
- Detective work
ISFP - The Maestro
You are an ISFP if you are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving.
You love adventures and living in the moment. You use aesthetics and design to fuel your love for beauty. You don’t care much about wealth, power, or security. In your job, you are looking for creative freedom and a chance to express yourself artistically.
Famous ISFPs include Mozart, John Travolta, Marie Antoinette, Michael Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Frida Kahlo, and Lana Del Rey.
The best career paths for a creative ISFP are:
- Fashion design
- Cosmetology
- Graphic design
- Music
- Fitness training
- Art director
- Photography
ENTJ - The Chief
You are an ENTJ if you are Extroverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging.
You make decisions quickly and are motivated by external rewards. You usually take charge of teams and have high self-confidence. You make sure to exercise your authority so that everyone is doing what they’re supposed to and things are getting done.
Famous ENTJs include Steve Jobs, Margaret Thatcher, Gordon Ramsey, Malcolm X, and Whoopi Goldberg.
ENTJs do well in any career that will put them in charge. Some of the most suitable include:
- Top executive
- Emergency management
- Entrepreneurship
- Corporate strategy
- Politics
ENTP - The Orator
You are an ENTP if you are Extroverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving.
You are bold, creative, and sarcastic, and are not afraid of hard work to reach your goals. You have a quick wit and think well on your feet, which makes you a great debater. At work, you enjoy creating solutions for technical and intellectual problems.
Famous ENTPs include Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, Mark Twain, Sarah Silverman, and Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones.
Top careers for ENTPs include:
- Stock trading
- Sales
- Film production
- Public relations
- Legal counseling
- Engineering
ENFJ - The Hero
You are an ENFJ if you are Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging.
You love helping others and being the center of attention. You have strong ideas and values and are not afraid to stand for them. You reach your meaningful goals through creative energy and collaboration.
Famous ENFJs include Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lawrence, and Maya Angelou.
The best career paths for an ENFJ personality are:
- Teaching
- Counseling
- Human resources
- Politics
- Life coaching
- Motivational speaking
ENFP - The Motivator
You are an ENFP if you are Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving.
You are a true free spirit - charming, independent, and energetic. You enjoy interacting with others and exploring new ideas and want your work life to reflect that. You find EVERYTHING interesting, so you can have a hard time choosing a career path.
Famous ENFPs include Quentin Tarantino, Robin Williams, Sandra Bullock, Ellen DeGeneres, and Will Smith.
The top career paths for a curious ENFP are:
- Sales management
- Real estate
- Customer service
- Film direction
- Screenwriting
- Marketing
ESTJ - The Executive
You are an ESTJ if you are Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging.
You are a true leader and honor tradition and order. You have a strong moral compass and enjoy leading others and being busy. You gravitate towards careers that give you a sense of structure and organization, where you can exercise your responsibility and loyalty.
Famous ESTJs include George W. Bush, Simon Cowell, Judge Judy, Ella Baker, Frank Sinatra, and Lyndon B. Johnson.
ESTJs love climbing the corporate ladder, so top careers include:
- Sales engineering
- Credit analysis
- Insurance
- Real estate
- Corporate management
- Corporate executive
- Public administration
ESTP - The Entrepreneur
You are an ESTP if you are Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.
You are energetic, goal-oriented, and are inspired by short-term achievements. You want to be where the action is - making decisions daily while thinking on your feet. These are the most popular of the personality types, and they have an easy time networking and interacting with others.
Famous ESTPs include Donald Trump, Madonna, Eddie Murphy, Jack Nicholson, and Samuel L. Jackson.
The top careers for likable ESTPs include:
- Entrepreneurship
- Management
- Politics
- Real estate
- Acting
- Front office clerk
- In-the-field reporting
- Human resources
ESFJ - The Delegate
You are an ESFJ if you are Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging.
Like all extroverts, you enjoy interacting with others and taking part in your community. You are an altruist and love to be of service to others. You are extremely loyal and well-organized and avoid conflict at all costs. You are happy to do what needs to be done and don’t shy away from routines.
Famous ESFJs include Elton John, Bill Clinton, Steve Harvey, Taylor Swift, Danny Glover, and Monica from Friends.
The best career paths for the ESFJ personality type are:
- Event planning
- Nursing
- Office management
- Paralegal
- Medical assistance
- Receptionist
- Catering
ESFP - The Entertainer
You are an ESFP if you are Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving.
As an ESFP, you are definitely THE life of the party. You randomly start singing and dancing and love giving out time and energy to other people. Any job that restrains you from that freedom will 100% make you miserable. You want excitement, interaction, and a chance to shine!
Famous ESFPs include Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Foxx, and Adam Levine.
The top careers for an ESFP are:
- Event planning
- Sales
- Trip planning
- Tour guides
- Stand-up comedy
- Theatre
Conclusion
That was a fun ride!
We hope you learned more about yourself and felt a bit more understood.
Moral of the story:
Don’t settle for a career that won’t make you happy. Get to know yourself and pick a career where you don’t dread for Monday to come. No matter your personality type, there is a job out there where you can feel fulfilled AND be productive.
101+ Career Paths Full Infographic
In case you wish to share the entire visual infographic, here it is:
Want more interesting reads?
We have a few suggestions:
