Career Planning: Personality & Careers: ENTJ

Extravert, iNtuitive, Thinking, Judging - ENFTs represent approximately 5% of the population. ENTJs are natural born leaders. They live in a world of possibilities where they see all sorts challenges to be surmounted, and they want to be the ones responsible for surmounting them. They make decisions quickly, and are quick to verbalize their opinions and decisions to the rest of the world. ENTJs love to interact with people. As Extroverts, they're energized and stimulated primarily externally. There's nothing more enjoyable and satisfying to the ENTJ than having a lively, challenging conversation. They especially respect people who are able to stand up to the ENTJ, and argue persuasively for their point of view. There aren't too many people who will do so, however, because the ENTJ is a very forceful and dynamic presence who has a tremendous amount of self-confidence and excellent verbal communication skills. Even the most confident individuals may experience moments of self-doubt when debating a point with an ENTJ (1,2,8).

ENTJs are very career-focused, and fit into the corporate world quite naturally. They are constantly scanning their environment for potential problems which they can turn into solutions. They generally see things from a long-range perspective, and are usually successful at identifying plans to turn problems around - especially problems of a corporate nature. ENTJs are usually successful in the business world, because they are so driven to leadership. They're tireless in their efforts on the job, and driven to visualize where an organization is headed. For these reasons, they are natural corporate leaders.

An ENTJs Career Choice Should Probably Include...

1. An environment where respect for contributions of ideas and actions is acknowledged and appreciated.
2. The opportunity to work on a variety of projects throughout the day.
3. The chance to develop strategies that will perfect or improve the efficiency of systems.
4. A structured and organized work environment.
5. Work that lets them solve complex problems in creative yet logical ways, working with other people they respect.
6. The chance to be a leader while interacting with a variety of people.
7. The opportunity to be a part of making policies and do long range planning.
8. A position that does not require them to be sensitive to the spiritual, emotional, or personal needs of others.
9. A competitive environment where evaluation and compensation is done in a fair and consistent manner.
   

An ENTJs Strengths are...

ENTJs are friendly, energetic people who like to be in charge and make things happen. They are strong willed decision makers who are good at seeing the logical consequences of their choices. They tend to be organized and logical in their approach to all situations, readily seeing and correcting flaws in organizations and systems. ENTJs love challenges and face problems head on. They strive to be competent in all they do and enjoy learning new things and adding to their impressive store of knowledge (1,2,8).

 

Good leaders and communicators, ENTJs command respect from those around them and are able to express their long range vision to others. They value honesty, so they are truthful and direct. ENTJs often know a lot of people and enjoy making connections between unrelated parties to bring about change and improvement in their communities (1,2,8).

 

ENTJs are good at...

• exploring new ideas/complex problems and exercising ingenuity to find possible solutions
• working towards a goal and marshaling available resources
• being systematic in reaching goals on schedule
• learning new things
• making tough and logical decisions as required
• being truthful and direct
• being productive and organized
• considering many, unrelated variables and making connections between them to create change and improvement in work and personal areas
• seeing the "big picture" - looking beyond what is already known
• long range planning

An ENTJs Weaknesses are...

Given their strong and authoritative style, ENTJs can easily over run others and take charge of situations that are not theirs to direct. They can be harsh and blunt in their criticism. They sometimes don't listen or finish other people's sentences when they assume they know what was going to be said. ENTJs run the risk of being all-business and not spending adequate time and energy on their personal lives (1,2,7,8).

 

In their eagerness to move ahead with new challenges, ENTJs sometimes make decision too quickly, especially missing important practical information or considering how their decisions may affect other people. While they pride themselves on their ability and intellect, ENTJs sometimes do not invite the input or suggestions of other people and can unknowingly communicate a superior attitude that may offend others (1,2,7,8).

 

Things to watch out for...

ENTJs can get ahead of themselves and jump to conclusions in their effort to get things done. They may need to be reminded to take the time to listen to other points of view. Being tough-minded, ENTJs have a tendency to ignore their own and others’ feelings. With a burning desire to achieve — and a constant eye on how current decision will effect end results — ENTJs may become overly argumentative when obstacles get in their way. Small talk and casual conversations appear frivolous and without merit when projects are at hand. This, along with the NT's nature of being impervious to social conventions and customs, can cause others to feel affronted (1,2,7,8).

 

When ENTJs sense that they are losing control, they feel an increasing need for completion. If stress continues, they become distracted by a compelling "got to" and "have to" state of mind. Their need to master a situation then becomes misdirected and they engage in compulsive behaviors that preoccupy their attention and time. Feeling helpless, and lacking confidence, they resort to completing simple, meaningless, repetitive tasks (i.e. cleaning, counting, inspecting ) in an effort to avoid a growing sense of failure. By avoiding ineptitude at all costs, their competence and ability are never fully tested. Ironically, these all-consuming distractions are the very behaviors that prevent ENTJs from fulfilling their basic need for achievement and improvement (1,2,7,8).

• "running over" others and taking charge of situations that are not theirs to direct
• unknowingly communicating a superior attitude by relying too much on their own abilities and not seeking input and suggestions from other people
• being critical and demanding with themselves and others, especially when under stress
• being insensitive towards people's feelings and coming across as forceful, intimidating and overbearing
• forgetting to appreciate others or express encouragement
• considering only creative or unusual approaches to problems and ignoring the "tried and true"
• losing sight of the personal side while chasing ambitions
• becoming hypersensitive when under stress and interpreting innocent comments as personal attacks
• not thinking things though in enough depth to see all sides

Developmental Needs: ENTJs need to learn to be conscious of others emotional needs and to acknowledge those needs when appropriate. They need to slow down and be more thorough in the preliminary stages of a project, i.e., gather more information and get all the facts, before making a decision. It might be prudent to avoid communicating excessive confidence, before their experience justifies it, to avoid alienating others.

Careers ENTJs Might Consider
Education Consultant	Lawyer
Office Manager	Mortgage Broker
Photographer	Corrections Officer
Fine Artist	Physician
Marketing Manager	Management Consultant
Investment Broker	Dentist
Judge	Labor Relations
Teacher: Science/Social Studies	Logistics Consultant
Designer	City Manager
Economic Analyst	Police Detective
Business Consultant	Administrator
Credit Investigator	Factory Supervisor
Educational Consultant	Personal Financial Planner
English Teacher	Life Scientist
Actor	Auditor
Journalist	Physical Therapist
Comp. Systems Analyst	School Principal
Executive	University Professor
Sales Manager	Senior Manager
Accountant	Computer Consultant
Program Designer	Chemical Engineer
Management Trainer	Stock Broker
Retail Store Manager	Child Care Worker
Restaurant Manager	Priest
Psychologist	Computer Programmer
Biomedical Engineer

Sources:

1. Looking at Type and Careers, by Charles R. Martin, Ph.D., Copyright 1995 by Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT)
2. Looking at Type: The Fundamentals, by Charles R. Martin, Ph.D., Copyright 1997 by Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT)
3. Jedi Girl: Careers and Jobs - The Jedi Girl Internet Community - Concept and Design by Robert Jon Religa
4. Career Manager (US Department of the Interior)
5. The Virtual Office - may no longer be at this URL
6. Hardcopies from an internet resource based on the Kiersey Bates material - URL unknown/no longer available
7. Personality Types Under Stress
8. The Personality Page

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   "What Can I Do With A Major In...?" Personality & Careers

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Ron Vick, MA, LPC
Counselor / Academic Advisor
Int'l Student Advisor