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[INFJ] INFJ and career

Tiltyred

New member
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
4,322
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
468
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Law is not a good career choice for an INFJ.

Here's a good article:
http://www.robinrolferesources.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=50

Law is NTs at the top of their game; not only your peers, the people you will spend incredibly long hours with for years and years, but the people who are you adversaries -- NTS at the top of their game who live to fuck you up.

There's no money in do-gooding. Unless you marry well or you are fine with having roommates the rest of your life and driving an old car, you can't work in the "Don't Polute!" side of environmental law, provided you could even find a job on that side of it. Environmental is about finding ways to allow industries to continue to emit, and proving why the insecticide on your fruits and vegetables should be allowed, etc.

Law is about winning, it's not about altruism or defending the innocent or any of that. Law is about winning for your client no matter whether they're innocent or guilty.
 

nexttoimpossible

New member
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Messages
4
MBTI Type
INFJ
I work in a field with a high amount of personal interaction with my clients and I love that. It's challenging, rewarding and fulfilling. I'm in something of a healing, nurturing, therapist role. I also write (personally and semi-professionally), and do volunteer activist/advisory work in human rights. It can be draining but I also wouldn't have it any other way. I also do web design and development too -- because I enjoy it.

Though I have a fair amount of legal knowledge and can debate very well, I can't imagine myself being a successful lawyer. Not enough downtime for me to be able to process or recharge myself. (Not to mention the high stress level of the job.)

I've always been an odd-job type of person. There are a lot of things I'm capable of doing, I just like doing those things on my terms. Regimented, traditional jobs are not for me.
 

whatusername

New member
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Messages
270
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4
Law is about winning for your client no matter whether they're innocent or guilty.

I sincerely hope this is not the case, all the time. There are branches of law that doesn't require the defense of guilty people, like human rights law or environmental law. I hope lawyers will change enough so that this perception is changed. :) Even in litigation, you are not legally mandated to hide your client's guilt. You're only supposed to protect their rights. But, oh, here I go. :soapbox:
 

lushelocution

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
3
MBTI Type
INFJ
INFJ artist here hahahaha. :wubbie: BFA in painting, and minor in english. Love my field, but feels completely impractical in day-to-day life.
 

iwakar

crush the fences
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,877
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Retail management here. I've been doing it a long time and I think I'm pretty damn good at it. Unfortunately, I am very unhappy doing it, which is why I'm going back to school for my MFA in Creative Writing. I'd rather fail at what I love than rock at what I despise.

We'll see what becomes of this decision though. :shrug:
 

eternal recurrence

New member
Joined
Jan 23, 2010
Messages
46
MBTI Type
iNfj
I'd rather fail at what I love than rock at what I despise.

We'll see what becomes of this decision though. :shrug:

Its difficult because north american society (esp. American) says chase your dreams while also saying dont be impractical.

What to choose choose choose - go for ideals/ dreams or settle out of fear?
 

cascadeco

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
9,083
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Its difficult because north american society (esp. American) says chase your dreams while also saying dont be impractical.

What to choose choose choose - go for ideals/ dreams or settle out of fear?

I think it needs to be pointed out that it's rarely going to be 'settling out of fear.' And - I'm really not certain at the end of the day what good 'pursuing ones dreams' is if they can't be realized/actualized. So to me, it makes sense that they need to have some hold on reality/practicality - otherwise they just remain your dreams if you can't carve them into the world around you and there isn't a demand (from someone/ some niche) for them.

It's fine and dandy to tell everyone to go for their ideals/dreams - and I think it's pretty clear that people being passionate about what they do, or at the very least being challenged and enjoying the bulk of their day-to-day work -- leads to a happier life. BUT, to go for ones dreams/ideals, without being aware of either the reality of the job market (i.e. not all comparative literature majors are going to land a job in their field -- there's simply not enough demand), or the reality of the steps it will take to make a career out of it (no action plan based on the real world), or the reality of the type of lifestyle one will have to have in order to pursue ones dreams in the event that a full-fledged career doesn't happen (working multiple part-time gigs doing data entry, or retail, or food service, or non-dreamlike-jobs to make ends meet, or living in a cramped studio, or with 8 other people for lower rent, etc).... is rather irresponsible and naieve.

Ultimately it's whatever makes you happy. So if various sacrifices/hardships are basically irrelevant and don't bother you due to being able to pursue your dream, then more power to you! And, I think if someone really has a will to turn their dreams into reality, they will probably find a way - it may just take a lot of time, hard work, and creativity.

But there are a LOT of reasons and value sets for why many people wouldn't end up 'pursuing a dream'. And if they're happy/content with their current life, then I suppose that's all that matters. :)
 
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