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What are good careers for INFPs and why?

[INFP]
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Witty Knitter

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
E.g., I see that social work is a highly suggested career for INFPs, but why is it considered a good fit? I actually don't find it appealing, so just wondering if I'm missing something?

What are some other careers that are good for INFPs? I've been considering occupational therapy and nursing lately. I'm pretty sure I want to work in healthcare, and these two fields are appealing because you get more time with the patients and can establish a more meaningful relationship, and the training isn't as intensive as going for an MD.
 
#2 ·
Witty Knitter said:
E.g., I see that social work is a highly suggested career for INFPs, but why is it considered a good fit? I actually don't find it appealing, so just wondering if I'm missing something?

What are some other careers that are good for INFPs? I've been considering occupational therapy and nursing lately. I'm pretty sure I want to work in healthcare, and these two fields are appealing because you get more time with the patients and can establish a more meaningful relationship, and the training isn't as intensive as going for an MD.
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Psychologist, counsellor, minister, human resources, and so on. Can come up with a bigger list when I get on my pc.

Anyways the assumption is you deeply care about people and want to help them, especially in a one on one environment.
 
#3 ·
Witty Knitter said:
E.g., I see that social work is a highly suggested career for INFPs, but why is it considered a good fit? I actually don't find it appealing, so just wondering if I'm missing something?

What are some other careers that are good for INFPs?
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Anything the INFP is passionate about. I've seen INFPs pursue paths that are not stereotypically INFP, but they have great success and satisfaction because of their passionate commitment to the cause. The worst thing for an INFP is to get into a career or path that they are not passionate about.
 
#6 ·
Before I ended up in my dream job as a residential counselor, I enjoyed landscaping for the couple years. I enjoyed working outside though some days can get brutal in the heat (and cold if you do snow removal) Before that I thought drain cleaning was fun (can be filthy dirty) kinda neat trying to figure out where the clog is and find the most efficient access point to snake out the clog. Good times.
 
#7 ·
You can feel and be compassionate in anything but believe that you need to do it for the right reasons and that you need to truly have an emotional connection to it. Cos afterall, it is indeed Fi that we live for..... Balance is key, always.
 
#9 · (Edited)
While I enjoy studying and knowing more about my MBTI I don't feel that I need to base all my decisions off of what someone else has studied. I too have looked into all of the career recommendations and have found that they are really limited. What needs to be done is for you to try out a few different jobs and see where you fit. For example when I was in high school and college I worked at a grocery store and found it to be somewhat enjoyable, you get some social interaction but don't have to spend more than about a minute with any particular customer. Then I went and worked for a computer company which was great, I had to talk to some very rude people but in the end I was able to help them out and they were very appreciative. Now I am a pilot in the U.S. Army. Not really a career move that you would see and INFP make. However, what I have noticed is that me being an INFP makes people comfortable to talk to me. I am very understanding and like to help people. This helps me solve many problems as well as keep morale high because I take care of people first. If you people are taken care of they are way more happy to work to accomplish a mission.

So you can see that an INFP just needs to be where they feel they belong.

I am editing to include that I have had many other jobs. I managed a storage facility (terrible) as well as got my Property and Casualty license before working for an insurance company (that lasted about a week and I quit). In addition I delivered pizza for a few months. So as you can see I just moved on until I found something that I could enjoy. Don't be afraid to quit something you hate. Just remember that bills have o be paid. Hence why I delivered pizza.
 
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#11 ·
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#15 ·
PurpleApple said:
Something rewarding. Careers where you help people.
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This is something you see a lot regarding INFPs and career choices. One thing to bear in mind: helping people comes in many forms.

Yes, it can be social workers, psychology, human resources and the like, but it can be indirect as well. The company my INFP coworker and I are part of is a Safety Engineering company. We don't interact with people like you would in the jobs stereotypically thought of as ideal for us, but we still help them through very indirect means. For example, we help ensure that people who house fireworks know how far away the fireworks should be kept from where people are should any kind of accident happen.

I have realized that it really irks me when the assumption is made that "helping people" means "working with people who need help." It is just as much a benefit to prevent bad things from happening.

(not directed at you, PurpleApple)
 
#17 ·
I'm getting into culinary right now. More on the baking/pastry side of things. What I want to do with those skills exactly yet, I haven't found out.

I knew I wanted something... artsy I guess. But I just was not very good at drawing/painting. Started making some necklaces/bracelets as a hobby. Might get into it again. From there I heard about polymer clay and tried my hand at making random things with that. I relied on Youtube for instructional guides. While trying to learn how to sculpt little cupcakes I ended up watching an actual cupcake video. Got into that and got into a little more.

I did not know I wanted to get into this until I was 18-19. I felt like a failure because it seemed like everyone was in college learning about what they wanted to do and here I was not starting it because I didn't want to risk losing money over a career I didn't want.

Start school sometime next year. Working two jobs building up money so I can pay off first year of community college without a hitch. While I feel it's slow I like that I waited. Just lucked out that I have parents who believe I should live with them until I graduate and have a steady job.
 
#18 ·
Even in a company, sometimes being "honest" and "ethical" which is the INFP trait, can dispel the numerous issues, heartaches, and antagonisms in the typical workplace. I know I am currently loved by my manager at the moment, because he deliberately recruited girls in IT to stabilise certain aspects of the systems. Now in his own words he would like "IT to be collaborative" to the business. Meaning, he like us to be able to smooth things over, and draw a line of boundary in order to enable others to draw lines of respect, boundaries and responsibilities... without blame. I think females are good at that diplomacy thing in general.

But I also know that, for me to be in this job now, a lot of other people had to be sacrificed before me, and I have also been in their positions too of being in the firing line, for politics' sake... So... feelings can be built, in any industry and you can indeed feel good or bad, or whatever.. but I suppose in some jobs, you can only feel good if you felt that you achieved something. I've used facts to sustain and helped others in the business save their ass from being fired.. cos the truth is the truth... Some people like to maintain this "helpful" feeling, always run whenever there is a storm brewing just so that they maintain a certain level of motivation and self esteem within themselves, but they forsake others and push them to be the scapegoats.

Yes, I have had high level managers who speaks of this to me too...... Not everybody will lay down themselves for others when the tough waves are flooding through into your way. So yes, politics are everywhere and it is a matter of how you handle it, and whether you think that it is worthy to protect those close to you and in your workplace and if your manager is also worthy of your respect too.

I have taken the blame before for someone else, just so that I bump their reputation and credibilities.. and yes, this is how the workplace goes sometimes and as some managers say "do not take it personally", but those who are honest being, and so forth, indeed know when is fair game or not etc. Always stand upright.
 
#19 ·
Kipkn said:
This is something you see a lot regarding INFPs and career choices. One thing to bear in mind: helping people comes in many forms.

Yes, it can be social workers, psychology, human resources and the like, but it can be indirect as well. The company my INFP coworker and I are part of is a Safety Engineering company. We don't interact with people like you would in the jobs stereotypically thought of as ideal for us, but we still help them through very indirect means. For example, we help ensure that people who house fireworks know how far away the fireworks should be kept from where people are should any kind of accident happen.

I have realized that it really irks me when the assumption is made that "helping people" means "working with people who need help." It is just as much a benefit to prevent bad things from happening.

(not directed at you, PurpleApple)
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I just find teaching rewarding because the reward is very in your face and tangible. It keeps me motivated and interested. I'm good at it, and the reward is obvious and in my face all day. This isn't to say you don't help people in other ways, but if somebody is trying to find a career and is an INFP, I thin I would start with what I like and am good at, but also look into how rewarding that field will be to me. :) Good point though.
 
#20 ·
PurpleApple said:
This isn't to say you don't help people in other ways, but if somebody is trying to find a career and is an INFP, I thin I would start with what I like and am good at, but also look into how rewarding that field will be to me. :) Good point though.
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Well, I suppose I did not explicitly state my intention, but rather gave an example of my perspective. Either way, you are, in essence, agreeing with me. It doesn't matter what the career field is. It doesn't have to be a field like therapy or teaching, it could even be engineering. All that matters is that you like it, can do it, and think it is worthwhile.


edited for grammar.
 
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