ENFP Careers: Best and Worst Career Paths for the Inspirer Personality Type
Choosing a career is a big decision, and you shouldn’t take it lightly. But with all of the options out there, it can be hard to choose. Luckily, as an ENFP, your personality may help you decide on the best job for you.
Whether you’re about to start your career or are looking for a change, your personality can have a huge impact on your work. Choosing a job could mean the difference between feeling stressed or loving your week. Keep reading to learn more about ENFP careers.
ENFP Careers Overview
The flexible nature of the ENFP personality type allows its members to thrive in many different fields. ENFPs ideally work in careers where they are given some independence and have plenty of opportunities to interact with people. They make excellent educators, sales agents, and writers.
ENFP Characteristics
When looking at the best ENFP careers, you should consider the characteristics that people with this personality type tend to have. Of course, everyone is different, so some of these traits may be more obvious in some.
Either way, you should know the major and minor characteristics of ENFP to help you find a job that can utilize those things.
Extroversion
Extroversion means that you tend to like being around people, or at least you feel energized after socializing. While you can work alone, you may struggle to be alone all day, especially if you live alone.
You may want to look for jobs where you can work around people. Or you can look to live with others such as:
- Friends
- Parents
- A partner/spouse
That way, you don’t need a job where you work with people all day. But you can still recharge.
Intuitive
Someone with the ENFP personality type is intuitive, which means they can look at the bigger picture in a situation. You value the future and what you believe is possible.
This can be useful when you need to narrow down career possibilities. For example, if you know you want to have kids, you may look for a more flexible job. Or you may choose to prioritize money over other factors.
Feeling
The F in ENFP refers to how you make decisions, and you do so with your emotions. While this can be a downside, it can make you more empathetic to others.
That ability can make you a great fit for teaching or other jobs where you need to care for people. On the other hand, you might struggle to work a more corporate job or in an industry where feelings aren’t important.
Perceiving
ENFPs can be flexible and adapt to different situations, so you may enjoy a job where you get to do a lot of things. You might enjoy working a job where your schedule changes regularly as well.
Being flexible is an excellent skill in any career, and it can help with:
- Scheduling
- Responsibilities
- Relocation
As you look for a job, you can emphasize your flexibility. That can be a great way to make yourself stand out to potential employers.
Other Characteristics
While the main characteristics that makeup ENFP are important, so are other traits. Consider some minor characteristics that play a part in making ENFPs who they are:
- Communicative
- Cooperative
- Empathetic
- Energizing
- Loyal
- Strategic
Having these characteristics can set you up for a variety of jobs. Whether you want to work for yourself or an employer, you can use these characteristics each day.
ENFP Strengths and Weaknesses
After you know about the basic characteristics of your personality type, consider some strengths and weaknesses. Then, you can figure out what jobs will allow you to make the most of your strengths, and you can avoid jobs that you are ill-suited for.
Curiosity
ENFPs love learning and getting out of their comfort zones. Instead of analyzing something, they’re ready to test it out. They can see things as part of a big puzzle, and they can work to solve it, which can come in handy in many careers.
Enthusiasm
Being enthusiastic can be a huge bonus when it comes to work. You can be the one to motivate people who aren’t looking forward to work or a specific project. Enthusiasm can help you make connections with new people and learn more.
Friendliness
As you make connections through your enthusiasm, those connections may become friendships. You may be the popular one in your office, and people might come to you for advice. And since you can empathize with people, you can help people feel better.
Thoughtfulness
Unfortunately, ENFPs can overthink a lot of things. They might waste time looking for an underlying motive that doesn’t exist, which can keep them from being productive. And they could lose sleep over something a coworker said in a meeting.
Independence
While some independence can be a good thing, ENFPs can be overly independent. A lot of people with this personality type don’t like when others tell them what to do. They may want to manage their own careers, so it can be good for them to pursue self-employment.
Best Industries for ENFP
After you examine the characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of your personality type, you can look at some of the best industries. Then, you can narrow your job search and find something that interests you. Industries to consider include:
- Arts and Design
- Business and Sales
- Education & Training
- Entertainment
- Healthcare
- Media and Communication
- Personal Care and Service
- Science
Whether you want to work as a musician, travel agent, or teacher, you can find success in many industries and jobs. That way, you can find a career that you enjoy and that fits your ENFP tendencies.
Many of these industries let you work with people, and some rely on empathy, such as healthcare or education. While science jobs can be lonely, they let you explore the more curious side of yourself.
Worst Industries for ENFP
While many industries can be great for ENFPs, some aren’t a good fit. Consider some of the worst industries for your personality type before you apply for jobs in them.
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Farming
- Finance
- Law Enforcement
Now, chemistry is a type of science, but it can be lonely. If you want to be a chemist, consider finding social activities outside of work to fulfill your needs as an extrovert.
Computer science and engineering let you learn things, but they don’t always allow for the creativity you desire. And while law enforcement involves working with people, you may not always be able to empathize with others.
Self-Employment vs. Traditional Employment
Because of their fierce independent streak, many ENFPs may choose to work for themselves. Before you start your own business, consider the differences as they relate to your personality type.
| Self Employment | Traditional Employment |
| Be independent | Follow others’ rules |
| Work on your own | Get to work with others |
| Can work in any industry | May be hard to get started |
| Have to work a lot | Can go home when your shift ends |
| May need to use a lot of technology | Deal with office drama |
Working for yourself may be the perfect option because you can control what you do, and you can be independent. But you may need to work harder to find social time if you don’t live with friends or family.
When you’re self-employed, you can work for yourself and do a lot of things. Then, you can satisfy your curiosity. You can take the lead in your career and shift when you want to. Either way, it’s worth considering as an ENFP.
Final Thoughts
ENFPs have many career options available, from writing to performing to teaching. But they may not want to work in law enforcement or banking. While those involve people, they don’t allow for much empathy or exploration. Consider your interests outside of your personality to help find the best ENFP career for you.
