ESFP at Work

ESFPs are fun-loving, energetic and social people who love jobs that have variety and allow them to meet many types of people. They have a natural interest in people and therefore would prefer a job that cares for people's needs practically.

They enjoy collaborating and cooperating with their colleagues closely in projects and in jobs that require teamwork. They love the spotlight and do not mind being asked to be the spokesperson or resident entertainer of their office. Given a choice, they prefer jobs that are hands-on and allow them to move about rather than to sit down in front of a computer.

Because of their highly spontaneous nature, they shun organisational structures and deadlines that they feel cramp their style. They much rather be given the flexibility and independence to accomplish their tasks

ESFP at Work: ESFP Careers Suggestions

Before you get to the top career suggestions, it must be stressed that all personality types exist in all occupations.

Due to other factors involved such as interests, geography, salary and working hours, most individuals do not end up in occupations that ideally fit their personality.

However, if you are in a job or career that is not suitable for personalities of your type:

• You may have trouble communicating or agreeing with your co-workers.
• You may find communication issues arising in your work.
• What you deem to be important in a job may not be in sync with your colleagues; hence, the use of your personalities’ strengths during your work MAY NOT lead to promotion or reward.
• Because you do not feel your work is valued, you may experience stress, dissatisfaction, burnout and lack of productivity.

EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK

ESFPs' warm and caring nature is perfect for educating young minds and reaching out to the down and out. Their attention to detail and ability to teach subjects methodically makes them suitable for primary level education. Their intrinsic compassion for people will attract them to the field of practical work. These include:

• Teacher (Primary and Secondary Education)
• Early childhood educator
• Child care provider
• Sports coach
• Social worker
• Community service officer
• Corporate social responsibility executive

HEALTHCARE

ESFPs will enjoy working in healthcare, where their role is about meeting the practical health needs of their patients. Their attention to detail will ensure that no small symptom or condition gets overlooked and that patients’ needs are being met at every moment. The need for flexibility in the job is also natural for the ESFP who may need to attend to unusual conditions or situations in the course of their work. Opportunities in this field could include:

• Nurse
• Head nurse
• Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor
• Family doctor
• Optician
• Dentist

ENTERTAINMENT

Being light-hearted, humorous and easy-going, ESFPs are natural in the entertainment industry. They enjoy the variety of projects and tasks they will be engaged in, and they will thoroughly revel in making someone else’s day through their service. Some of these careers are:

• News anchor
• Photographer
• Tour guide
• Film producer
• Performer
• Actor

SALES AND SERVICE

ESFPs, with their warm, hearty and gregarious nature, are likely to attract many people to them. This makes them suited for sales and service. Their attention to detail and the needs of others also makes them excellent at sales pitches and in making others feel that they're well taken care of. Some jobs in sales and service could include:

• Retail executive
• Public relations officer
• Police officer
• Chef
• Real estate agent

ESFP at Work: Ideal ESFP Career Environments

Even though you’re in the right job, it is the culture of the organisation that will ultimately determine your job satisfaction.

There are work environments that will support your professional development, and there are those that stress you out.

When you are applying or considering a new job, consider looking for organisations that are known to have:

SERVICE-ORIENTATION

ESFPs look for organisations that complement their natural gift for service to others. This doesn’t just mean exemplary service for customers, but a culture of service toward their colleagues and peers. You can find out which companies have such a working culture by approaching and speaking to people in the company such as at careers fairs and open house events.

ENERGY

ESFPs enjoy being part of an active and energetic organisational culture that is always on the go and actively engaged in some work or project. This could include cultures that require them to move around a lot as part of their job or work that requires engaging with different people in the course of the day. You can find out more about the organisational culture by posing a question to the interviewers about daily work life.

COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT

ESFPs like collaborative and cooperative work cultures where colleagues have to come together and work to achieve organisational objectives. They enjoy the human interaction in the course of their work and are energized by these positive interactions. In generally, project-based jobs will require some level of collaboration, so you should look out for that in job scopes.

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