INTP
Introverted, Intuition, Thinking, Perception
As an INTP, career satisfaction means doing work that:
Popular Occupations for INTPs
In listing occupations that are popular among INTPs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers INTPs 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 list below are forecast to enjoy the fastest growth over the next several years.
COMPUTERS/TECHNOLOGY
Occupations falling into this category offer INTPs the opportunity to do what they do best — analyze problems and develop innovative solutions. Most INTPs enjoy working in technical areas, using their ability to understand complex systems and to find ways to eliminate errors or weaknesses.
They easily see how the product, service, or system fits within the context of the whole company, industry, or technology and enjoy creating new, more efficient ways of doing things.
HEALTH CARE/TECHNICAL
These fields of medicine and other scientific technologies make good use of INTPs’ excellent reasoning skills and facility with technical material. The rapidly growing areas of neurology, plastic surgery, and biomedical and pharmaceutical research are often interesting to INTPs because they are able to be on the cutting edge of innovative industries, some of which carry some amount of risk. Physics, chemistry, and biology offer opportunities to work with complex concepts, constantly learn new things, and repeatedly ask the question “What if?” These careers, especially when they involve a strong research component, allow the INTP to work independently. Because they are difficult and competitive fields, they tend to attract other intellectual and gifted people, which INTPs find stimulating.
PROFESSIONAL/BUSINESS
These professional careers also offer INTPs plenty of opportunities to analyze and solve complex problems. Often extremely challenging, these careers require clear, logical thinking and innovative approaches to problems and challenges. The creative process is central to the work of both the architect and the psychologist. Seeing how one element or event fits into an overall pattern or system is a particular strength of INTPs and is a frequent aspect of the work of an investigator and financial analyst. From developing flawless legal strategies to forecasting subtle yet powerful economic trends, these professions offer the excitement and personal challenge INTPs thrive on.
ACADEMIC
The stimulating world of academia is one frequently enjoyed by INTPs. Because there is an emphasis on exploring and considering new and different approaches, INTPs often find career satisfaction in the role of college professor. They usually prefer teaching the more advanced and challenging students and courses. INTPs often enjoy the research element in any of the subject areas above and enjoy the opportunity to work alone and then share their insights and innovations with their intellectual peers. They work best when not restricted by excessive rules and bureaucracy, which many large universities and colleges are unable to avoid.
CREATIVE
One of the strongest attractions for INTPs to these careers is the chance to create something entirely original. INTPs enjoy the creative process of working with different mediums and the variety of people and experiences they have access to. INTPs usually enjoy working alone or with small numbers of talented people who bring something different to the process. Depending upon their area and their interest in expressing their art, INTPs can enjoy performance. But they don’t necessarily need to perform their works to find satisfaction in them. Many INTPs are inspired by the world of creative people and enjoy working as an agent. And their ability to create innovative and clever products or services often gives them success as inventors. Remember, these are only some of the areas that provide satisfying expression for the unique natural talents of INTPs.
Your work-related strengths may include:
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
Using your strengths is easy. The secret to success for an INTP is learning to: Be better organized, be patient with less intelligent people, and work at improving your social skills.
- Lets me develop, analyze, and critique new ideas
- Lets me focus my attention and energy on a creative, theoretical, and logical process, rather than on an end product
- Is challenging and deals with complex problems, where I am able to try unconventional approaches, and take risks to find the best solution
- Lets me work independently with plenty of quiet, private time to concentrate and complete my thinking process
- Lets me set and maintain my own high standards for my work and determine how my performance will be evaluated and compensated
- Is done in a flexible, nonstructured environment, without useless rules, excessive limitations, or unnecessary meetings
- Lets me interact with a small group of highly regarded friends and associates, all of whom I respect
- Gives me opportunities to constantly increase my own personal competence and power and lets me meet and interact with other powerful and successful people
- Lets me develop ingenious ideas and plans and lets me delegate the implementation and follow-through to an efficient support staff
- Does not require me to spend time directly organizing other people or supervising or mediating interpersonal differences
Popular Occupations for INTPs
In listing occupations that are popular among INTPs, it is important to note that there are successful people of all types in all occupations. However, the following are careers INTPs 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 list below are forecast to enjoy the fastest growth over the next several years.
COMPUTERS/TECHNOLOGY
- Computer software designer
- Computer programmer
- Research and development specialist
- Systems analyst/database manager
- Strategic planner
- New market or product conceptualizer
- Information services developer–computer programming
- Information services–new business developer
- Network integration specialist (telecommunications)
- Change management consultant
- Financial planner
- Investment banker
- Management consultant: computer/information services, marketing, reorganization
- Desktop publishing specialist
- Webmaster
- Programmer
- Network administrator
- Internet architect
- Analyst
- Web developer
- Computer animator
- Computer engineer
- Java programmer/analyst
- Business analyst
- Software developer
- Computer security specialist
Occupations falling into this category offer INTPs the opportunity to do what they do best — analyze problems and develop innovative solutions. Most INTPs enjoy working in technical areas, using their ability to understand complex systems and to find ways to eliminate errors or weaknesses.
They easily see how the product, service, or system fits within the context of the whole company, industry, or technology and enjoy creating new, more efficient ways of doing things.
HEALTH CARE/TECHNICAL
- Neurologist
- Physicist
- Plastic surgeon
- Pharmacist
- Scientist: chemistry/biology
- Pharmaceutical researcher
- Biomedical engineer/researcher
- Veterinarian
- Microbiologist
- Geneticist
These fields of medicine and other scientific technologies make good use of INTPs’ excellent reasoning skills and facility with technical material. The rapidly growing areas of neurology, plastic surgery, and biomedical and pharmaceutical research are often interesting to INTPs because they are able to be on the cutting edge of innovative industries, some of which carry some amount of risk. Physics, chemistry, and biology offer opportunities to work with complex concepts, constantly learn new things, and repeatedly ask the question “What if?” These careers, especially when they involve a strong research component, allow the INTP to work independently. Because they are difficult and competitive fields, they tend to attract other intellectual and gifted people, which INTPs find stimulating.
PROFESSIONAL/BUSINESS
- Lawyer
- Economist
- Psychologist/psychoanalyst
- Financial analyst
- Architect
- Investigator
- Intellectual property attorney
- Legal mediator
- Corporate finance attorney
- Psychiatrist
- Entrepreneur
- Venture capitalist
- Business analyst
- Entertainment agent
- Physicist
- Biophysicist
- Anthropologist
- Intelligence specialist
These professional careers also offer INTPs plenty of opportunities to analyze and solve complex problems. Often extremely challenging, these careers require clear, logical thinking and innovative approaches to problems and challenges. The creative process is central to the work of both the architect and the psychologist. Seeing how one element or event fits into an overall pattern or system is a particular strength of INTPs and is a frequent aspect of the work of an investigator and financial analyst. From developing flawless legal strategies to forecasting subtle yet powerful economic trends, these professions offer the excitement and personal challenge INTPs thrive on.
ACADEMIC
- Mathematician
- Archaeologist
- Historian
- Philosopher
- College teacher of advanced students
- Researcher
- Logician
- College faculty administrator
- Economist
- Interpreter/translator
- Astronomer
The stimulating world of academia is one frequently enjoyed by INTPs. Because there is an emphasis on exploring and considering new and different approaches, INTPs often find career satisfaction in the role of college professor. They usually prefer teaching the more advanced and challenging students and courses. INTPs often enjoy the research element in any of the subject areas above and enjoy the opportunity to work alone and then share their insights and innovations with their intellectual peers. They work best when not restricted by excessive rules and bureaucracy, which many large universities and colleges are unable to avoid.
CREATIVE
- Photographer
- Creative writer
- Artist
- Entertainer/dancer
- Musician
- Agent
- Inventor
- Informational-graphics designer
- Columnist, critic, commentator
- Music arranger and orchestrator
- Producer
- Director: stage, motion pictures
- Film editor
- Art director
One of the strongest attractions for INTPs to these careers is the chance to create something entirely original. INTPs enjoy the creative process of working with different mediums and the variety of people and experiences they have access to. INTPs usually enjoy working alone or with small numbers of talented people who bring something different to the process. Depending upon their area and their interest in expressing their art, INTPs can enjoy performance. But they don’t necessarily need to perform their works to find satisfaction in them. Many INTPs are inspired by the world of creative people and enjoy working as an agent. And their ability to create innovative and clever products or services often gives them success as inventors. Remember, these are only some of the areas that provide satisfying expression for the unique natural talents of INTPs.
Your work-related strengths may include:
- Eagerness to “think outside the box” and consider new possibilities
- Ability to understand very complex and highly abstract ideas
- Great creative problem-solving skills Independence; courage to take risks, try new things, and overcome obstacles
- Ability to synthesize lots of information Intellectual curiosity and skills for getting information you need
- Ability to analyze things logically even under stress
- Great confidence and drive to continually increase your knowledge
- Objectivity; ability to address issues without taking them personally
- Confidence in your ideas and vision
- Ability to see the big picture; to see implications of actions and ideas
- Adaptability; you can shift gears and change directions quickly
Your work-related weaknesses may include:
- Tendency toward disorganization
- Overconfidence; you may misrepresent your abilities or experience
- Impatience with unimaginative and/or incompetent people
- Dislike of doing things in traditional or established manner
- Tendency to lose interest in projects once problems are solved
- Difficulty communicating complex ideas simply
- Tendency to be so theoretical that you ignore or miss the realities
- Undisciplined about attending to and following through on important details
- Dislike of doing repetitive tasks
- Impatience with structures and people who are too rigid
Using your strengths is easy. The secret to success for an INTP is learning to: Be better organized, be patient with less intelligent people, and work at improving your social skills.