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[ENFP] What jobs do ye ENFP's do?

Venom

Babylon Candle
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
2,126
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
1w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Yes, I'm pretty much aware of my options when it comes to game development. But you just hit the nail there - "if that is where your interests truly are" - I think it is, but I'm so lazy and it's such a demanding career path that I don't know if I'm cut out for it. It asks you to be the kind of person ENFPs aren't - obey your superiors, do a lot of extra hours, work in a freaking cubicle for hours on end, be very very focused (procrastination is not an option) etc etc

so i looked into the screen writing thing only to find that most are actaully ENTJs .... :(

anyways, in highschool my ENTP friend and I created these stock piles of amazing ideas in notepad files etc... Im not nearly as good at being creative without being able to bounce ideas of someone like him. Thus, I write a lot less now then before

I do write some stuff now...the problem is the nuts n bolts. I get really excited about the beginning scenes, the really funny climax scenes..... and then i get as far as an outline for the rest, ust dry of ideas.

this is why my best "bit" that i could ever do on the spot for just about anything was parody movie trailors...they require entire movie ideas, yet you dont have to write the middle 3rd :D .

I used to think I could do anything, but as time goes by, I'm realizing I don't actually excel at anything, and am too much of a philosopher/bullshitter and not enough of a go-getter... :S

as you say, I always look at jobs and on the surface see how i could excel, only to look at the grind and see that I would always be lacking in some way.

1. I too feel like im too much a bullshitter philosopher in my spare time.

2. This leads to nothing ever really getting done! I desperately want a job that actaully creates something! I want to be able to hear it, see it, eat it, play it, drive it, talk to it, present it, carry it, etc ... I dont want to just be some guy who does paper work or makes money through organized gambling (most of the business world of speculating)

3. Combining number 1 and 2, I often feel like everything of value has already been created so its pointless. That great philosophy paper i write in my spare time on something I THINK is radical? then i go look it up and find that someone else already wrote about it...usaully more concise and better than me too..

3.a So this simply extends to every other "great idea" i ever have about songs, movies, products etc...



I think ENFPs were born to be court jesters or salon philosophers... not sure what else we actaully have a comparative advantage for. This is ultimatly the problem:

example: ENTJ can be just as creative as ENFP, yet the ENTJ has the comparative advantage in getting shit done.

How does this leave the ENFP in a world where everyone has to specializer and be some sort of comparative advantage????
 

ENFP Goddess

New member
Joined
Sep 7, 2008
Messages
27
MBTI Type
ENFP
I work doing voice overs and in the dark and fascinating adult industry. I love the diversity of the work and the lack of constraint with what I do.
 

Icebluejanuary

New member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
10
MBTI Type
INFP
I'm not an ENFP, but I am married to one. His main thing-sales. it doesn't matter what it is, he can sell it. We joke that if it's a job he's done it. He even spent two years as a minister. We've been married for 10 years and in that time he has had nine jobs. One was his own business that he owned...all of them revolved around some type of sales.
 

Lisa73

New member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
17
MBTI Type
INFP
I know an ENFP who is a acting teacher/actor and works with both adults and children. He's great with kids, great with ideas, great with playing around, creating a very supportive and creative atmosphere, etc. Following through on ideas and finishing projects? ... not his strong suit.
 

vincent59

New member
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
3
MBTI Type
ENFP
I am a puppeteer ... and perform with the same basic show since 35 years !!!

I like this job because each audience, stage and In the daytime of sperformance is different .... and this type of show is a way of communicating for me .

Weather, I work on a project combining puppetry (support )and formation to business world...( team building and corporate )
 

Into It

New member
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
664
MBTI Type
ENFP
I sell pot. It puts my networking skills to good use, and I really enjoy the coming & going company. Also, I can have a difficult time answering to superiors. (epecially if I believe them to be inferior, which is often the case in the corporate world, am I right people?) So it's good to be able to make my own hours, and MOST importantly, I get to be the provider of smiles- which is what every ENFP wants most, I think. I would like to become a psychotherapist as well, but there are some other things I need to hash out first.


My work day::coffee:
 

Lizzy1813

New member
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
37
MBTI Type
ENFP
I've been having a hard time trying to decide what I want to do as well! I'm in college right now, studying ASL (American Sign Language), and have started my interpreting internship...it's very challenging and ever-changing! Sometimes I don't know until the 'day of' what I'll be doing next--and you can work as a freelance interpreter, choosing hours and days that work for you! It's a hard start, but I'm starting to see the light at the end of my education tunnel! :)
 

BlownAway

New member
Joined
Sep 19, 2008
Messages
41
MBTI Type
ENFP
I'm true to my type..looking back on a scattered career.

Education: Social science, psychology and computer science. Then worked as a social worker, programmer (which I hated, too much details!!), business analyst, recruiter, coach..and now thinking about becoming a teacher/lecturer. Dreaming of working with MBTI fulltime and live in many different countries before I retire..

I guess the HR-area is something that is suitable for most ENFP:s..since we're good at intuitively perceive people and their inner motives?
 

pockets

New member
Joined
Sep 19, 2008
Messages
69
MBTI Type
HUMM
Previous jobs: Starbucks barista (was terrible at operating espresso machines, often felt very emotionally disengaged from my hands/what i was doing), and adhoc academic tutor.

Presently: second year med student, getting increasingly resentful of all that..um, science..stuff.
 

onemove

New member
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
1
MBTI Type
ENFP
What about...?

Being a young, virile male ENFP, I've considered a tryst in the adult film industry as well. However, as much fun as it may be, most producers in the adult hotspots (LA, Miami) are total assfaces, and will not be fun to work for. i.e. "Quit f***ing ad libbing!" can be heard on a blooper reel. There's some flexibility, but you have to do too many things that you will think are stupid or disingenuous, and we all know how hard it is to do something you don't believe in. If you were to follow that path, do it on your own time, your own way. You'll actually have to follow through with the red tape in setting up your own business, but it may be what you want after all. The dream is a lot nicer than the reality of it, though. It only takes one actress crying after a shoot to make you reconsider what you're doing and tear it all down. (Yes, I mean "actress." Many of the girls in the industry are not truly enjoying themselves, no matter how much they try to force it.)

Also, you'll find that game programming will eventually become mundane when you realize that there's no long-term reward in what you're producing. The best options are to create an educational game or an RPG. The RPG is actually a great way to use your natural skills. You get to create an involving storyline while giving the player enough freedom to take it at their own pace. You can throw in as many side-stories and supporting characters as you want, while keeping the theme of the game in line with your values. I've had many great ideas for game development, and they all end up working best within the RPG concept.

If you choose to go into game development, it would be best to take the role of designer and developer. You MUST have a staff that will focus on the minutia of the process. It's fun to create a world for your characters to roam freely within, design their dress and decide their individual talents. But, when it comes to rendering the characters and the world they live in, leave it to someone who knows how to get it done. Keep control of forming the dialogue, though! You will have the best ideas, and should use a good TJ to bounce them off of until you work them into a physical manuscript.

If you are athletically adept, try out for basketball or see if you have the arm for being a quarterback, or the resilience for being a catcher. The intuition and perception we ENFPs have is essential for seeing how a play will develop on the court or field, and we can quickly become a team leader if we build their faith in our ability to see plays unfold. And, if you choose to try catching, being able to feel the attitude of the batter will help you immensely in keeping him off balance. If I worked out more and could withstand the strain of crouching for 3 hours, I would do it without a second thought. But, there again lies the lack of follow-through. You have to be completely dedicated to your sport, and willing to push yourself harder than you ever imagined to be able to compete in a (semi)professional atmosphere. It is the ultimate challenge, though: challenging yourself to full potential.

If you have a scientific mind at all (as I've noticed many ENFPs mention Engineering or Systems Analysis) you should try to get into a job where you can travel and work on-site to help businesses or facilities with a technical problem. I'm not talking IT, here, where you have to sit in an office and read syslogs all day. A technical repair job could be fun if you work on a specialized system or product, something that produces unpredictable results when it fails. The challenge of finding the cause of such a problem is a serious thrill. However, interaction with your clients or a work crew to keep you company is vital to prevent you from going insane.

And, DO NOT work for an ISFJ, or every decision you make will be wrong. I made that mistake already.
 

CheekyIrishTinker

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Messages
24
MBTI Type
ENFP
eenie meenie minee mo....

Hey fellow ENFP's

I'm a newbie to this forum but I'm so glad I found this thread as my main issue has always been what job to take next and although I always identify with the suggested careers/jobs suggested by profiles it's just so goddamn hard to choose one as a main career path etc!

For anyone who hasn't already come across Barbara Sher and specifically her book - Refuse To Choose (or sometimes 'What do I do when I want to do Everything?) I would highly recommend it - if only to see in print what you've always suspected about yourself and hated justifying to everyone in your life!

Basically as an ENFP I really identify with her 'Scanner' identity...

Are You A Scanner?
Is this you?

* Are you fascinated by something different every week?
* Does the thought of concentrating on one topic, skill or job for the rest of your life horrify you?
* Do you start lots of projects but rarely finish any of them?
* Does trying to choose between all your interests stress you out?
* Are you currently reading 5, 10 or even more books?

Then you are a “scanner”.

The term was chosen by US life and careers coach Barbara Sher and written about in her recent book “What Do I Do When I Want to Do Everything? - A revolutionary program for doing everything that you love”.

I'm by no means an expert from what I've read so far about ENFP I really think we are scanners! The great thing about this book is that there isn't just one type of scanner - in fact there are about 6 or 7 but the one I most definitely clicked with is the 'Jack of all Trades' as my main goal in life is just to be happy :blush:

I don't know bout the rest of you but I just have way too many interests/ideas/obsessions to just pick one and become an expert - it always feels like you're missing out if you pick one over another.

I'm definitely pleased that I've tried so many of my different interests out as income providers and I think that the only way forward for me is to have what I guess you could call a portfolio career - a few different income streams, all of which I love and would give me the variety and fulfillment that have always been my top priorities in working life and also let me keep my other interests as things I just do for me for fun.

One of the best things about the book was the notion that you don;t have to make a living from all your interests - just figure out which ones need to fill your day and ideally bring in the mula and keep the rest for enjoyment only.

Anyway, I've already written way more than I ever intended - I guess i find it easier to ramble on when it's something I'm interested in as opposed to talking about myself specifically.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone identify with ideas here or have read the book etc?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Scanner/Make-up artist/Astrologer/Cupcake maker-Seller/cook/watercolour painter/artist/counsellor/careworker/go-to girl/organiser extraordinaire/administrator/system creator/teacher

PS Just found this link which might help anyone who wants a bit more info or starting point to learn more!

Are You a Scanner? By Barbara Sher
 
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jungie

New member
Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
50
MBTI Type
ENFP
I work in marketing of higher education around the world. It's mindless and not creative but involves people and A LOT of travel (just came back from Saudi Arabia 3 days ago and off to China in 5 days). I thought it would be perfect as it's fast, environment changes every day, new people... But after 1.5 years in it, I've had it. Not enough intellectual stimulation, very superficial - I develop 1 hour relationshipsand never see these people again). The travel is good as I've been to places I never would have considered before but it is exhausting to wake up in hotels 75% of the year. I think I need to develop some roots and slow down.
So looking for a new direction.
 

Amargith

Hotel California
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
14,717
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
4dw
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I work as a receptionist/secretary. Seems to be the job I always land. I'm not perfect for it though, I admit. But I manage. I can handle all the people, enjoy the company, don't mind doing the work, but suck at keeping an oversight. An ESFP would be a lot better at it. But it keeps me employed while I work toward my goal of becoming an animal behaviorist, and eventually a human behaviorist maybe..
 

Tiny Army

New member
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
679
MBTI Type
EN?P
Enneagram
7
I am an animator.

I started off as a painter, then I majored in film (with an education minor because I also wanted to teach elementary school) and now I'm animating because it reconciles all three!
 

BlueScreen

Fail 2.0
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
2,668
MBTI Type
YMCA
I'm doing physics at the moment. Looking to move into something more art related; I'm a bit scienced out. I love it all in concept, and could do it as a hobby, but doing it as a job is a bit low people contact and low excitement. Makes me feel that trapped and need freedom thing a lot.
 

sculpting

New member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
4,148
Biochemistry BS, Biophysics PHD dropout. Lots of lab jobs during school.

lab scientist for 2 years, Technical Trainer for 1 year, technical marketing for 1.5 years.
 

Tiny Army

New member
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
679
MBTI Type
EN?P
Enneagram
7
There seem to be a lot more ENFP in the sciences than in the arts! Who'da thunk?

Why did you sciencey ENFPs pick your current careers? What about the job you have now appeals to you the most?
 

silverchris9

New member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
71
MBTI Type
ENFP
I'm still in high school, but I work part-time running graphics at church. I don't enjoy it, but I'm fairly good at it--it's all understanding a system then altering bits and pieces to get particular ends. The problem is that it's a simple system, so I generally read the entire time I'm working. :cheese:

I worked in general TV production for a summer, and I did a good job at that too; again, it was the ability to analyze a system and compare it to the ends it is supposed to accomplish, as well as verbal/writing skills, that helped me out. That was more exciting and enjoyable, because I got to create and present advertising ideas, analyze others' perspectives and needs in meetings, and interface a lot with people to organize interviews and the like. But I did get bogged down when I had to work on my own; I was much better with someone else in the room to bounce ideas off of, even if it was just saying something out loud and catching the error myself.

But ultimately, theater really satisfies my ENFPness: close interaction with people (every cast is a family), abundant opportunity for Ne (it's just like using Ne to understand a person, only the "person" is a character made of words on a page), and I find in singing and dancing a way to practice more sensory skills without totally boring myself to death, because it's sensing in the service of feeling/intuition. And theater naturally attracts people who are as insane as I am!
 

Laurie

Was E.laur
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
6,072
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
I have a mechanical engineering degree but stayed home with my kids. The cleaning, laundry and cooking get really boring so I struggle with that. I now work online as a contractor in photoshop and acting and that helps break it up. (still a stay at home mom)
 

hermeticdancer

New member
Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
209
MBTI Type
eNFp
Enneagram
4
Yes, I'm pretty much aware of my options when it comes to game development. But you just hit the nail there - "if that is where your interests truly are" - I think it is, but I'm so lazy and it's such a demanding career path that I don't know if I'm cut out for it. It asks you to be the kind of person ENFPs aren't - obey your superiors, do a lot of extra hours, work in a freaking cubicle for hours on end, be very very focused (procrastination is not an option) etc etc

I used to think I could do anything, but as time goes by, I'm realizing I don't actually excel at anything, and am too much of a philosopher/bullshitter and not enough of a go-getter... :S

Amen
 
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