Choosing a career as an INFJ - ADVICE

[Solongo]

Hi Guys-

I am back from the dead - somewhat- to share my recent experiences in career exploration and certain lessons and ideas that I feel can help younger INFJs make better career choices.

I recently changed my career into becoming a Speech Language Pathologist and i am currently in the process of completing my masters in order to obtain my license to practice in the state of NY. Former careers i explored and had experience in were banker, fashion designer, retail salesperson, entrepreneur, farmer, interior design student, internet marketer, writer, display merchandiser, furniture factory coordinator and personal trainer. So...

This is not a definitive guide but just some perspective and realistic outlook on choosing a career or "careers" as an INFJ and the usual obstacles we face as sensitive introverts.

To start let's just state the obvious well known facts and ideal career parameters for INFJs:

• Career Autonomy - INFJs thrive best when they have an intellectual freedom to set their working conditions the way they see it fit. Usually a mix of 60% solitary work and 40% interpersonal connections. Going on the extreme end on both of these conditions will create a lot of stress that can affect INFJs negatively in the work environment. Too much solitary work will create interpersonal distance that may cause depression and loneliness and too much human interaction will simply burn out an INFJ.
• Humanitarian Instinct - INFJs humanitarian instinct is inborn and cannot be ignored nor does it go away over time. In fact; as an INFJ personality develops further into maturity; this humanitarian streak will become more obvious and the urge for full expression may create inner tension. This will be true if you work in a field that does nothing to help or better humanity in general. Younger INFJs may or may nor feel this urge strongly in the beginning; but do keep in mind that it will become an important factor as you grow older.
• Work Environment - simply put; INFJs will have a hard time working in an corrupt, unorganized, critical, competitive and high stress work environments. INFJs ability to penetrate into the core of any systems or large organizations and seeing clearly where the issues and problems are will help weed out these environments. This is not to say that certain environments such as schools, hospitals or counseling and crisis centers should not be explored; but the built in bureaucracy of failing systems will affect an INFJ and if an INFJ chooses a career in these organizations then they will need to learn grounding and stress management techniques in order to cope and find balance.
• Intellectual and Creative Challenge - INFJs are natural intellectuals with a desire to learn about subjects that catch their curiosity. Therefore; when choosing a career; intellectual stimulation or the opportunity to advance one's knowledge base is important. Mundane and routine work will eventually bore an INFJs. The negatives of mundane work will make an INFJ question their role in society and if not careful can lead into hopelessness which leads to a mediocre careers without advancement. Hence it is recommended that INFJs pursue masters or doctorate degrees in fields that can open up intellectual growth opportunities. This will also become important as an INFJ gets older.

Intense Realism to balance the natural Idealist:

Intense realism is the practice of seeing life as is with no filters and covers. Learning to make sound life decisions based on hard reality will always help a natural idealist make better changes in life and career. For career decision making; below factors need to be considered for certain careers you maybe considering:

• Job outlook - are you choosing a career field that is growing or declining? What types of careers is your generation considering? Just like products and business have life cycles; careers also have life cycles. It should not be looked on with fear but a natural progression of growth. Choose careers that are on the rise for the next 20 to 30 years - expecially fields such as healthcare and technology that offers lots of niche field within a larger field so there are many options to consider.
• Salary - always do an opportunity cost for your careers. Are you finishing a degree that cost you $40,000 in student debt to be hired as an entry level making $42,000? Is that a fair or normal living standard in your neck of the woods? If you wish to go to masters or doctorate route then is it feasible to get your undergrad in a community college to save money in the long run? Is it worth getting a masters degree for 2 years so you can increase your chances of making a comfortable living 10 to 20 years down the road? INFJs should and need to consider these options as early as possible in their career planning so they have more options in a hectic and unstable economy.
• Competition - how competitive are the career fields you are considering? Most INFJs love psychology but unless you specialize it is a fairly competitive field to enter into even with a masters. Consider other types of psychology fields that are less competitive like sports psychology or industrial psychology, etc. In order to edge the competition; do research into niche fields that are not widely recognized or advertized. Try your best to not follow the herd if possible.
• Research - there should be 2 types of very important research needs to be done by INFJs if they are undecided on careers:

1. Shadow a professional in their work environment for few days to get a clear idea of that career field and ask lots of questions. If that is not possible; find professional career forums in a particular field you are considering and browse their forums. Read about the job satisfaction; issues those professionals face, how much they make, etc and see if anything you find appeals or discourages your interests.
2. Go and experience them yourself. Internships and volunteer experiences will shed light on certain careers. There are lots of resources to consider when researching a career. This experience will be better than asking people what you should do as a career from people that does not know you on the internet.

Final Advice:

My final advice is to choose careers that takes into the INFJ personality career parameters I discussed earlier with that of the realistic career changes that are happening worldwide. Find a good balance where an INFJs natural tendencies are honored as well as the ability to thrive in career fields that are going to grow and expand in the future. Don't be afraid to explore unkown career niches and also to expand your knowledge with a higher educational degrees.

Also follow your GOALS not your passions. Goals in a nutshell will entail the type of lifestyle you wish to live. Consider all the details of this lifestyle and what you will or will not do to make it happen.

Passion and interest can bring joy into our lives but they do not always translate into a well paying and flexible career that can cater to the INFJ personality. Unless you are super talented in your chosen field and have the time and resources to make your dream a reality then good luck to you. Most people can benefit from a stable and comfortable careers that gives them 70% to 80% fulfillment and satisfaction in life while also giving them time to explore and pursue their hobbies and interests on the side as well as providing for their families and living expenses. Understand that your life circumstances and needs will be different when you are in your 20's, 30's and 40's and making sound decisions based on these considerations can save some people a lot of headache and pain later in life.

Feel free to ask questions or contribute if you have relevant advice pertaining to this topic as an INFJ.

 

[ivagrey]

Great list! One thing I personally discovered after 10 years of working is that I just would never be fulfilled by my career--like not even 70% or 80%. I don't really want to go back to school to become a professional, office culture is incredibly frustrating for me, and jobs that don't require much brainpower depress me. I even tried working for a humanitarian organization and it was one of the most corrupt places I've ever seen.

I'm a freelance editor who works from home now, which is great but you are right on about it being lonely because I don't have that 40% interaction time. Fortunately it has prompted me to seek fulfillment elsewhere, and for the first time I am opening myself up to the all the rich possibilities of the extraverted activities I usually shy away from. When you work outside the house or go to school you get your fill of people real fast so you don't always have the energy to extravert about the things that are truly meaningful to you. But now I am discovering that these are the activities that actually give me the deep sense of fulfillment that a traditional 9-5 was preventing me from attaining.

 

[Solongo]

to: ivagrey

I understand where you are coming from and I am glad you are looking at it from a perspective of personal fulfillment. I should have added that to the list. Don't be afraid to explore unconventional job opportunities or even have multiple career fields if it works with your lifestyle and situation. INFJs are diverse creatures.

 

[wonkavision]

Hi Guys-

I am back from the dead - somewhat- to share my recent experiences in career exploration and certain lessons and ideas that I feel can help younger INFJs make better career choices...........

........................

Excellent post!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[lilypad]

solongotgon, I was wondering how you are finding being a Speech Pathologist and what motivated you to study it. My plan was originally to study speech pathology but after volunteering in many different settings (stroke patients with aphasia, hospital, children with autism/down syndrome) I became worried that I'm not animated or extroverted enough for this career. It's also tough to feel like you're making a difference sometimes because a patient's progress can be so slow.

 

[summerrain247]

solongotgon, thanks for this helpful post. I came across the post while Googling "INFJ majors." Although I left college almost 7 years ago and have an advanced degree, I have realized that the environment (and maybe even the career) is not a good fit at all. I wish I had even known to think about these things back when I was in college.

Your 60/40 split seems right. What's interesting about that split is that, depending on whether you have HSP tendencies, things that might seem solitary (e.g., having your own office) actually really are not necessarily solitary. For instance, where I work, we have an open door culture. Anyone can stand outside of my office gossiping, people are constantly walking by, people can walk in at any time, I'm expected to respond to emails and calls immediately. In other words, no one explained to me that constant intrusions on "solitary" time would be so draining. Of course, the tight-deadlines, high stress and unrealistic turnaround times likely also have something to do with that.

Working in the private sector, I have also noticed that my humanitarian drive has grown stronger and I'm practically sick thinking about how I'm constantly helping large corporations shuffle their money around while doing nothing to help individuals solve problems, develop themselves and grow.

As to intellectual/creative pursuits, that's another thing that I'm learning about. As mentioned, I have an advanced degree. I thought that this would finally be my escape from day to day boredom. What happened instead, however, is that I realized that my work is not actually intellectual. It is certainly complex, but it is still largely routine and boring. There is a difference between difficult/complex and intellectually stimulating. The latter, I suspect, will tend to tap into curiosity, creativity, design, inventiveness and so you want to meet people doing the work and see if that's true or if they're just doing things that require lots of training, but end up being rather rote.

Overall, I think this is excellent advice and I will keep it in mind as I embark on what looks like it will be a major career change. Thanks.

 

[HunterO]

Hi Guys-

I am back from the dead - somewhat- to share my recent experiences in career exploration and certain lessons and ideas that I feel can help younger INFJs make better career choices.

I recently changed my career into becoming a Speech Language Pathologist and i am currently in the process of completing my masters in order to obtain my license to practice in the state of NY. Former careers i explored and had experience in were banker, fashion designer, retail salesperson, entrepreneur, farmer, interior design student, internet marketer, writer, display merchandiser, furniture factory coordinator and personal trainer. So...

This is not a definitive guide but just some perspective and realistic outlook on choosing a career or "careers" as an INFJ and the usual obstacles we face as sensitive introverts.

To start let's just state the obvious well known facts and ideal career parameters for INFJs:

• Career Autonomy - INFJs thrive best when they have an intellectual freedom to set their working conditions the way they see it fit. Usually a mix of 60% solitary work and 40% interpersonal connections. Going on the extreme end on both of these conditions will create a lot of stress that can affect INFJs negatively in the work environment. Too much solitary work will create interpersonal distance that may cause depression and loneliness and too much human interaction will simply burn out an INFJ.
• Humanitarian Instinct - INFJs humanitarian instinct is inborn and cannot be ignored nor does it go away over time. In fact; as an INFJ personality develops further into maturity; this humanitarian streak will become more obvious and the urge for full expression may create inner tension. This will be true if you work in a field that does nothing to help or better humanity in general. Younger INFJs may or may nor feel this urge strongly in the beginning; but do keep in mind that it will become an important factor as you grow older.
• Work Environment - simply put; INFJs will have a hard time working in an corrupt, unorganized, critical, competitive and high stress work environments. INFJs ability to penetrate into the core of any systems or large organizations and seeing clearly where the issues and problems are will help weed out these environments. This is not to say that certain environments such as schools, hospitals or counseling and crisis centers should not be explored; but the built in bureaucracy of failing systems will affect an INFJ and if an INFJ chooses a career in these organizations then they will need to learn grounding and stress management techniques in order to cope and find balance.
• Intellectual and Creative Challenge - INFJs are natural intellectuals with a desire to learn about subjects that catch their curiosity. Therefore; when choosing a career; intellectual stimulation or the opportunity to advance one's knowledge base is important. Mundane and routine work will eventually bore an INFJs. The negatives of mundane work will make an INFJ question their role in society and if not careful can lead into hopelessness which leads to a mediocre careers without advancement. Hence it is recommended that INFJs pursue masters or doctorate degrees in fields that can open up intellectual growth opportunities. This will also become important as an INFJ gets older.

Intense Realism to balance the natural Idealist:

Intense realism is the practice of seeing life as is with no filters and covers. Learning to make sound life decisions based on hard reality will always help a natural idealist make better changes in life and career. For career decision making; below factors need to be considered for certain careers you maybe considering:

• Job outlook - are you choosing a career field that is growing or declining? What types of careers is your generation considering? Just like products and business have life cycles; careers also have life cycles. It should not be looked on with fear but a natural progression of growth. Choose careers that are on the rise for the next 20 to 30 years - expecially fields such as healthcare and technology that offers lots of niche field within a larger field so there are many options to consider.
• Salary - always do an opportunity cost for your careers. Are you finishing a degree that cost you $40,000 in student debt to be hired as an entry level making $42,000? Is that a fair or normal living standard in your neck of the woods? If you wish to go to masters or doctorate route then is it feasible to get your undergrad in a community college to save money in the long run? Is it worth getting a masters degree for 2 years so you can increase your chances of making a comfortable living 10 to 20 years down the road? INFJs should and need to consider these options as early as possible in their career planning so they have more options in a hectic and unstable economy.
• Competition - how competitive are the career fields you are considering? Most INFJs love psychology but unless you specialize it is a fairly competitive field to enter into even with a masters. Consider other types of psychology fields that are less competitive like sports psychology or industrial psychology, etc. In order to edge the competition; do research into niche fields that are not widely recognized or advertized. Try your best to not follow the herd if possible.
• Research - there should be 2 types of very important research needs to be done by INFJs if they are undecided on careers:

1. Shadow a professional in their work environment for few days to get a clear idea of that career field and ask lots of questions. If that is not possible; find professional career forums in a particular field you are considering and browse their forums. Read about the job satisfaction; issues those professionals face, how much they make, etc and see if anything you find appeals or discourages your interests.
2. Go and experience them yourself. Internships and volunteer experiences will shed light on certain careers. There are lots of resources to consider when researching a career. This experience will be better than asking people what you should do as a career from people that does not know you on the internet.

Final Advice:

My final advice is to choose careers that takes into the INFJ personality career parameters I discussed earlier with that of the realistic career changes that are happening worldwide. Find a good balance where an INFJs natural tendencies are honored as well as the ability to thrive in career fields that are going to grow and expand in the future. Don't be afraid to explore unkown career niches and also to expand your knowledge with a higher educational degrees.

Also follow your GOALS not your passions. Goals in a nutshell will entail the type of lifestyle you wish to live. Consider all the details of this lifestyle and what you will or will not do to make it happen.

Passion and interest can bring joy into our lives but they do not always translate into a well paying and flexible career that can cater to the INFJ personality. Unless you are super talented in your chosen field and have the time and resources to make your dream a reality then good luck to you. Most people can benefit from a stable and comfortable careers that gives them 70% to 80% fulfillment and satisfaction in life while also giving them time to explore and pursue their hobbies and interests on the side as well as providing for their families and living expenses. Understand that your life circumstances and needs will be different when you are in your 20's, 30's and 40's and making sound decisions based on these considerations can save some people a lot of headache and pain later in life.

Feel free to ask questions or contribute if you have relevant advice pertaining to this topic as an INFJ.

This is quite good advice for any personality type. Although there are many people who follow their passions and do very well, I suppose you are referring more towards artistic endeavors as opposed to scientific minded careers. From my understanding INFJs typically do best in a setting in which they set their own schedule and spend a considerable amount of time in creative pursuits.

solongotgon, thanks for this helpful post. I came across the post while Googling "INFJ majors." Although I left college almost 7 years ago and have an advanced degree, I have realized that the environment (and maybe even the career) is not a good fit at all. I wish I had even known to think about these things back when I was in college.

Your 60/40 split seems right. What's interesting about that split is that, depending on whether you have HSP tendencies, things that might seem solitary (e.g., having your own office) actually really are not necessarily solitary. For instance, where I work, we have an open door culture. Anyone can stand outside of my office gossiping, people are constantly walking by, people can walk in at any time, I'm expected to respond to emails and calls immediately. In other words, no one explained to me that constant intrusions on "solitary" time would be so draining. Of course, the tight-deadlines, high stress and unrealistic turnaround times likely also have something to do with that.

Working in the private sector, I have also noticed that my humanitarian drive has grown stronger and I'm practically sick thinking about how I'm constantly helping large corporations shuffle their money around while doing nothing to help individuals solve problems, develop themselves and grow.

As to intellectual/creative pursuits, that's another thing that I'm learning about. As mentioned, I have an advanced degree. I thought that this would finally be my escape from day to day boredom. What happened instead, however, is that I realized that my work is not actually intellectual. It is certainly complex, but it is still largely routine and boring. There is a difference between difficult/complex and intellectually stimulating. The latter, I suspect, will tend to tap into curiosity, creativity, design, inventiveness and so you want to meet people doing the work and see if that's true or if they're just doing things that require lots of training, but end up being rather rote.

Overall, I think this is excellent advice and I will keep it in mind as I embark on what looks like it will be a major career change. Thanks.

Yes I completely agree most jobs tend to be complex, routine and incredibly dull when there are no more challenges and interests which is why many jobs have a low retention rate of employees with a high turnover. Aside from the salary I'm wondering what would make a good inventive for you to want to stay at your current position as opposed to another better position if it happened to crop up?

 

[Solongo]

solongotgon, I was wondering how you are finding being a Speech Pathologist and what motivated you to study it. My plan was originally to study speech pathology but after volunteering in many different settings (stroke patients with aphasia, hospital, children with autism/down syndrome) I became worried that I'm not animated or extroverted enough for this career. It's also tough to feel like you're making a difference sometimes because a patient's progress can be so slow.

I am applying to grad school right now and it seems like stiff competition. Mainly because many experienced health care workers are looking for positions with good pay and not so intense hours such as nursing or physical therapy. If I traveled to study away from the Northeast I may have a chance but I am choosing to stay close to home. Speech path is definitely a booming field and you don't need to be extroverted per say. It's a very flexible career with many options to choose from. From the research I have done you can even go into research for speech path if you don't want to interact with people too much. But even the interactions are very one on one and very ideal for infjs. I am hoping I can get into a city or state grad program because the private colleges tuition is very high and not to mention I need to complete at least two years maybe third year depending on the program. I would say if you wish to pursue it then you have to be in it for the long haul.

 

[Wyote]

Rather than creating a whole new thread, I'd like to expound upon the already great advice here with some of my own perspective.

I've had several "Ah-Ha!" moments just in the past couple of years regarding school, work, life fulfillment etc. and I'm still on "the path" of figuring out what it is I really want.

For me, the single greatest realization (and you must take this to heart) is that your main objective is to simply do the things you love. There is literally a job out there for everything, and if it isn't then you either haven't Google'd it properly, or you have zero competition which is far better for you once begin doing the thing you love.

I've discovered so many niché jobs and each time I say to myself "Really? That is an actual job that supports somebody?" and it is true. You can monetize just about anything with a little creativity and determination.

Find a mentor that can show you the business end of things - which truly is not as complicated or scary as you've probably been lead to believe - and do what you love.

YOU have to be the one to discover these things though. School advisers try to be helpful, but there is no way that even a fraction of what is out there can be on their purview of things. You think that you are being told what all is out there, but you're not. Network with people (I know, blegh) and you'll soon find out that people need help with all sorts of obscure things which you may find a great deal of satisfaction doing.

 

[the]

Above all else choose a career that woll make a lot of money. Then when you're semi retired you can start a charity to fix any of the messes youe empire created

 

[HunterO]

Above all else choose a career that woll make a lot of money. Then when you're semi retired you can start a charity to fix any of the messes youe empire created

In my experience, when I've seen people choose careers simply for the money, they end up leaving their careers and ultimately hating their jobs while they go back to school to learn a new subject or skill. I've seen this in particular with lawyers. There was some study done that happiness was correlated to a certain income but not much higher after a certain point. Of course everyone can fantasize about having loads of capital, but I think the freedom to be able to do what wants is a harder challenge than simply finding a job that pays well.

Also there is this mainstream idea that people retire when they're older but I think taking a semi-retirement from time to time in between careers is also good for the soul. Ideally everyone should cross off things on their bucket list while they're still young, but for many people with responsibilities to other people that might not be realistic.