ENTP stands for extraversion (E), intuition (N), thinking (T), and perception (P).
ENTPs make up about 3.2% of the population, and are often called “debaters” — for good reason. They’re the sort of people who love to play “devil’s advocate” and will argue points simply for the fun of it.
They love to showcase their mental prowess, exercise their knowledge and quick wit, and find connections between concepts to prove their point. They are eager to see every idea from every side, and they don’t mind being an underdog in a mental fight.
For ENTPs, the fun is in each question they ask and each idea they explore, not necessarily finding a solution, but simply understanding and debating an idea to its fullest.
This article will first detail the best careers for ENTPs, the highest-paying ENTP jobs, and what careers an ENTP might want to avoid. The later half of the article will further explore your skills, strengths and weaknesses, and other personality traits that can be considered and applied to your job trajectory and life.
Some of the most well-known ENTPs include: Alfred “Weird Al” Yankovic, Sarah Silverman, Tom Hanks, Neil Patrick Harris, Amy Poehler, Gene Wilder, Lily Tomlin, Jon Stewart, Gillian Anderson, Bill Nye (“The Science Guy”), and Chris Rock.
Let’s find out what being an ENTP means for you!
Table of Contents
Considerations for ENTP Career Matches
“The road to success is always under construction.” – Lily Tomlin
As an ENTP, you have a versatile set of skills that can come in handy within almost any career path. However, you may not be able to showcase your skills until you’ve spent years working within lower, menial jobs. You could find yourself getting easily bored or distracted, but putting in the time to work your way up the hierarchical ladder is certainly worth it.
The biggest key for you to become successful is to work in a field that aligns well with your personal belief system and values. Once you find a calling, dedicate yourself, and stick with it, you may find that you can be extremely successful over time.
ENTPs can perform well in any industry. The trick is to use your natural talents to find a calling that best suits you, and stick with it to become an expert.
Best Careers for ENTPs
There are many career opportunities that are well suited for ENTPs.The things that ENTPs often look for in a career include:
- Conceptual work that requires little physical labor on your part.
- Constant opportunities for growth and acquiring personal or professional knowledge.
- Few limitations on your ability to perform your duties.
- The opportunity to apply innovative solutions to problems to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of a system.
We categorized different career paths into specific industries in the following sections.
Art and Design Careers for ENTPs
The art and design fields can offer you plenty of opportunities to play off your strengths, including being creative, problem-solving, showcasing your charisma and expertise, and being an independent worker.
- Actor.
- Architect.
- Art director.
- Creative director.
- Film producer or director.
- Photographer.
- Urban planner or civil engineer.
Careers in design require a logical mind that can notice and solve problems quickly and efficiently.
Business, Marketing, and Management Careers for ENTPs
ENTPs are natural leaders and often thrive in business, marketing, and management positions that require expertise and leadership skills.
- Ad account executive.
- Entrepreneur.
- Executive (CEO, COO, C-Suite).
- Human resources manager or recruiter.
- Management consultant.
- Market researcher.
- Marketing manager.
- Property manager.
These careers require creative solutions and constant problem solving which are responsibilities that ENTPs may enjoy. Furthermore, these careers can also provide you with the personal freedom you crave to pursue your own interests — that is, as long as you find the right company that fits your professional and cultural needs.
Additionally, you can easily work on becoming an expert in your industry, and eventually earn the respect and trust to become a top leader within your chosen company.
Legal Services, Finances, and Sales Careers for ENTPs
If there’s one calling that is perfect for ENTPs, it’s being an attorney or lawyer. Within this profession, you can utilize your intellect and natural debating skills to defend your client or prove the guilt of those on the stand. Your eagerness to learn and grow constantly can make you a great legal expert.
In a similar way, your expertise and charisma will come in handy in sales, and your desire for truth and problem-solving can easily be translated into a financial role.
- Attorney or lawyer.
- Financial planner.
- Certified public accountant (CPA).
- Real estate agent.
- Stockbroker.
- Venture capitalist.
Although you might not be attracted to the more menial side of these careers, you can excel within other areas, and may even be able to hire an assistant to help you keep track of paperwork, numbers, and your clients.
Sciences and Engineering Careers for ENTPs
Whether you find employment in the sciences or engineering, your natural attraction to problem-solving can make you an exceptional worker within these fields.
Sciences:
- Environmental scientist.
- Political scientist.
- Social scientist.
- Organizational psychologist.
Engineering:
- Aerospace engineer.
- Civil engineer.
- Drafter.
- Software engineer.
Troubleshooting is often an essential part of science and engineering jobs, and you certainly have the ability to approach every problem with a creative, knowledgeable, and logical mindset needed to find a solution. You may even notice and troubleshoot problems before anyone else.
Highest-Paying ENTP Careers
As an ENTP, you’ve been blessed with some unique and covetted strengths; primarily your creative problem solving and ability to accrue and apply your knowledge to decision making. You also are extremely flexible, willing to accept differences and believe others as long as they can present their idea on the basis of fact and logic.
Due to all your qualities, you can make a natural leader within any industry. As a leader, you’re often able to ascend into top-earning positions. You will, of course, have some challenges along the way, but as long as you can prove your talents to those above you, you can earn the respect of those around you.
Luckily, you also have the talents to become an exceptional freelance worker, and you may be able to apply your charisma and knowledge to become far more successful as a free agent than a general employee.
Just be sure that if you do decide to become a freelancer, you fully prepare for the challenges ahead (especially with your taxes and personal finances). Long-term planning might not be one of your strong suits, but if you become a freelancer, it will be an essential skill that you will want to master.
Other callings that might help you earn a high paycheck include:
- Engineering.
- Executive (C-suite) positions.
- Acting.
- Architect.
- Management consulting.
- Software development.
No matter what calling interests you, the best way to earn a big paycheck is to dedicate yourself, stick with it, and become an expert.
Careers to Avoid for ENTP Personalities
“You don’t need to be defined by your job.” — Alfred “Weird Al” Yankovic
ENTPs can feel restrained and confined by heavily bureaucratic or structured work environments, and you most certainly wouldn’t enjoy working within military-like environments.
Additionally, because you’re much more interested in the big picture and are easily bored with menial tasks, doing repetitive work that requires a serious attention to detail might be difficult for you.
It’s most likely best that you avoid receptionist, front desk, or administrative assisting roles. Additionally, your emotional intelligence isn’t as well developed as other personalities, and because of this you may struggle with developing an appropriate bedside manner. That can make many healthcare careers difficult for you.
In general, ENTPs may wish to avoid these industries:
- Administrative assistant.
- Airline pilot.
- Bank teller.
- Clergy.
- Dentist.
- Dietician.
- Elementary or preschool teacher.
- Factory supervisor.
- Family physician.
- Library assistant or librarian.
- Machinist.
- Medical assistant.
- Medical records technician.
- Military officer or private.
- Nurse’s aide or nurse practitioner.
- Optometrist.
- Receptionist.
It should be noted that ENTPs can succeed in any career. However, there are some careers that might better match your personal 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 and switch career paths.
Getting the Most Out of Your Natural ENTP Skills
The ideal career for an ENTP is one that offers chances for problem-solving, as well as provides you with chances to push your creative limits. You’ll happily utilize your brainstorming skills, and any industry you choose is going to have some sort of problem that could benefit from your ideas.
Luckily, some of the most mental careers out there are also some of the most independent, which fits well with your need to explore concepts freely. These callings include engineering, art (acting or photography), and entrepreneurship.
Additionally, you have the added benefit of being charismatic and an excellent, logical communicator — both of which can come in handy within leadership positions. Although you may feel a bit constrained by bureaucracy, you do have some natural leadership qualities, and you can excel by delegating the menial tasks needed to see your idea come to fruition.
Your eagerness and excitement to learn any and all perspectives can easily make you an expert in the field. Whether it’s the sciences or simply business acumen, you can quickly become a well-respected leader within the industry of your choosing.
You are also attracted to a sense of personal freedom, and you want your job to provide you with the ability to pursue whatever you want. You want to work for a company that isn’t bogged down by tradition or routine.
Because of this, you may be naturally attracted to freelance positions, which allow you the opportunity to work on your own schedule, at your own pace, and with your own discretion. Freelance consulting may be ideal, but there are also plenty of opportunities within art, writing, web design, and more.
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