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Careers for INFP Personality Types

By Brenda Ellis, PersonalityPage.com

Whether you're a young adult trying to find your place in the world, or a not-so-young adult trying to find out if you're moving along the right path, it's important to understand yourself and the personality traits that will impact your likeliness to succeed or fail at various careers. It's equally important to understand what is really important to you. When armed with an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, and an awareness of what you truly value, you are in an excellent position to pick a career that you will find rewarding.

The following traits are generally found in INFPs:

  1. Strong value systems
  2. Warmly interested in people
  3. Service-oriented, usually putting the needs of others above their own
  4. Loyal and devoted to people and causes
  5. Future-oriented
  6. Growth-oriented; always want to be growing in a positive direction
  7. Creative and inspirational
  8. Flexible and laid-back, unless a ruling principle is violated
  9. Sensitive and complex
  10. Dislike dealing with details and routine work
  11. Original and individualistic - "out of the mainstream"
  12. Excellent written communication skills
  13. Prefer to work alone, and may have problems working on teams
  14. Value deep and authentic relationships
  15. Want to be seen and appreciated for who they are

The INFP is a special, sensitive individual who needs a career that is more than a job. The INFP needs to feel that everything they do in their lives is in accordance with their strongly-felt value systems, and is moving them and/or others in a positive, growth-oriented direction. They are driven to do something meaningful and purposeful with their lives. The INFP will be happiest in careers that allow them to live their daily lives in accordance with their values, and that work towards the greater good of humanity. It's worth mentioning that a majority of the great writers in the world have been INFPs.

The following list of professions is built on our impression of careers that would be especially suitable for an INFP. It is meant to be a starting place, rather than an exhaustive list. There are no guarantees that any or all of the careers listed here would be appropriate for you, or that your best career match is among those listed here.

   
 

Possible Careers Paths for INFP

Writers
Counselors / Social Workers
Teachers / Professors
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Musicians
Clergy / Religious Workers