ESTP
Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving
As an ESTP, career satisfaction means doing work that:
Popular Occupations for ESTPs
In listing occupations that are popular among ESTPs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers ESTPs may find particularly satisfying and some of the reasons why. This is by no means a comprehensive listing but is included to suggest possibilities you may not have previously considered. Although all of these occupations offer the potential for career satisfaction, the future demand 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.
SALES/ SERVICE/“ ACTION”
Many ESTPs find careers in the area of civil service to be satisfying because they offer a high degree of action, variety, and the opportunity to interact with many people from diverse backgrounds. Many of these positions require the ability to think and react quickly to rapidly changing situations and keep cool under stress. Naturally curious and observant, ESTPs often make excellent detectives and investigators.
FINANCE
The world of finance is often interesting to ESTPs, especially when it involves rapidly changing situations and contains a certain amount of risk. A love of excitement and risk taking means they often do well gambling or “playing” in the stock market. They are realistic and pragmatic people, enjoying careers that require problem solving, even if it means using unconventional approaches. Most of these areas of finance include lots of interaction with the public, and ESTPs’ friendly and easygoing style helps them meet people and acquire new clients.
ENTERTAINMENT/ SPORTS
These “entertainment” careers offer plenty of opportunity to have fun, a critical element in career satisfaction for ESTPs. ESTPs live for the here and now and enjoy work that lets them be active and lively. They are natural promoters yet also enjoy the adventure and thrill of performance. Many ESTPs are sports fans and excel in jobs where sports are central, including competing with and training others. They prefer to work around other people as much as possible and can be charming and persuasive bartenders and auctioneers.
TRADES/“ HANDS-ON”
The appeal of the trades to ESTPs is the opportunity to work with real things and use tools in efficient,economical, and skillful ways. They usually have good mechanical understanding and work well with their hands. ESTPs like working for themselves as long as they have the chance to be around other people. They enjoy the physical and active nature of these careers, including the sometimes high pressure of working within tight time frames (for example, in farming or cooking).
BUSINESS
In general, many ESTPs find the world of business too restrictive and slow-paced to be satisfying. However, these careers offer more flexibility in schedule, personal freedom, and variety, which may capture the ESTP’s attention. ESTPs are excellent entrepreneurs, enjoying the element of risk found in starting a new business enterprise or being a developer. Because they are good at sensing subtle cues from other people, they make great salespeople. They enjoy the negotiation process and are fair arbitrators. They enjoy the competitive nature of insurance or car sales and do well within systems that offer incentives and prizes for sales goals.
Your work-related strengths may include:
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
Using your strengths is easy. The secret to success for an ESTP is learning to: before you act, consider people’s feelings, and follow through on your commitments.
- Lets me meet and interact spontaneously with many people; offers something different every day, and is fun
- Lets me use my keen powers of observation and my capacity for absorbing and remembering facts
- Lets me use my ability to search for solutions to problems, using firsthand experience and then critically analyzing these solutions to find the best ones
- Is active and full of adventure and fun, where things happen quickly, and where I am allowed to take risks and be alert to new opportunities
- Lets me respond to unplanned situations, using unconventional approaches, where I can skillfully negotiate satisfactory solutions
- Is done in an environment without a lot of rules or restrictions, where I work with other practical and livelypeople and am able to enjoy free time after completing my assignments
- Lets me organize myself as I go along and as I deem necessary, rather than according to someone else’s standards
- Is practical and logical, where I can use my reasoning abilities to find discrepancies or flaws in the logic of a system and fix it on the spot
- Leaves me free to respond to a crisis and work in an expedient manner dealing with pressing issues
- Involves real people and things, not theories or ideas; where my efforts are directed to producing a tangible product or service
Popular Occupations for ESTPs
In listing occupations that are popular among ESTPs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers ESTPs may find particularly satisfying and some of the reasons why. This is by no means a comprehensive listing but is included to suggest possibilities you may not have previously considered. Although all of these occupations offer the potential for career satisfaction, the future demand 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.
SALES/ SERVICE/“ ACTION”
- Police officer
- Firefighter
- Paramedic
- Detective
- Investigator
- Corrections officer
- Real estate agent
- Emergency medical technician (EMT)
- Exercise physiologist/ sports medicine
- Respiratory therapist
- Flight attendant
- Sports merchandise sales
- Insurance fraud investigator
- Private investigator/ detective
- Personal fitness trainer
- Flight instructor
- Flight engineer
- Commercial helicopter pilot
- Ship and boat captain
- Military officer
- Intelligence specialist
- Probation officer
- Gambling establishment manager
- Criminologist and ballistics expert
- Insurance adjuster, examiner
Many ESTPs find careers in the area of civil service to be satisfying because they offer a high degree of action, variety, and the opportunity to interact with many people from diverse backgrounds. Many of these positions require the ability to think and react quickly to rapidly changing situations and keep cool under stress. Naturally curious and observant, ESTPs often make excellent detectives and investigators.
FINANCE
- Personal financial planner
- Auditor
- Stockbroker
- Banker
- Investor
- Insurance sales
- Budget analyst
- Insurance agent/ broker (sales)
The world of finance is often interesting to ESTPs, especially when it involves rapidly changing situations and contains a certain amount of risk. A love of excitement and risk taking means they often do well gambling or “playing” in the stock market. They are realistic and pragmatic people, enjoying careers that require problem solving, even if it means using unconventional approaches. Most of these areas of finance include lots of interaction with the public, and ESTPs’ friendly and easygoing style helps them meet people and acquire new clients.
ENTERTAINMENT/ SPORTS
- Sportscaster
- News reporter
- Promoter
- Tour guide and agent
- Dancer
- Bartender
- Auctioneer
- Professional athlete/ coach
- Fitness instructor/ trainer
- Entertainment agent
- Radio and television talk show host
- Television camera operator
- Musician
- Studio, stage, and special effects technician
- Actor and performer
These “entertainment” careers offer plenty of opportunity to have fun, a critical element in career satisfaction for ESTPs. ESTPs live for the here and now and enjoy work that lets them be active and lively. They are natural promoters yet also enjoy the adventure and thrill of performance. Many ESTPs are sports fans and excel in jobs where sports are central, including competing with and training others. They prefer to work around other people as much as possible and can be charming and persuasive bartenders and auctioneers.
TRADES/“ HANDS-ON”
- Carpenter
- Craftsperson/ artisan
- Farmer
- General contractor
- Construction worker
- Chef/ cook
- Electrical engineer
- Electronics specialist
- Technical trainer (classroom setting)
- Logistics and supply manager (manufacturing)
- Network integration specialist (telecommunications)
- Civil engineer (repairs of transportation infrastructure)
- Industrial/ mechanical engineer
- Surveyor
- EEG technologist/ technician
- Radiological technician
- Aircraft mechanic
- Marine biologist
- Data processing equipment repairer
- Property manager: commercial/ residential
- Systems support operator and installer
- Developer of electronic games
- Lawn service manager
- Transport coordinator
- Park naturalist
- Audiovisual specialist
- Landscape architect
- Forester
- Exercise physiologist
- Chiropractor
- Teacher: trade and industrial, technical
- Aviation inspector
- Soil conservationist
- Professional photographer
- Wilderness adventure leader
- Airplane dispatcher and air traffic controller
- Construction carpenter
- Flight attendant
- Travel agent
- Construction and building inspector
- Blacksmith
- Eco-tourism specialist
- Ship carpenter and joiner
The appeal of the trades to ESTPs is the opportunity to work with real things and use tools in efficient,economical, and skillful ways. They usually have good mechanical understanding and work well with their hands. ESTPs like working for themselves as long as they have the chance to be around other people. They enjoy the physical and active nature of these careers, including the sometimes high pressure of working within tight time frames (for example, in farming or cooking).
BUSINESS
- Real estate broker/ agent
- Entrepreneur
- Land developer
- Wholesaler
- Retail sales
- Car sales
- Management consultant (business operations)
- Franchise owner
- Internet marketer
- Insurance claims examiner, property and casualty
- Product safety engineer
In general, many ESTPs find the world of business too restrictive and slow-paced to be satisfying. However, these careers offer more flexibility in schedule, personal freedom, and variety, which may capture the ESTP’s attention. ESTPs are excellent entrepreneurs, enjoying the element of risk found in starting a new business enterprise or being a developer. Because they are good at sensing subtle cues from other people, they make great salespeople. They enjoy the negotiation process and are fair arbitrators. They enjoy the competitive nature of insurance or car sales and do well within systems that offer incentives and prizes for sales goals.
Your work-related strengths may include:
- Keen powers of observation, with excellent memory for factual information
- Ability to see what needs doing and be realistic about what’s necessary to complete a job
- Enjoyment in initiating and promoting projects
- Lots of energy; you enjoy being active on the job
- Ability to adapt well to change and shift gears quickly
- Ability to make work fun and exciting
- Enjoyment in being part of a team
- Practicality, realistic perceptions, and good common sense
- Process-oriented approach; you create a lively and fun atmosphere at work
- Flexibility and willingness to take risks and try new approaches
- Willingness to accept differences and ability to “go with the flow”
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
- Difficulty working alone, especially for long periods of time
- Dislike of preparing in advance; you have trouble organizing your time
- Tendency to be blunt and insensitive to feelings of others or too casual with people’s feelings
- Inability to see opportunities and options that don’t exist at the moment
- Impatience and/ or intolerance with administrative details and procedures
- Difficulty making some decisions and/ or prioritizing projects
- Tendency to be impulsive and easily tempted or distracted
- Difficulty seeing the long-term consequences of actions
- Dislike of excessive rules and structured bureaucracy
- Resistance to setting long-term goals and difficulty meeting deadlines
Using your strengths is easy. The secret to success for an ESTP is learning to: before you act, consider people’s feelings, and follow through on your commitments.