22 ENFJ Careers to Avoid

To be happy at work, ENFJs need to use all of their natural preferences:

• Their preference for getting energy from the external world — people, activities, and things.
• Their tendency to look at the big picture and see a world of possibilities rather than only cold, hard facts.
• Their preference for making values-based, people-focused decisions.
• Their need for a structured environment.

To feel satisfied with their professional life, ENFJs should avoid careers that do not allow them to use these preferences or force them to do things they are not naturally good at. But even a list of unsuitable job titles will not tell the full story. Often, it is the environment that does not match our preferences, even if the job title sounds like everything we have ever dreamed of.

Here is a list of company, organization, and career characteristics ENFJs should avoid:

• Lack of organization. With the ENFJ’s natural need for closure and love of order, they want requirements to be clear and deadlines to be respected. They should avoid companies with dysfunctional management, chaotic environments, and ambiguous demands.
• Lack of harmony. Poor communication, lack of shared vision, office drama, gossip, and interpersonal conflict will make the ENFJ miserable very quickly. Unless they are allowed to take the lead in improving the environment, ENFJs should avoid companies with these characteristics.
• Slow and unchanging pace. ENFJs are very action-oriented, and they may become bored if the environment is too quiet, slow, or unstimulating.
• Little to no contact with other people. ENFJs are all about connecting with others and serving others. Some careers, such as accounting or computer programming, can be naturally isolating and may not be suitable for ENFJs. The ENFJ is not the type of person to go through spreadsheets for hours every day — they need stimulation and regular contact with other people.
• Monotonous work. Because of their highly developed intuition, ENFJs love to learn, do new things, or at least discover new ways of doing things. Being able to do things differently from what their previous experience may suggest stimulates ENFJs and makes them excited about their work. Being forced to follow strict standards and regulations is not ideal for them and may lead to dissatisfaction and boredom. ENFJs should avoid careers such as security guard, tour operator, paint watcher, and similar jobs.
• Lack of learning opportunities. Being able to learn new skills increases the ENFJ’s interest and engagement while reducing boredom. Unfortunately, many jobs become boring after the initial learning period is over, which often happens after about six months.
• Jobs that require dealing firmly with others. Although ENFJs can be great leaders, they may struggle to manage people firmly. They prefer to relate sympathetically while paying attention to other people’s needs and feelings, even when this gets in the way of getting the work done. They may find it hard to discipline or fire people without considering the impact it will have on their lives, which is not always in the best interests of the organization. Similarly, ENFJs are often bad at giving negative feedback, even when it is well deserved.

ENFJs should avoid companies and organizations with these characteristics, even if the job description itself sounds like something that would naturally suit them.

Now let’s look at specific examples of ENFJ careers to avoid:

• laborer
• chemist
• mechanic
• math teacher
• auditor
• accountant
• bank officer
• programmer
• computer systems analyst
• attorney
• police officer
• manager
• technician
• surveyor
• tour operator
• engineer
• security guard
• researcher
• waiter or waitress
• farmer
• law enforcement officer
• librarian
• legal secretary

You can read a full ENFJ profile that includes a list of recommended careers here.

The 16 Personalities main page is here.