In the world of Myers-Briggs testing, ENFP stands for Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving. It is believed that ENFP personality types make up somewhere around 8% of the population. By gender, roughly 10% of women are ENFPs while just 6% of men are classified as such. Out of the 16 personality types in Myers-Briggs-speak, ENFP is the sixth most common. In this article, we’ll explain the ENFP personality type and then reveal the best careers for ENFP personality types.
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ENFP Meaning
As we said in the intro, ENFP technically stands for Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving, but let’s break those terms down and examine how this personality type manifests in real life. Some refer to ENFPs as “Campaigners” because they are drawn to big ideas and actions and, through extroverted energy, try to inspire others to support their mission. These folks are able to see magic in everyday life and love to lead, explore, and motivate others.
ENFP Characters
One helpful way of picturing what an ENFP personality truly looks like is by examining some characters from the worlds of fiction, television, or film who exude these types of characteristics. A few classic easy-to-recognize ENFP characters are:
Michael Scott from The Office: While not a flattering example, imagine if Michael’s desire to be the center of attention and the driving force behind everything that transpires at Dunder-Mifflin was executed with greater success (and less akwardness). His teamwork instincts (however misguided) and unflappable enthusiasm make him a shining example.
Best Careers for ENFP (Continued)
George Bailey from the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life is the quintessential dreamer and eternal optimist. His all about his community and being a proponent of a set of ideals and doesn’t back down even the face of Mr. Potter’s evil plots. Clearly, he is extroverted because he doesn’t seem to mind that his childhood friend screams “Hee-Haw!” right in his face every time they meet.
Ariel the Little Mermaid flat-out says she “wants to be where the people are”. That’s pretty much a dead giveaway of an ENFP. Anyone who can feel such wonder from the sight of a fork is totally an ENFP.
What fields attract ENFPs?
Broadly speaking, many ENFPs feel at home in industries such as:
- teaching
- counseling
- sales/marketing
- the arts
- journalism
Of course, those fields only represent a handful of possibilities for individuals with this make-up. Below we will explore 25 specific career jobs that can be a wonderful fit for an ENFP.
ENFP Strengths and Weaknesses
It goes without saying that ENFPs come in all shapes and sizes and do not all share the exact same positive attributes or challenges. That said, generalizations can be of some use when considering what may set you up for not only career satisfaction but aptitude and success as well.
ENFP Workplace Strengths
- Strong problem-solving abilities.
- Creative and innovative when attacking challenges.
- Good at delegating and directing a team toward the successful completion of a task or mission.
- Brings a positive attitude to the work environment that can be infectious.
Best Careers for ENFP (Continued)
ENFP Workplace Weaknesses
- Not always the most organized in the workplace.
- Can be prone to miss details of a complex project.
- May be hard to push through the repetitive (but often necessary) elements of productivity.
- Solo work can be less engaging as than teamwork and distractions may arise.
For each career presented, we will highlight the following:
- A detailed description of what an individual in that career does on a daily basis.
- Related College Majors: Which academic majors are a good fit for someone seeking to enter this job in the future?
- Related Occupations: What other jobs require similar similar skills and training and may be worthy of your consideration.
- Projected Job Growth: The projected percent of new jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will be created (or lost) in the next decade.
- Median Salary: The median salary for those in this profession in the United States.
- Education: The minimum level of education required to enter this profession.
- Employment: How many people in the United States present work in the capacity?
- Projected Job Openings (through 2032): An extension of the projected job growth by percentage, this quantifies the number of projected job openings over the next decade.
Best Careers for ENFP – Additional Resources
- Highest Paid Nurses
- 25 Highest Paid CEOs
- 20 Best Places to Learn Python Free Online
- How to Ask for a Raise
- 100 Highest Paying College Majors
- Happiest Jobs in America
