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ENFPs and Computer Science

24K views 33 replies 24 participants last post by  Brighid 
#1 ·
I noticed all my friends who are actually computer programmers are INTJ, ESTJ, ENTJ and INFJ.

That's a lot of Js.

Would an ENFP do well in this industry?

I currently work as a web developer, still studying to get a degree in computer programming, but when the workload starts getting boring, it's hard to keep my interest.

Since I work in a small business where I'm the only developer, I have no clue how working in a corporate setting would be like or if it would be for me. Also, since I'm the only computer nerd there, I don't have anyone near me to bounce nerdy algorithms and programming ideas with! It's hard to socialize alone! XD

Aside from that, I do love what I do and I love coding, learning new programming languages and creating programs. It has enough creativity and flexibility and structure to keep me interested. Plus, I love making it a game and celebrating when I solve a problem I get stuck on.

I also like being the weird one, so I think the IT/software engineer industry wouldn't mind a random gamer computer nerd girl like me. ^__^

Any input from computer programmers is gladly welcome! :D
 
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#3 ·
Don't ever mention games if you want to make it into a gaming software firm. Believe me, you're not the only programmer here on this forum. Sadly making games is nowhere near as interesting as playing them 99% of the time. The debugging can get quite maddening and isn't for anyone who is up to the focus and ambition to go through with it. It is very rewarding though.
 
#4 ·
OH no, I don't want to go into gaming software.

I was thinking more along the lines of Intel, Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Boeing, Symantec, Yahoo, medical programs, etc. It seems like a more stable work environment to work with a company that focuses on practical applications than video games.

I have guys in my class talking about the complexity of how much math and such is involved with doing game design with hair and such.. It was cool to listen to, but it seems pointless to put so much work into making hair flow perfectly. What's the benefit of that? It just looks nice, but I see no way that would help society other than making a virtual reality seem more real.

I do see myself working on future updates of cloud development or even the newer versions of IDEs and Microsoft Office. :p

Working on practical programs seems more helpful to me than working on games, and I like the idea of making things to make people's lives easier. :D
 
#6 ·
My ENFP sister is employed as a computer programmer, i don't think its so unusual. I won't get into details as she isn't here to offer any opinions, so i won't speak on her behalf. i just wanted to point out that computer programming isn't limited to any specific type. Have fun computer gaming, personally it bores me to tears ;)
 
#7 ·
I remember that my computer science professor in college did a poll of everyone's MBTI type. There were comp sci majors of almost every type (except the ISTPs, weirdly). I am sure you can be happy as an ENFP programmer.

Just out of curiosity, how did you learn to become a web developer if you didn't have a computer science degree prior to that point?
 
#9 ·
@CodeGuru & @MuChApArAdOx, thanks much for the support! :D

Just out of curiosity, how did you learn to become a web developer if you didn't have a computer science degree prior to that point?
It's an interesting story, but it all boils down to diligently searching for opportunities and a deep enthusiasm for the job. :)

I actually started with making websites when I was around 10 years old, but I always thought it was just a hobby. I didn't think much of it and actually didn't really know much about Computer Science. I'm also first-generation US college-educated in my family, so I didn't have any knowledge of what to expect at the US university level or what majors there were. Asian parents told me to just be a nurse, so I took Bio and I HATED it. I always found myself programming websites when I was sad or procrastinating on my homework and finals. :p

Junior year summer, I got bored and decided to apply for web development internships. I got one! :D After that, I got lucky and picked up 2 more web development internships in my last 2 years of college, so by the time I graduated, I already had 2 years experience. I had a hard time finding a job at first, so I picked up an internet marketing internship to kill time, and that was what landed me my big break. :)

If it weren't for my bosses at my internships, I probably wouldn't be where I am now. They knew I didn't have the degree, but they still took me in even when I told them this story that I just told you. :D I think the enthusiasm for it is what convinced them. :]

With the job market now, I don't think that would happen nearly as often now, so I'm really grateful for everything and I love what I do.
 
#11 ·
I also like being the weird one, so I think the IT/software engineer industry wouldn't mind a random gamer computer nerd girl like me. ^__^
Something to consider is what kind of career aspirations do you have. Do you want to be an architect? Do you want to be a CIO? Do you want to be a CTO? This is just something to consider as I'd argue there is something to be said for what perspective do you have of programming as some of it can be touchy-feely. Good luck on going far in the field.
 
#28 ·
I realized I never responded to your questions. Sorry about that!

I've decided to specialize in Software Architecture and Project Management for my MS CS degree. :)

I finally got a taste of working in a Fortune 200 corporation and climbing the ladders is definitely my cup of tea. I would like to become a senior software architect and lead a team of people under me after spending 10+ years climbing the ranks through technical software development.

I aspire to become like my boss and upper management colleagues. They're all so inspirational, charismatic and highly respected when it comes to managing their teams and leading projects.

Eventually, I would also like to get to the point of also managing the "business" side of things like budget/time allocations for my coworkers working under me, just like my boss does.
 
#12 ·
I've been a software engineer the past 20 some years, but I started out as a fine arts major. Go figure. :) If you love coding, then keep on coding.

One suggestion though: Instead of targeting a job working as a staff programmer for a single corporation, consider working as a contractor. If you work for a corporation, on the same software, year after year, it gets very tedious. Contract work lets you work on a single project at a given corporation and then let's you move on to a new contract and new project upon completion. You'll learn a lot and won't get bored as easily. Nothing is worse than getting stuck maintaining a code base.
 
#14 ·
The great thing about being a programmer is you do not have to work slow and steady you can make huge bursts then relax for a while

you are YOU try to work in a way that fits best for you
Notoriously P types are "hares" in the sense that they like to burst then rest as opposed Js are "tortoises" slow and steady
Moral of the story dont rest too long or you will lose your job :bored:
 
#19 ·
Hi guys!

It's almost exactly a year since I posted this thread! A lot's changed. :) I got a job at an internet-based software company and finally get to experience working in a team setting.

I also got accepted to grad school for Computer Science this fall. :D

It's definitely been a good environment for a bubbly ENFP like me. I love being able to work with different teams of people and am even more fortunate to get to program what I love to do (mostly frontend) and get challenged with things I don't really like to do (backend/databases), but I'm learning a lot and I really love it!

Some responses to your responses! :]

you are YOU try to work in a way that fits best for you
Notoriously P types are "hares" in the sense that they like to burst then rest as opposed Js are "tortoises" slow and steady
Moral of the story dont rest too long or you will lose your job :bored:
So relevant! I feel like I have to take numerous breaks, but I can solve problems pretty quickly, especially if it's something I really like.

I notice that the more introverted guys work like workhorses!! But one of them always tells me it takes him a long time to solve problems, so he works slow some times.

If I'm working on a task I don't really like, I'm pretty slow at getting it finished.. but it gets done eventually. :p

l don't really see ESTJ's loving it, honesty but INT<P>'S are heavily represented.
My boyfriend is actually an ESTJ and he doesn't seem to mind it. I'm not sure about him "loving" it, cuz he's definitely not as enthusiastic about it as me, but he really likes the problem-solving aspect. He goes out of his way to find solutions and is very consistent with his work ethic. Knowing the financial positives that come from working in the industry is a definite plus to him. ESTJs like their security and stability. :)

l think I/E might play an ever larger role, l just see myself doing something a little less specific and probably involving people more. l wouldn't let yourself become too disillusioned about how 'hard' it is, though, but l would take into account your natural abilities. l'm not really cut out for CS specifically, l went the CIS/IT route.
My boss coined that me and the other web developers are a blend of "artistic and technical", which he said is hard to find in programmers sometimes. I think I'm more naturally artistic than technical (lover of fine arts, music, used to write fiction, draw, etc), so I tend to also try to work on tasks that are less specific. But I make sure to do some more technical work, though it takes me a bit longer. :)

CS is still hard, I do have to admit. I really love the challenge, though. I want to continually apply my natural front-end abilities to create well-polished products. But I also want to improve my technical abilities as well. Having the ability to move around through different technical areas in the field is really great and never gets boring quick enough for me to lose interest.

I do agree with the involving people part. Definitely love working with different groups of people! I love assessing the different skills and talents with each team and project. Being able to create something amazing with them is even more to love. It totally beats working alone. :p

I'm loving every bit of it so far. :)

Thanks for all the input & support!
 
#15 ·
Probably comes down to interest, if you like it... then go for it. I am INTP and hated it enough to quit successive jobs and change careers, though it was relatively easy, it bored the crap out of me and I thought it was rather pointless, whatever floats your boats, don't let MBTI limit you to something you won't to do, nor let it constrain you into the same box...
 
#16 ·
I hear you on losing interest on the boring parts of computer science. I do the same. It's the things that I want to do that keep me going. I dream of building my own little game or an application, and that makes me keep at it. I personally think that anyone can be good as a programmer. Some have to try harder to keep up, but you can be just as good as someone who gets it easily.
 
#17 ·
l don't really see ESTJ's loving it, honesty but INT<P>'S are heavily represented.

l wouldn't worry about the Pness :)kitteh:).

l see a lot of NFs ask about it and generally they think NTs are more suited for it. l can't say if that's true or not. l'm probably closer to ENTP and have very basic programming experience...l will tell you, l know even now that l don't ever want to program for a living but learning it wasn't difficult.

l think I/E might play an ever larger role, l just see myself doing something a little less specific and probably involving people more. l wouldn't let yourself become too disillusioned about how 'hard' it is, though, but l would take into account your natural abilities. l'm not really cut out for CS specifically, l went the CIS/IT route.

edit: l read like the first 3 sentences of your post the first time. You sound like you alreayd have the experience s l'm not sure what the question is LOL.
 
#18 ·
I've been a Software Engineer for 4 years and I'm ENFP.

I defiantly don't fit the in with the usual Software Engineer stereotype but that's a good thing.

I enjoy the career, there's always a new problem to solve, you can get a lot of variety in your work load and I'm always in demand, I'm currently using my experience and skill set to help me move to a foreign country.

You'll be working with a lot of introverts, they don't naturally communicate with each other so as an extrovert (Especially ENFP) you can really get ahead, I was considered weird because I knew everyone in the office and got on well with pretty much all of them to the point where I could go and ask for favours, It's especially good to get on well with the test team, build a good reputation with them and your life becomes a whole lot easier.



The down sides:
Back when I was working I used to score INTP on Myers Briggs, I think it's something to do with the mindset that they encourage and even expect in the industry or at least the company I was in, they kept trying to get me to sit still, focus on my work and become almost robot like.

You probably won't have the same problems as a woman but working in an all male atmosphere meant there was quite a lot of competition, I refused to join in but there were many times when people would try picking holes in my ideas and work just to make them selves look better.

I don't really care about technology, I'm in it for the challenge, I learn as little as I need to get my work done. I couldn't tell you what new phones are out, what processors are best, I couldn't even tell you what processor my home computer has. Not showing interest in technology is unfortunately something that may have held me back in the past.
 
#20 ·
I noticed all my friends who are actually computer programmers are INTJ, ESTJ, ENTJ and INFJ.

That's a lot of Js.
You missed the #2 personality for Computer programmers- INTP. The top 3 are INTJ, INTP, INFJ. So, it does lean towards Ps but P can be oriented towards it. ;)

Would an ENFP do well in this industry?
Sure. It has to do with what you're interested in. You're a web developer so you already know that it's a lot of working by yourself and working with computer code. If you can handle that, you can handle the industry!

I currently work as a web developer, still studying to get a degree in computer programming, but when the workload starts getting boring, it's hard to keep my interest.
Boring. What do you find boring about it? Is it working by yourself? The code? It things like that that may steer ENFPs away from programming. But don't let your type steer you away from what you know you enjoy.
 
#21 ·
Boring. What do you find boring about it? Is it working by yourself? The code? It things like that that may steer ENFPs away from programming. But don't let your type steer you away from what you know you enjoy.
I actually made a post above this, my 1 year since posting this topic!

The "boring" aspect of my previous job was working alone. It wasn't really that I didn't have social interaction, but mainly that I didn't have a mentor or even a person to bounce ideas off of. The learning aspect is really important to me, and getting stuck without having a person to guide me is definitely one of the more discouraging things about programming.
 
#23 ·
Hello everybody,

whilst using the search function i discovered this thread here.

Because of personal interest i'm currently learning java by myself. I was just wondering how you guys deal with Si - Introverted Sensing, our weakest ability?
I have no experience in working in a corporate environment, but i could imagine it would be useful in terms of reading code from other people. Especially if your working on a prefabricated program or system and you just have to add functions.

I'm just a beginner, but as far as I'm concerned, in terms of coding itstelf it comes down to true and false, 1 or 0.
Moreover, w/o any judgment, its very detail orientated. Forgetting a semicolon or a bracket literally destroys your whole program.

Wouldn't that be a big benefit for sensors? (And therefore naturally a big disadvantage for types with bad Si like ENFPs?)

I could also see ENFPS as a Systems Architect, which would be more client orientated and more focused on the big picture.


What do you think, just curious!

Cheers,
Mario
 
#24 ·
@Ahiko
Say, mind sharing some experience? I'd love to get into programming. I wanted to make some app development, so I started learning Java (Droid edition) back in university, but dropped it due to lack of time. Looking back, it was a poor choise, so I'm wondering if there's a better starting point?
 
#27 ·
@Ahiko
Say, mind sharing some experience? I'd love to get into programming. I wanted to make some app development, so I started learning Java (Droid edition) back in university, but dropped it due to lack of time. Looking back, it was a poor choise, so I'm wondering if there's a better starting point?
Over the past two years, I realized I'm actually an INFP 4w3. Possibly an ENFP? But maybe just a really lazy but success-driven one who's not very fluid with public speaking. :p

It's been two years since I started this thread.

I'm now in graduate school for my M.S in Computer Science, emphasizing in Software Architecture and Project Management. I intern part-time for one of the top hardware companies in the industry as a web developer. And lastly, I work as a graduate assistant for the M.S. Software Engineering program at my university. It's been a very busy and successful two years.

My best advice for a starting point is to just passionately pursue what you love to do.

I always thought computing was just a hobby, but after not being satisfied with my first degree, I knew I had to pursue something I loved, otherwise I would never grow up happily.

I built up a portfolio, applied to internships and landed my first unpaid summer internship. I ended up working 40 hours a week, driving 1 hour in traffic for a 35-minute commute to that internship every single day, and I never got paid. But I loved what I was doing and I loved what I was learning.

I ended up landing more internships and low-paying web development jobs until I landed a job that paid me fairly.

I guess it's not the best advice, but the one thing that really gained me my opportunities has been my passion and love for this line of work.

For technical stuff, I'd suggest building up a resume and portfolio. GitHub seems to be the new media which employers are going through as a portfolio. Knowing version control, frameworks and current technologies will make you marketable for employment.

Becoming really proficient in programming logic and algorithms will be a good start.

I do encourage going into higher education for a formal degree to learn all the proper theory that goes into computer science. :)
 
#25 ·
I'm an ENFP in Computer Science. I like it, though it can be meticulous at times. I think coding is both fun and rewarding, so getting paid to do it as a profession seems like a bonus. You can use your Ne to be creative an clever with the code.

I'm a music composer. So all my friends are shocked that I'm not following my passion. But, if you're going to get a degree, get one that counts. That's my pragmatic opinion x)
 
#26 ·
Enfp ex ran her own LLC doing freelance work for google
 
#33 ·
Hi everyone!

It is now 7 years later since I started this thread.

I've moved from southern California and work in San Francisco now!

I also work my dream job as a Data Visualization Engineer at an Enterprise AI company. I mainly data visualizations of complex data science problems, but I also am helping to build out the company's processes and infrastructure.

The work I do marries data and art together to make practical apps that give insights on data so that users can make better decisions from it. I'm also fortunate to work closely with a design team and am learning from their visual design expertise as well.

Some similar data vis practioners to my work can be found here.

http://t-b.io
http://r2d3.us
http://datasketch.es

It's been a long journey but a very happy, challenging and fulfilling one.

I'm working towards getting the experience toward a Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate in the next 3 years. My end goal is to architect $10 million+ projects, just like my female Software Architect professor who is a Software Architect at Raytheon.

Still an INFP here! I struggle at times with boredom and idealism and escaping reality, but at the same time, I'm fortunate to be living the life that I've made for myself. Also, it helps that's my fiancé is an ESTJ, so he keeps me grounded. [emoji23] I'm also happy that he supports me streaming on Twitch as a hobby.

Thanks for reading and following along my journey.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Always happy to help!


Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
 
#34 ·
I think an ENFP could do well, assuming it's a strong interest of yours, because I understand you guys sometimes switch careers and hobbies more often because of your strong Ne and Fi and weak Si. However, that same function placement makes you great with ideas and I think that's what you would offer the most to a company or team. Because of the competition with other companies and frequent adaptions necessary to integrate new technologies idea people are very valuable.
 
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