INTJ
Introverted, Intuition, Feeling, Judgment
As an INTJ, career satisfaction means doing work that:
Popular Occupations for INTJs
In listing occupations that are popular among INTJs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers INTJs 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.
BUSINESS/FINANCE
The business and financial careers listed all require highly developed analytical abilities that many INTJs possess. The intellectual challenge so necessary for satisfaction for INTJs is available in abundance in the high-tech and growing field of pharmaceutical research and telecommunications security. The constantly changing worlds of investment and international banking make good use of many INTJs’ global perspective and ability to plan long range.
TECHNOLOGY
The technical fields appeal to the INTJ’s interest in logical systems. These fields offer an opportunity to work with rapidly developing high-tech equipment and products. Often INTJs are able to use their creativity to develop ingenious and inventive systems.
EDUCATION
Higher education appeals to the INTJ much more than elementary or secondary education because it usually involves teaching complex theories and systems with a more global perspective. Developing educational curricula or systems and making sure they are run efficiently allows the INTJ to make improvements. The world of higher education also exposes INTJs to an environment where they can gather and manipulate information and interact with other intellectual people with whom they can expand their own level of competence.
HEALTH CARE/MEDICINE
The more technical areas of medicine are fields in which many INTJs often find success and satisfaction. These fields include highly complex systems, and allow the INTJ to work independently, with minimal outside intervention or input.
PROFESSIONAL
The professional occupations offer a variety of appealing aspects for the INTJ. All but “manager” require independent research and planning. The development of strategies, systems, and long-range plans utilizes INTJs’ future orientation (Intuition) and their ability to plan out how to reach their goals in a sequential and logical manner. The INTJ manager often finds the most satisfaction when working in a fairly small organization with employees who are a lot like him or her. If the staff does not require a great deal of personal support or hands-on supervision, the INTJ is more likely to find satisfaction in management.
CREATIVE
The appeal of the creative occupations is the ability to do original work. Writers and artists use their Intuition to create new expressions and statements. Inventors are able to create new systems or devices that improve current ways of living or solve vexing problems. All three of these jobs require that INTJs work independently, meeting their own goals and standards, with themselves as the ultimate critic.
Your work-related strengths may include:
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
Using your strengths is easy. The secret to success for an INTJ is learning to: Consider practical realities, recognize the value of input from others, and balance your work and personal life.
- Lets me create and develop original and innovative solutions to problems to improve existing systems
- Lets me focus my energy on the implementation of my good ideas, working in a logical and orderly way, and in a setting that rewards my perseverance
- Lets me work with other conscientious people whose expertise, intelligence, and competence I respect
- Gives me credit for my original ideas and lets me maintain authorship and control over their execution
- Allows me to work independently but with periodic interaction with a small group of intellectual people within a smooth-running environment free from interpersonal squabbles
- Exposes me to a steady stream of new information, providing me with new ways to increase my proficiency and competence
- Lets me produce a product that meets with my own high standards of quality rather than with the personal likes or dislikes of others
- Does not require the repetitive execution of factual and detail-oriented tasks
- Provides me with a high degree of autonomy and control, with the freedom to effect change and develop people and systems
- Is judged by uniform and fair standards for all, where performance evaluations are based on established criteria rather than on personality contests and that compensates me fairly for my contributions
Popular Occupations for INTJs
In listing occupations that are popular among INTJs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers INTJs 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.
BUSINESS/FINANCE
- Telecommunications security
- Management consultant: computer/information services, marketing, reorganization
- Economist
- Pharmaceutical researcher (R&D)
- Financial planner
- Investment banker
- International banker
- Credit analyst
- Financial analyst
- Strategic planner
- Budget analyst
- Treasurer or controller
- Private sector executive
- Real estate appraiser
The business and financial careers listed all require highly developed analytical abilities that many INTJs possess. The intellectual challenge so necessary for satisfaction for INTJs is available in abundance in the high-tech and growing field of pharmaceutical research and telecommunications security. The constantly changing worlds of investment and international banking make good use of many INTJs’ global perspective and ability to plan long range.
TECHNOLOGY
- Scientist/scientific researcher
- Computer systems analyst
- Technician: electrical/electronic
- Design engineer
- Astronomer
- Computer programmer
- Environmental planner
- Biomedical researcher/engineer
- Operations research analyst
- Information services developer
- Software and systems researcher and developer
- Information services–new business developer
- Network integration specialist (telecommunications)
- Network administrator
- Systems administrator
- Webmaster
- Database administrator
- Systems analyst
- Computer animator
- Local Area Network (LAN) administrator
- Computer engineer
- Desktop publishing specialist
- Java programmer/analyst
- Web developer
- Business analyst
- Application architect
- Software developer
- Computer security specialist
- Broadcast engineer
The technical fields appeal to the INTJ’s interest in logical systems. These fields offer an opportunity to work with rapidly developing high-tech equipment and products. Often INTJs are able to use their creativity to develop ingenious and inventive systems.
EDUCATION
- Teacher: university, computer, science, math
- Academic curriculum designer
- Administrator
- Mathematician
- Anthropologist
- Curator
- Archivist
Higher education appeals to the INTJ much more than elementary or secondary education because it usually involves teaching complex theories and systems with a more global perspective. Developing educational curricula or systems and making sure they are run efficiently allows the INTJ to make improvements. The world of higher education also exposes INTJs to an environment where they can gather and manipulate information and interact with other intellectual people with whom they can expand their own level of competence.
HEALTH CARE/MEDICINE
- Psychiatrist
- Psychologist
- Neurologist
- Biomedical engineer
- Cardiologist
- Pharmacologist
- Pharmaceutical researcher
- Biomedical researcher
- Coroner
- Pathologist
- Microbiologist
- Geneticist
- Surgeon
- Cardiovascular technician
The more technical areas of medicine are fields in which many INTJs often find success and satisfaction. These fields include highly complex systems, and allow the INTJ to work independently, with minimal outside intervention or input.
PROFESSIONAL
- Attorney: administrative/litigator
- Management consultant
- Strategic planner
- Investment/business analyst
- Manager
- Judge
- News analyst/writer
- Engineer
- Metallurgical engineer
- Intellectual properties attorney
- Civil engineer
- Attorney (specialty: nonprofit charitable giving)
- Attorney (specialty: estate planning)
- Aerospace engineer
- Nuclear engineer
- Architect
- Environmental scientist
- Intelligence specialist
- Psychiatrist
- Criminalist and ballistics expert
- Pilot
The professional occupations offer a variety of appealing aspects for the INTJ. All but “manager” require independent research and planning. The development of strategies, systems, and long-range plans utilizes INTJs’ future orientation (Intuition) and their ability to plan out how to reach their goals in a sequential and logical manner. The INTJ manager often finds the most satisfaction when working in a fairly small organization with employees who are a lot like him or her. If the staff does not require a great deal of personal support or hands-on supervision, the INTJ is more likely to find satisfaction in management.
CREATIVE
- Writer/editorial writer
- Artist
- Inventor
- Graphic designer
- Architect
- Universal design architect
- Informational-graphics designer
- Freelance media planner
- Editor/art director
- Columnist, critic, and commentator
- Exhibit designer and builder
The appeal of the creative occupations is the ability to do original work. Writers and artists use their Intuition to create new expressions and statements. Inventors are able to create new systems or devices that improve current ways of living or solve vexing problems. All three of these jobs require that INTJs work independently, meeting their own goals and standards, with themselves as the ultimate critic.
Your work-related strengths may include:
- Ability to focus and concentrate deeply on issues
- Ability to see possibilities and implications
- Enjoyment of complex theoretical and intellectual challenges
- Aptitude for creative problem solving; ability to examine issues objectively
- Single-minded determination to reach your goals even in the face of opposition
- Confidence and commitment to your vision
- Strong motivation to be competent and excel
- Ability to work well alone; independent and self-directed
- High standards and strong work ethic
- Ability to create systems and models to achieve your objectives
- Comfort with technology
- Logical and analytical decision-making skills
- Decisiveness and strong organizational skills
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
- Loss of interest in projects after creative process has been completed
- Tendency to drive others as hard as you drive yourself
- Impatience with others who are not as quick as you are
- Difficulty working with or for others you consider less competent
- Brusqueness and lack of tact and diplomacy, especially when you are rushed
- Lack of interest in mundane details
- Inflexibility about your ideas
- Tendency to want to improve things that don’t need improving
- Tendency to be too theoretical and not consider practical realities
- Tendency to not adequately appreciate and praise employees, colleagues, and others
- Reluctance to reexamine issues already decided
- Propensity to overemphasize work life to the detriment of home life
- Impatience with “social niceties” required of some jobs
Using your strengths is easy. The secret to success for an INTJ is learning to: Consider practical realities, recognize the value of input from others, and balance your work and personal life.