Which type would make a worse server, INFP or INTP?

[greenfairy]

thank you for summing up the thread to me

forgetful is an adjective i would not associate with an INFP (my gf is an INFP and she has amazing memory.......Si?). I have a friend that is ISFP, he's great, but between the three of us, I think I'm the more sensitive (ENFP). I look up to them both because they have somehow managed to have so much convinction in their beliefs/instincts/morals (Fi) that other people's opinion's don't bring them down, unlike me (secondary Fi in need of development).

now, this is just my small sample of MBTI, but it's what i've experienced.

I'm glad there are so many people who have developed themselves to the point that they don't exhibit the stereotypical weaknesses of type in an obvious fashion. As for forgetfulness, I really meant short term memory, like where they put such and such and what they were doing a minute ago; you might be thinking long term memory, or the people you know could be great with both. Interesting you are more sensitive than they are. Do you think this is common to ENFP's and they would have more trouble waiting tables than INFP's?

 

[pinkgraffiti]

oh yeah, i totally get what you mean, regarding INFPs/ISFPs' short-memory and lack of organization

i can't speak for other ENFPs....if i had to think about me vs my INFP gf, then i would probably have more difficulty waiting tables. i would tend to pretend like it doesn't affect me (is that type 7!?) while she would probably "play a role" or enter fantasy-land in order to avoid it (and she's a type 4). you know, i think she'd be less concerned about what people that don't know her think about her (same with my ISFP friend), than i would. i do think, however, that this is connected to them having a more developed Fi than myself, so somehow they are more certain of their beliefs and less influenced by outside forces. and i could be more, since i tend to see the context and relativity of it all (Ne!?)
again, i don't know if what i'm saying is a rule for ENFPs or just myself and my small circle.

I'm glad there are so many people who have developed themselves to the point that they don't exhibit the stereotypical weaknesses of type in an obvious fashion. As for forgetfulness, I really meant short term memory, like where they put such and such and what they were doing a minute ago; you might be thinking long term memory, or the people you know could be great with both. Interesting you are more sensitive than they are. Do you think this is common to ENFP's and they would have more trouble waiting tables than INFP's?

 

[RaptorWizard]

If you mean serving people as far as completely and utterly pwning them at any kind of contest of skill then INFP would be worse but if you mean serving people with smiles then of course INTP is worse!

 

[greenfairy]

If you mean serving people as far as completely and utterly pwning them at any kind of contest of skill then INFP would be worse but if you mean serving people with smiles then of course INTP is worse!

True. Unless you mean pwning people with a smile.

 

[Talisyn]

I'm an INFP who is extreme-Anyway I was a server for several years. I hated it. However, I was good at it. People asked for me and left me good tips. I made a life time friendship with the senior veteran server who didn't like hardly any of her "young and stupid" coworkers. My bosses liked me & gave me the hours i asked for. Think most INFP innately gets along with others and being a server is all about people skills. A friendly reserved person wins over customers more quickly than a boisterous individual who is unable to relate. Not sure how and intp would do... I assume they would not appear friendly enough.

 

[greenfairy]

I'm an INFP who is extreme-Anyway I was a server for several years. I hated it. However, I was good at it. People asked for me and left me good tips. I made a life time friendship with the senior veteran server who didn't like hardly any of her "young and stupid" coworkers. My bosses liked me & gave me the hours i asked for. Think most INFP innately gets along with others and being a server is all about people skills. A friendly reserved person wins over customers more quickly than a boisterous individual who is unable to relate. Not sure how and intp would do... I assume they would not appear friendly enough.

Kudos!

Now that I'm fairly set on INFJ, I'm wondering about how they usually do; the coworker who I thought was INFJ might be ISFJ or just a million times more naturally gifted in certain areas than I. She and I are similar in a lot of ways, but I'm into mystical/philosophical things and she's practical, so I have my head in the clouds. And she's a little better with etiquette and being considerate (even though she seems to think it's ok to be rude to me). If we're the same type I could see it, but we'd be kind of opposites within the type.

the senior veteran server who didn't like hardly any of her "young and stupid" coworkers.

Edit: And this is exactly how said coworker treats me, like I'm stupid. It makes me mad.


Since posting this thread I've gotten way better; now I only forget things about once a week, and it's not anything really important.

 

[sprinkles]

A friendly reserved person wins over customers more quickly than a boisterous individual who is unable to relate.

Have you ever had any of those that are like "HI! HOW MAY I SERVE YOU TODAY??" And you literally hear how shiny they are just as you're nearly obliterated by the sparkling saccharine tsunami that shines with such intensity that the brightness can actually push away all the furniture in the restaurant and angels and butterflies in bubbles descend from the heavens in multitudes and shoot rainbow beams from their eyes which sear into the very depths of your soul?

 

[scriabin221]

Either one could be semi-decent or semi-shitty. It would more depend on the person's work ethic and social skills. I've known some INTP's who work in the service industry, and while they don't like it very much, they're able to just go through the motions and deal with it. I'm sure there are plenty of INFP's who can do that as well. Theoretically, though, I think an INTP might be a bit better. INTP's have a bit of Fe which would make them a bit better at dealing with people. I think an INFP might have more difficultly dealing with bad customers and probably would take things more personally than an INTP. Most of the INFP's I've ever met seem to be a lot more likely to act out passive aggressively. INTP's seem much more likely shrug something off with a joke.

Still, I don't think either type would be great candidates for somewhere such as Applebees, where you're expected to be as annoyingly cheery as possible. But maybe at a smaller restaurant where they aren't nazis about customer service. I could picture either type being semi-decent waiters.