ESFJ
Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging
As an ESFJ, career satisfaction means doing work that:
Popular Occupations for ESFJs
In listing occupations that are popular among ESFJs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers ESFJs may find particularly satisfying and some of the reasons why. This is by no means a comprehensive listing but it is included to suggest possibilities you may not have previously considered. Although all of these occupations offer the potential for career satisfaction, the future for some careers is anticipated to be greater than for others. Based upon our research, the occupations that are italicized in the lists below are forecast to enjoy the fastest rate of growth over the next several years.
HEALTH CARE
EDUCATION
SOCIAL SERVICE/ COUNSELING
Paralegal and legal assistant ESFJs are strong supporters of their community and often volunteer their time to establish and maintain civic organizations. Therefore, they often experience career satisfaction in careers where they do the same type of work. The personal connection of social work — helping individuals and families overcome problems and become productive members of society — is rewarding for many ESFJs. Their ease and facility meeting people and speaking to groups makes community action jobs satisfying for some ESFJs. Counseling, religious education, and the ministry attract ESFJs who enjoy the commitment of helping others in very specific and profound ways. ESFJs tend to be conservative and traditional by nature, and enjoy working within the context of existing and valuable organizations to make their contribution.
BUSINESS
The world of business provides ESFJs the opportunity to meet a lot of people and to work hard to achieve their goals. They enjoy the active and busy pace of many businesses and enjoy the customer or client contact. When the business is of a personal nature, such as real estate or personal banking, many ESFJs find success because they are motivated to establish positive relationships with others and then work vigorously to maintain those relationships. Public relations and marketing require the excellent interpersonal and communication skills most ESFJs possess. Both careers require careful attention to details and follow-through on all project coordination. The organizational skills of the ESFJ are used extensively in these careers. Finally, sales is an area where ESFJs often experience a great deal of success using their interpersonal skills, their resourcefulness, and their sensitivity to the needs of others. ESFJs usually prefer the sales of tangible goods, rather than intangibles such as concepts, ideas, or complex systems. Retail is an area of interest because it involves public contact and the ability to become well versed in the features and benefits of special products.
SALES/ SERVICE
CLERICAL
Your work-related strengths may include:
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
The secret to success for an ESFJ is learning to: Slow down, consider possibilities that don’t already exist, and not take things quite so personally.
- Lets me establish and maintain warm and genuine interpersonal relationships with other people working in real and tangible ways to improve their quality of life
- Has practical benefits for people and gives me time to learn and master necessary skills before using them
- Lets me exercise control, working with many people, and helping them work harmoniously toward a common goal
- Has clear expectations, and where the evaluation of my performance is judged upon established and explicitly stated criteria
- Is done in a cooperative environment, free from conflicts and tension between co-workers, supervisors, clients, patients, and others
- Lets me make decisions and use efficient procedures to see that all the details of my projects are carried out to my specifications
- Gives me plenty of opportunities to interact with other people throughout the day and to be an integral part of the decision-making process
- Lets me organize my own work and that of those around me to ensure that things are run as smoothly and efficiently as possible
- Is done within a friendly environment where people express their appreciation for my accomplishments, where I feel approval and support, and where I consider my co-workers to be my friends
- Is done in a setting with existing structure, where the chain of command is known and understood, and where authority is respected
Popular Occupations for ESFJs
In listing occupations that are popular among ESFJs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers ESFJs may find particularly satisfying and some of the reasons why. This is by no means a comprehensive listing but it is included to suggest possibilities you may not have previously considered. Although all of these occupations offer the potential for career satisfaction, the future for some careers is anticipated to be greater than for others. Based upon our research, the occupations that are italicized in the lists below are forecast to enjoy the fastest rate of growth over the next several years.
HEALTH CARE
- Medical/ dental assistant
- Speech pathologist
- Exercise physiologist
- Family physician
- Nurse
- Dentist
- Medical secretary
- Dietitian/ nutritionist
- Massage therapist
- Optometrist/ optician
- Pharmacist/ pharmacy technician
- Respiratory therapist
- Veterinarian
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
- Home health aide
- Primary care physician
- Physical therapist
- Home health social worker
- Personal fitness trainer
- Hospice worker
- Recreational therapist
- Radiation therapist
- Health care administrator
- Chiropractor
- Corrective therapist
- Dental hygienist
- Dialysis technician
- Aerobics instructor
EDUCATION
- Elementary school teacher
- Special education teacher
- Child care provider
- Home economics teacher
- Athletic coach
- Bilingual education teacher
- Nursing instructor
- Director of religious education
- School principal
SOCIAL SERVICE/ COUNSELING
- Social worker
- Community welfare worker
- Professional volunteer
- Religious educator
- Counselor Minister/ priest/ rabbi
- Employee assistance counselor
- Child welfare counselor
- Substance abuse counselor
- Social worker (elderly and child day care issues)
- Law clerk
- Legislative assistant
- Court clerk
- Court reporter
- Wilderness adventure leader
Paralegal and legal assistant ESFJs are strong supporters of their community and often volunteer their time to establish and maintain civic organizations. Therefore, they often experience career satisfaction in careers where they do the same type of work. The personal connection of social work — helping individuals and families overcome problems and become productive members of society — is rewarding for many ESFJs. Their ease and facility meeting people and speaking to groups makes community action jobs satisfying for some ESFJs. Counseling, religious education, and the ministry attract ESFJs who enjoy the commitment of helping others in very specific and profound ways. ESFJs tend to be conservative and traditional by nature, and enjoy working within the context of existing and valuable organizations to make their contribution.
BUSINESS
- Public relations account executive
- Loan officer and counselor
- Sales representative (tangibles)
- Telemarketer
- Office manager
- Retail owner/ operator
- Receptionist
- Management consultant: human resources/ training Insurance agent (families)
- Credit counselor
- Merchandise planner
- Customer service manager
- Health club manager
- Lodging owner/ innkeeper
- Property manager: commercial/ residential
- Child care center director
- Customer relations manager (technology)
- Advocate (technology)
- Food service manager
- Nursery and greenhouse manager
- Hotel and motel manager
- Real estate appraiser
The world of business provides ESFJs the opportunity to meet a lot of people and to work hard to achieve their goals. They enjoy the active and busy pace of many businesses and enjoy the customer or client contact. When the business is of a personal nature, such as real estate or personal banking, many ESFJs find success because they are motivated to establish positive relationships with others and then work vigorously to maintain those relationships. Public relations and marketing require the excellent interpersonal and communication skills most ESFJs possess. Both careers require careful attention to details and follow-through on all project coordination. The organizational skills of the ESFJ are used extensively in these careers. Finally, sales is an area where ESFJs often experience a great deal of success using their interpersonal skills, their resourcefulness, and their sensitivity to the needs of others. ESFJs usually prefer the sales of tangible goods, rather than intangibles such as concepts, ideas, or complex systems. Retail is an area of interest because it involves public contact and the ability to become well versed in the features and benefits of special products.
SALES/ SERVICE
- Flight attendant
- Customer service representative
- Funeral home director
- Hairdresser/ cosmetologist
- Host/ hostess Caterer
- Fund-raiser
- Travel agent
- Eco-tourism specialist
- Real estate agent/ broker
- Marketing executive: radio/ TV/ cable broadcast industry
- Translator/ interpreter
- Genealogist
- Home health care sales
- Sports equipment/ merchandise sales
- Insurance special agent
- Land leasing and development specialist
- Caterer
CLERICAL
- Secretary
- Receptionist
- Office machine operator
- Bookkeeper
- Typist
Your work-related strengths may include:
- Great energy and drive to get things accomplished and be productive
- Ability to cooperate and create harmonious relationships with others
- Practical and realistic attitude and aptitude for working with facts and details
- Nurturing and helpful nature; you praise and reinforce good behavior in others
- Decisiveness and stabilizing factor
- Ability to maintain an organization’s traditions
- Strong organizational skills and clear work ethic
- Loyalty and belief in the value of working within a traditional structure
- Sense of responsibility; you can be counted on to do what you say you will do
- Ability to follow established routines and procedures Common sense and realistic perspective
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
- Reluctance to embrace new and untested ideas
- Sensitivity to criticism; you feel stressed by tension-filled work situations
- Desire to focus on the present rather than the future
- Difficulty adapting to change and switching gears quickly
- Tendency to be oversensitive and avoid unpleasant situations
- Difficulty working alone for extended periods of time; strong need to socialize
- Tendency to show favoritism
- Tendency to become drained by taking on others’ emotional burdens Inclination to make decisions prematurely before you have enough information
- Focusing on specific details rather than implications and the “big picture”
- Tendency to be opinionated and rigid Difficulty hearing and accepting opposing viewpoints
- Tendency to become discouraged without praise or expression of appreciation
- Difficulty focusing on future needs as opposed to present ones
- Using your strengths is easy.
The secret to success for an ESFJ is learning to: Slow down, consider possibilities that don’t already exist, and not take things quite so personally.