Best careers for ESFJ personality types
The ESFJ personality type is one of the most common, making up over 12% of the population.
So, it’s relatively easy for an ESFJ to choose a career path that will be a great fit for their personality type and provide fulfilling work for years to come.
Still, that doesn’t mean all career paths are good for ESFJs, and you’ll need to pick wisely.
In this guide, you’ll learn what people with an ESFJ personality profile are like in the workplace, as well as which careers to pursue and which to avoid.
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What is the ESFJ personality?
ESFJs are outgoing characters with a strong sense of practicality and logic. As such, they are often found to be organized, structured, and orderly.
They thrive when sticking to a routine, even one that other personality types may find monotonous and tiresome.
ESFJs are known to be:
Good listeners
Kind
Altruistic
Sociable
Well-organized
Popular
Diplomatic
Conflict-averse
Sensitive
The ESFJ at work
ESFJs carry their highly organized nature into the workplace, thriving where they have a consistent structure and routine.
They do especially well when they can create this structure for others, as their outgoing nature means they enjoy working closely with people.
Though ESFJs are incredibly analytical, their extraversion means they require regular social input. This means they may not be well suited to strictly analytical roles (like data analytics) unless the position involves working closely with others.
ESFJs enjoy high levels of satisfaction in their chosen careers, as evident by the chart below.
The ESFJ in a team
ESFJs love working as part of a team.
They are friendly, outgoing, and diplomatic, so they are often well-liked in a group context.
As ESFJs are typically quite conscientious, they may struggle in team environments where they perceive others to be less structured, organized, or hard-working as they are.
For this reason, ESFJs do better in group situations where there are guidelines around each member’s contributions. This minimizes conflict, which ESFJs typically avoid.
The ESFJ as a leader
ESFJs typically don’t shy away from leadership positions, and due to their diplomatic and outgoing nature, they are usually well-liked.
Tradition, respect, and organizational hierarchy are important to ESFJs. So, they typically do best in leadership positions within established businesses rather than in freely-moving startup-type environments.
One area where an ESFJ may struggle as a leader is holding challenging conversations with peers and employees. They have a hard time making tough decisions that may cause others to become upset.
What are good careers for the ESFJ personality type?
Are you searching for your next career move? Check out these seven ESFJ career matches.
1. Teacher
Teaching is one of the best careers for ESFJ personalities.
Their diplomatic nature and strong interpersonal skills allow ESFJs to understand the needs of their students.
Similarly, their high degree of organizational ability means ESFJs are fantastic at designing and following lesson plans.
ESFJs would also do well within special education roles, as they are kind, charitable, and empathetic.
2. Corporate trainer
ESFJs are natural extroverts, and as such, they often do well in roles where they are constantly working with other team members.
The combination of this need and the ESFJ’s ability to follow strict company guidelines and communicate them to others make the corporate trainer role a great fit for this Myers-Briggs personality type.
3. Social worker or counselor
ESFJs are highly attuned to the needs of others and eager to meet these needs, thanks to their altruistic nature.
Roles such as social worker, counselor, or guidance counselor are natural fits for an ESFJ.
These careers allow ESFJs to tap into their extroverted nature and their strength in understanding the feelings of others. They also let them create detailed improvement plans, which ESFJ personalities tend to enjoy.
ESFJs may find roles in human resources engaging for many of the same reasons in the corporate world.
4. Real estate/insurance/advertising sales agent
Many who take the MBTI personality test and find themselves ESFJs (also known as The Consul) will ask the same question: how can I use my natural skills to improve my earnings ability?
Well, three of the top ESFJ careers that make great money are:
Real estate agent
Insurance salesperson
Advertising sales rep
These careers offer great earning potential and are fantastic for extroverted, conscientious, and analytical ESFJs.
5. Office manager
An office can be a great choice of work environment for an ESFJ.
Administration and office management roles require processes to be followed to the letter. They also involve a fair bit of problem-solving. These are both strengths of ESFJs.
Their diplomatic and popular nature will also go down well in a socially-minded office environment.
6. Receptionist
Many ESFJs find a lot of enjoyment working in receptionist positions.
Their core personality traits (extroversion, attentiveness, process-driven nature) are what allow them to excel in this role.
It can also be a great entry point for ESFJs seeking a career in leadership, where they may be able to move into an administration role and then onto office management.
7. Healthcare roles
ESFJs who wish to flex their altruism and follow a career path to help heal others may find a great fit in a healthcare position.
A few great career choices for ESFJs in this industry include:
Dietitian
Nurse
Optometrist
What jobs should ESFJ avoid?
The top five ESFJ careers to avoid are:
Software developer
Freelancer
Actor
Attorney
Journalist
These jobs don’t require the social-heavy, drama-free, structured, predictable environment that ESFJs thrive in.
What should an ESFJ major in?
It’s important to note that not all ESFJ careers require a college education.
For example, receptionist roles typically only require a high school diploma, and real estate or insurance sales may include on-the-job training or an industry-specific certification.
If you wish to go into one of the other recommended fields, however, such as teaching or social work, then these majors would be a smart idea:
Education
Health
Counseling or psychology
Is today the day you find the perfect ESFJ career path?
So, how do those career options sound?
Do you think you could find a good fit in one of these positions?
Teacher
Corporate trainer
Social worker or counselor
Real estate, insurance, or advertising sales
Office manager
Receptionist
Healthcare roles such as nursing
If you answered yes, the best way to get started is by checking out the job prospects for your chosen ESFJ career.
Why not take a look right now using the Jobcase search tool?