by Patrick Glynn
ENTJs—one of the 16 personality types defined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)—are driven, decisive, and outgoing individuals who enjoy being in charge. They have a natural confidence that comes from their expressive personality type.
ENTJ careers offer these ambitious people the opportunity to take on leadership positions that fulfill their goal-oriented ways. Before we get into what those careers are, let’s dig into what ENTJs are like a little more.
What is an ENTJ like?
ENTJs are natural-born leaders. They have a decisive nature and enjoy overseeing plans, activities, and more. They are outgoing and thrive on social interaction, which makes them excellent salespeople and executives.
Some other words used to describe an ENTJ, as defined by the MBTI, are:
- Enthusiastic
- Leader
- Outspoken
- Fair
- Problem solvers
- Direct
- Objective
However, within the ENTJ personality type are two subtypes: assertive ENTJs and turbulent ENTJs.
ENTJ-A
ENTJ-As—the “A” stands for “assertive”—typically use stressful situations as fuel and handle stress on the inside. Stress usually doesn’t negatively affect an ENTJ-A—nor does it for ENTJ-Ts—or shut them down, but assertive ENTJs tend to let go of stress and move on from it more frequently.
ENTJ-T
ENTJ-Ts are more spontaneous and innovative in their thinking, but they can also let stress affect their decision-making sometimes. They are a little more in touch with their feelings, with 70% of ENTJ-Ts saying “they keep many things in their room that hold special sentimental value for them.”
Top ENTJ careers
Given they are natural leaders, ENTJs have the ability and self-confidence to take charge of many situations—especially in the workplace. They are good at motivating others and making decisions, which makes leadership or management positions a great fit for them. ENTJ careers also allow these people to lead and improve processes within an industry or company.
Here are eight ENTJ career matches:
Project Manager
Because they are natural leaders, ENTJs thrive in positions of responsibility. They have a clear vision for the future, and they know how to get things done efficiently and effectively. As project managers, ENTJs are able to motivate their team members to achieve common goals. They are also good at troubleshooting problems with practical and logical solutions. These are needed across all industries, but IT project managers are particularly in demand.
Chief Financial Officer
They enjoy developing game-changing strategies. They have strong interpersonal skills and can influence others to achieve common goals with their passionate communication style. As chief financial officers, ENTJs set the tone for long-term success in an organization through effective planning and execution of projects.
Auditor
Auditors need excellent communication skills to be able to identify risks within an organization and to explain their findings to management. They also need to be able to think critically and have strong math skills. As auditors, ENTJs develop long-term strategies through effective planning and execution of projects.
Sales Manager
Salespeople help people fix problems through a product they’re selling. That makes this career a great option for ENTJ personality types because they can use their enthusiastic, problem-solving nature to help sell a product. Eventually, salespeople may grow into sales manager, who help lead a team of salespeople. This is a natural career trajectory for an ENTJ.
Physician
A career as a physician is among the best careers for ENTJs. The ENTJ personality type is high on the list of personality types that are able to handle leadership roles. They can be decisive and quick thinkers under pressure, which can come in handy during medical emergencies. ENTJs also like having a goal or end destination in mind, so they are often motivated to continue learning new information about medicine to help solve problems with patients.
Dentist
As dentists, ENTJs develop long-term strategies through effective planning and execution of projects. Dentists have the necessary leadership skills to be able to manage staff and work with other healthcare professionals. They also need to be able to assess risk, understand complex medical information, and provide patient counseling.
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineers need excellent problem-solving skills to be able to design and develop new products. They also need to be able to understand complex technical information and communicate effectively with other engineers and customers.
As mechanical engineers, they can use their logical thinking skills to design and oversee the manufacture of machines and other equipment. ENTJs typically have a strong interest in math and science, making them well-suited for this career.
Industrial Engineer
Industrial engineers focus on the improvement of efficiency and productivity in individuals, teams, and organizations. They use systems thinking to evaluate processes within a company or organization.
ENTJs are good at this career through their penchant for organization. ENTJs focus on the big picture and don’t get bogged down in details. They are more concerned with what needs to be done than how it’s going to happen, which allows them to cut through red tape and come up with efficient solutions (e.g., building a new process to streamline a process) and to have a successful career.
Careers ENTJs May Want to Avoid
ENTJs are driven by success and efficiency, and they also have strong leadership qualities, which makes them good managers and natural leaders. However, they should avoid careers where these traits may not be useful or valued as much. For example, careers that are more creative may not be the best fit for ENTJs.
Here are four ENTJ careers that aren’t great fits for their personality:
- Psychologist: ENTJs prefer to take the lead in many work situations. This can make it difficult for them to build the trust needed to form successful therapeutic relationships with clients.
- Graphic Designer: ENTJs tend to prefer structure and logical thinking and to work with facts and data, and have little interest in artistic expression or design.
- Writer: writing can sometimes be seen as never coming to a final result. Sometimes words end up on paper but never get published. This goes against an ENTJ’s personality, who are driven by accomplishing steps to reach an ultimate goal.
- Art Director: The creative process is often unpredictable, and having to manage a team of creatives can be challenging for an ENTJ.
ENTJ strengths in the workplace
ENTJs have many strengths that make them excellent employees. They are natural leaders who enjoy taking lead. They are good at motivating others and making decisions, which makes them a good fit for managerial or leadership positions. They’re best when they can grow into these sorts of positions.
They have strong leadership qualities that attract others, which makes it easy for them to delegate tasks within a team setting. ENTJs also have strong analytical skills and do well with thinking strategically. They are organized and efficient, which makes them good workers who get their jobs done on time and without errors.
ENTJ weaknesses in the workplace
ENTJs have weaknesses in the workplace just like they do strengths. ENTJs’ perfectionism and passionate personality can sometimes keep them from consistently working on projects because they will keep looking for ways to make them better. This can be frustrating for others who are waiting on their work to come in and meet a deadline.
Given they love working toward an end goal, ENTJs can also get frustrated if teammates or other stakeholders are moving too slowly or don’t seem to be moving in the right direction. They are more effective when they are able to use their strong communication skills to express how to get things done without wasting time or resources.
Are You An ENTJ Looking To Start Your Career?
ENTJs are excellent employees who make great leaders. They have natural skills and strengths that make them a good fit for any workplace, and they should be given positions of authority where they can lead and motivate others. While they can be perfectionists, they still offer strong communication skills and the ability to work well with people.
When you’re ready to find a career that best suits your personality type, check out Insight Global job board, where you will find thousands of listings!
If you’re not an ENTJ, check out our posts about these personality types:
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