The ESFP Career Path

General Overview

ESFPs like to be around people. This is due to their auxiliary function, introverted feeling, which is focused on their own emotions and motivations, and gives them a good understanding of other people’s as well. This is one of their key strengths in the work place, and it’s also one of their most attractive qualities to employers because it gives them the ability to make others happy, even in stressful situations. And most workplaces can be at times and would benefit greatly from this type of assistance.

ESFPs aren’t usually the type to become so caught up in their work that they neglect other parts of their life. To an ESFP, work is usually a means to another end, another way to explore the world and other people. This can make them a little unreliable in their career, because sometimes they will lose interest in their work if something more interesting comes along, but it doesn’t change the quality of their work when they are interested in it and focused on it.

Tips for Job Interviews

ESFPs need to remember to let their strong people skills lead the way in job interviews. This type needs to be passionate about their career to be fully engaged, and nothing makes the ESFP more passionate than being able to help other people. When ESFPs choose a career path that allows them to help others, they’ll be interested and engaged, and these qualities will come through clearly in their job interviews. This is the ideal situation for a job interview, as their potential employer will see all the drive and commitment they have for their chosen career as well as the many strengths they bring to the table.

Best Careers for the ESFP

ESFPs often work within fields that are related to helping people. This includes the medical field, social work, mental health, education, and life coaching. In these fields, the ESFP gets the chance to use their strong people skills and innate understanding of others to encourage them to be better. And because they focus so completely on other people, they usually pick up information on them quickly, which allows them to identify any problems and work to overcome them. This ability is of great benefit in fields dedicated to solving problems and saving lives.

ESFPs sometimes choose to work for themselves with varied success. They lead with the cognitive function extraverted sensing, which gives them their need for independence. And this often leads to them trying to work freelance, or to set up their own business. ESFPs can do well when they take this path as long as they remember to maintain their social connections. If left on their own for too long, such as when they’re freelancing, most ESFPs become burned out and depressed because they need strong social connections to be healthy. Which is why this type often does better if they set up a business with a someone else who can give them the feedback and connections they need.

Unsuitable Careers for the ESFP

Most ESFPs prefer to work in careers that focus on other people. There are some exceptions to this of course, but ESFPs don’t enjoy fields that are focused on pure data, nor those that require a lot of time spent on their own. Their auxiliary function is introverted feeling, which makes them very aware of emotions and motivations, and it also makes them more focused on emotions and connections than on data. So if an ESFP chooses a job that’s based on metrics, they’ll usually find themselves becoming irritable and depressed, and will quickly find another path.

ESFPs lead with extraverted sensing, which gives them a need for independence and autonomy that they can’t get in every type of career. Routines, schedules and rules are too confining for this type, and this often gets them in trouble in traditional jobs that are too based on obedience and loyalty without question. It also gives them a strong dislike for routine or mindless tasks. ESFPs need a constant flow of new information and challenging tasks to stay interested in and motivated by their workload.

Workplace Roles

ESFPs usually do quite well in leadership roles. They have a strong need for autonomy that fits well with the leadership role, after all if you don’t like being told what to do then being in charge can decrease the likelihood of that happening. ESFPs also have a good level of emotional intelligence as well as strong people skills, which makes them capable of leading and inspiring people without becoming overbearing or insufferable.

ESFPs can find the employee role difficult. They have a strong need for independence that can clash with the demands of this kind of situation and may find themselves chafing at the idea of working to someone else’s schedules and rules. The boss of an ESFP needs to be careful to supply them with a lot of novelty and to give them enough freedom to work through things on their own. Because only in this kind of situation can ESFPs work to their full potential and continue to enjoy their tasks.

Final Thoughts

ESFPs are warm people who usually think of work as secondary to their real life. This type enjoys exploring the world and other people, and their work is one of the tools they use to make this possible. This can make them seem a little flaky or unreliable to other types who are more dedicated to their career, but it’s simply a sign of their different priorities rather than a problem in itself.

References

1. Storm, Susan. “How You Use Introverted Feeling Based on Its Location in Your Function Stack“. Jan 17, 2017. (Retrieved Mar 2018).
2. Storm, Susan. “Understanding ESFP Sensing“. Apr 1, 2017. (Retrieved Mar 2018).
3. “ESFP -The Performer“.
4. “The ESFP in the Workplace“.
5. “The ESFP as an Entrepreneur“.
6. “Best Jobs For Your Personality“.