ENFP stands for extraversion (E), intuition (N), feeling (F), and perception (P).
The world is full of possibilities for ENFPs. They are free thinkers, big dreamers, and the life of the party. About 8% of the population falls under the ENFP classification.
If you’re an ENFP, then you may be wondering what this personality classification says about you and your career choices. What are your strengths and weaknesses? How can you apply your personality characteristics to your career, and how can you pursue a career that plays off your inherent talents?
Robin Williams, Meg Ryan, Drew Barrymore, Will Smith, Mark Twain, Hunter S. Thompson, and Barack Obama are all famous people considered to be the ENFP personality type. They’re all champions, and if you received the ENFP result from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, you’re in good company.
Let’s discover what being an ENFP means for you and your career trajectory!
Table of Contents
Considerations for ENFP Career Matches
“I wouldn’t have thought of myself as a person who could guide anybody and then it turned out that I can.” — Meg Ryan
There are few personalities as eager to try their hand at everything as the ENFP. Your outgoing and curious nature makes you an avid adventurer, and you may find that there’s no one exact calling that matches your interests, but many. You’re a big dreamer, and unfortunately, that can make finding a career path challenging.
If you’ve found with your ENFP personality that it’s difficult to stay focused on one career path, try to imagine all the potential things you can do in that career. What more could you develop? How can you innovate your industry? What ideas have people said were impossible but you’ve always wanted to try?
Of course, this adventurous and curious quality is something that ENFPs highly value in their career. You want a calling that can foster your imagination and provide you with room to grow and innovate.
Other aspects that ENFPs look for in a job include:
- Allows for independence.
- Allows you to connect and relate to coworkers, customers, or clients.
- Avoid routine and bureaucracy.
- Fosters imaginative solutions to human problems.
- No restrictions on creativity.
- Relaxed and friendly environment.
The following sections will explore the best and highest-paying careers for ENFPs, as well as careers that you may want to avoid.
Best Careers for ENFP
ENFPs can perform well in any industry. The trick is to play off your natural talents to find a calling that best suits you and to stick with it to become an expert. No matter what your MBTI result may be, there’s a future for you down many different career paths.
Arts, Communications, and Multimedia Careers for ENFPs
Your extraverted nature makes you a natural entertainer, public personality, or performer.
In fields such as acting or politics, your intuitive side and understanding of human emotions can help you tap into human nature in a way that many others may struggle to identify or understand.
Plus, your big ideas and eagerness to be creative can work well in any artistic endeavor.
Arts and Entertainment:
- Actor.
- Announcer or commentator.
- Art director.
- Craft and fine artist.
- Dancer or choreographer.
- Fashion designer.
- Interior designer.
- Landscape architect.
- Music composer.
- Musician or singer.
Communications:
- Editor
- Interpreter
- Politician or political activist.
- Public relations specialist.
- Writer or author.
Multimedia:
- Journalist.
- Multimedia artist.
- Photographer.
- Reporter.
Being an extravert and a deep feeler, as well as having natural charismatic tendencies, makes you a great communicator. A career in which you can to connect, advocate for, or understand others while maintaining creative freedom may be a good choice for you.
Biology, Conservation, and Science Careers for ENFPs
Within biology and sciences, there are many opportunities for you to be both creative and help the world become a better place. Your curious and adventurous side will also come in handy, and you may become a leader in your field simply because you were eager to try new ideas or explore options outside of the norm.
Human-centric sciences (such as anthropology and urban planning) give you the opportunity to put what you know about people into practice in your career, and to learn more about human nature and innovation. Careers in the sciences that are suited to your personality may include:
- Anthropology and archaeology.
- Conservation sciences.
- Psychologist.
- Sociologist.
- Urban or regional planner.
ENFPs work best when you can work alongside your values. Finding a job that allows you to explore the sciences or conservation can foster a deep intrinsic value to your work — which is important for ENFPs.
Business, Management, Marketing, and Sales Careers for ENFPs
ENFPs are not necessarily natural-born leaders, but you can excel in management and leadership positions. Your high emotional intelligence can make you an empathetic and well-respected leader, and your creative drive can make you an innovator in your field.
Business and Management:
- Advertising manager.
- Community service manager.
- Customer service representative.
- Fundraising manager.
- Hiring manager.
- Human resources specialist or manager.
- Non-profit management.
- Receptionist.
- Training and development specialist or manager.
Marketing:
- Event planner or promoter.
- Public relations manager.
Sales:
- Advertising sales manager or agent.
- Insurance sales agent.
- Real estate agent.
- Retail salesperson.
- Sales manager.
- Travel agent.
As an ENFP, you’re not afraid to take risks, and sometimes being a business leader requires a bit of chance. In sales and marketing, your intuitive understanding of human nature and your extraverted tendencies can make you a naturally talented salesperson or spokesperson. You may find that many of your natural qualities are satisfied in these career paths.
Education Careers for ENFPs
Your love of people and your enthusiastic nature can pair perfectly in the education sector. Not only are you willing and able to take on a room full of kids, but your excitement and charisma can make you into a memorable and well-loved role model for young adolescents. Consider the following career options in education:
- Childcare center director or preschool director.
- Elementary school teacher.
- High school teacher.
- Instructional coordinator.
- Kindergarten teacher.
- Middle school teacher.
- Preschool teacher.
- Teacher assistant.
With a career in education, you will also be able to foster the curiosity and creativity of your students by flexing your creative mindset, staying engaged, and rising to the challenge.
Healthcare, Mental Healthcare, and Therapy Jobs for ENFPs
ENFPs love to understand the intentions of others. Working within healthcare, mental healthcare, or therapy provides you with the perfect platform to get to know people better and directly help them through trying circumstances. The compassion you can show them will not go unnoticed, and you can become a strong advocate for your patients.
Healthcare:
- Athletic trainer or physical therapist.
- Chiropractor.
- Dental assistant or hygienist.
- Health educator.
- Massage therapist.
- Nutritionist.
- Nurse midwife.
- OSHA specialist or technician.
- Veterinarian or veterinarian technician.
Mental Healthcare:
- Mental health counselor.
- Rehabilitation counselor.
- Social worker.
- Social or human service assistant.
- Substance abuse or behavioral disorder counselor.
Therapy:
- Career or school counselor.
- Life coach.
- Occupational therapist.
- Recreational therapist.
- Speech-language pathologist.
Since many social workers, counselors, and therapists see a variety of people every week, these careers can give you the variety that your adventurous side craves.
Services and Personal Care Jobs for ENFPs
Careers in the following trades can also play off your natural talents, your ability to connect with others, and your desire for new experiences while providing you with a lucrative future.
- Animal trainer.
- Bartender or waiter/waitress.
- Childcare worker.
- Cosmetologist or hairdresser.
- Fitness trainer.
- Recreational worker.
- Skincare specialist or beautician.
Many of these jobs can offer full-time hours and a full-time career. Some may also offer a flexible schedule that is conducive to seeking and exploring your own artistic and personal endeavors.
Highest-Paying ENFP Careers
Just as with any other personality, ENFPs are most successful in a career when they can utilize their natural talents regularly. Although some of these careers may pay better than others, the most fruitful job will be the one that you stick with for the long haul. Success and high wages come with persistence and dedication.
However, your natural charisma will also come in handy with jobs such as sales and management, which you may find are some of the best paying jobs when you work on commission and can climb the “corporate ladder.”
Charisma can also come in handy in arts and entertainment — where you can gradually make your way to “star” status, or at least make a steady paycheck as a charismatic public personality.
Additionally, you have all the capabilities to start your own small business. You’re charismatic, which means you can attract and convince investors to help fund your business.
You also are full of creative ideas, which can help you disrupt your industry or sustain innovation. You are also eager to improve and better yourself — which is always a welcomed personality trait in any business. If you stick with it long enough and take some calculated (but not too wild) risks, you may find that your best paychecks come from your business adventures.
ENFP Careers to Avoid
“There is still a lot to learn and there is always great stuff out there. Even mistakes can be wonderful.” — Robin Williams
In general, ENFPs enjoy the ability to question their environment or status quo. You’re not happy just working for a paycheck, but you want to solve problems, question people and intentions, and grow emotionally or mentally from whatever you do.
However, rigidity is not welcomed for ENFPs — you want to be able to push your boundaries and challenge yourself and others — so jobs that have a military-like hierarchy or require order might be threatening or disheartening for you. You also are easily bored when your job becomes predictable and there are no changes.
Because of this, these jobs may not be the best fit for an ENFP personality:
- Bank teller.
- Chemical engineer.
- Chemist.
- Civil engineer.
- Computer engineer or software engineer.
- Computer analyst.
- Dentist.
- Factory supervisor.
- Farmer.
- Financial manager.
- Flight engineer.
- Judge.
- Mechanical engineer.
- Pathologist.
- Police officer.
It should be noted that ENFPs — or any other personality, for that matter — can succeed in any career. However, some careers might better match your talents, mode of thinking, or natural behavior.
If your career is not playing off your natural inclinations, then you could find that job draining, unappealing, or might even suffer from burnout. It could be that you need to quit your job, switch career paths, and explore new options.
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