Before we dive deeper into ENTJ careers and work occupations, we need to cover the basics of ENTJ personality. The ENTJ personality type is one of the 16 types identified with the Myers-Briggs personality test. ENTJs are born leaders with unique charm and intelligence that draw attention and inspire action.
The ENTJ meaning is defined by the four cognitive functions- extraverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging- that impact their behavior, preferences, and interaction with the world.
Nicknamed the Commander, ENTJs are those field marshalls, famous leaders, CEOs, and ‘type-A’ personalities that are always ready to conquer a new field, develop a new idea, overcome challenges, or rise over and over from the ashes.
ENTJs are the type of people you’ll hardly ever hear complaining about their demanding jobs, careers or complicated projects. On the contrary, the seriousness and the complexity of their specific jobs bring them more satisfaction, knowing that every accomplishment is another approval of their brilliance.
While it is true that not a single person is the same as another, those belonging to the ENTJ personality type share common characteristics that are peculiar just to them.
There are two distinguished types within the ENTJ personality type: Assertive (ENTJ-A) and Turbulent (ENTJ-T). The difference between ENTJ-A and ENTJ-B is mostly emphasized in dealing with stressors and emotions.
Are you an ENTJ?
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Job Recommendations and Career Matches for ENTJ Personality
Commander personalities are among the rarest, especially among women. Their character’s exceptional nature leads to acknowledging that whoever has this personality type is determined to provide invaluable contributions to their jobs.
But, considering the peculiarities of this personality type, not all jobs are suitable for them. ENTJs are analytical, well-organized, motivated, and focused, so any hectic jobs with no particular rules and schedules are bound to hinder their productivity.
Therefore, it is crucial for Commanders to know which ENTJ career path they need to consider and which ENTJ jobs will suit them best.
Politician
ENTJs are the embodiment of charisma, authority, and self-confidence. These are the key factors that draw crowds together with a specific goal in mind.
Behind their pleasing appearance lurks the mind of a strategist with clearly defined plans and step-by-step approaches.
Their personality’s extroverted function emphasizes their need to communicate their ideas and share their thoughts, often provoking action that offers solutions. In combination with the intuitive function, they often see the big picture.
They are confident enough to impose their views on others without worrying too much about causing conflicts and criticism.
However, ENTJ politicians might find their job in politics discouraging if chaos and manipulation are involved, particularly on the organizational level.
If driven by pure motives to help society, then ENTJs can prove themselves to be outstanding leaders who many people look up to.
Project Manager
A project manager’s job is a demanding task that requires top-notch organizational skills to the tiniest bit.
From bringing the team together and delegating tasks, to organizing budgets, timetables, and meetings, and keeping up-to-date, they need to have everything under control and ensure that the process is going smoothly.
This job description might scare off many other personality types, but not the challenge-driven ENTJs who see opportunity in every complicated matter.
Their overly pushy character and the intrinsic desire to dominate are often translated as a sign of arrogance and self-indulgence.
ENTJs have a hard time dealing with emotions as they consider them to be a sign of weakness, so they might unconsciously offend their team members if they fail to recognize their needs, capacities, and feelings.
CEO / Business Owners
“The view from the top is always the best.” This is usually the position every ENTJ strives for, and most of them eventually get it.
Dominating the corporate environment with their perspectives is an open road for new developments, new incentives, and new possibilities. They enjoy the control they have over their employees and are excellent at delegating responsibilities.
ENTJs are masters at negotiating with the ultimate goal of getting most of it.
While it is out of question whether they’ll be successful leaders, the interpersonal interaction is more of a concern. ENTJs highly appreciate people they consider equals and hard workers, but those inferior to them are often ignored and neglected.
This is why many blue collars mistakenly perceive them as coldhearted, ruthless, and unforgiving. Business owners should consider this matter more seriously as their business’s success is directly dependent on workers’ performance and satisfaction.
Public Speaker
Public speakers need confidence, sharp-wittiness, and the ability to catch public interest. ENTJs are charming speakers and master word crafters, making them excellent motivational speakers, human resources executives, public relations managers, etc.
This job integrates their extroverted function, i.e., the need to communicate with the outer world and share ideas, with their thinking function influences rationality, objectivity, and analysis.
Are you an ENTJ?
Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.
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Management Consultant
This is one of the top-pier jobs that make Commanders feel at home. Management consultants or analysts advise managers of different sectors on how to boost the company’s growth and increase revenues.
Juggling through daily data input, information, and day-to-day issues, the analysts are often expected to act swiftly when faced with unforeseen situations.
This means extreme focus and an analytical mind able to detect problems beyond the surface level, which is precisely what makes ENTJs content at work. As with similar high-level jobs, ENTJs need to pay attention to how they communicate with other managers and if they are overly imposing.
Lawyer
Harsh, relentless, confident, and well-spoken, this is how lawyers are often described, and that’s not far from the truth.
They can see patterns, scrutinize information, and state facts the way they want to be heard. This description matches ENTJ’s personality entirely since this job requires emotional constraint which is typical for the ENTJs.
All Types of Engineers
Engineers, at least the successful ones, are planners and analysts. Their mathematical mind in combination with an eye to observe details can solve various challenges in the world of engineers.
The setting is of lesser importance for ENTJs as long as they are mentally involved and stimulated. From roads and dams to buildings and pipelines, they can observe and monitor large scale projects with confidence and ease.
Military Officer
Those ENTJs with dominant leadership skills who crave strict organization and structure often fit in military ranks.
Their dominant extroverted function can help them establish strong relationships within the troops, while the lack of emotional involvement can provide significant aid during harsh times (more about ENTJ relationships).
Plus, they often neglect their needs while working on a task and can be remarkably fiercely when the need arises. If they are disciplined and follow strict orders, ENTJs can soon progress to senior rankings.
Surgeon
We often find ourselves astonished when hearing about heart or brain surgery that lasted for several hours. To perform it with unfailing precision, one needs utmost focus and dedication to proceed without deviation or distraction.
ENTJs are good at answering these requirements to the tiniest detail. They are also quick to respond in unforeseen circumstances and sudden changes, which is a crucial drive during a sudden turn of events while performing the surgery.
Life Coach
Coaching is trending, and while many people are struggling to master it, for ENTJs, it might go smoothly, provided they put together their analytic thinking and intuitive skills.
Their objectivity can help ENTJs see things from a bird’s perspective, and with all the information carefully selected, they can help a person decide on important life matters.
If they get involved in coaching, ENTJs must remember that their clients’ sentimental values must be valued and taken into account.
Sales Manager
Imposing their opinions and the ability to persuade other people are integral parts of ENTJs’ personality. They enjoy seeing people change their minds and accept their ideas, so working in sales will surely feed the hunger to convince and dominate.
It’s worth noting, though, no matter how well developed negotiating and persuading skills ENTJs have, they must be genuinely inspired and believe in the products they sell.
Their effectiveness is related to their passion for achieving a goal, so in case their enthusiasm is not high, it is possible for them to struggle with the job.
Analyst
Similarly to the management consultant position, an analyst’s job is one of the ENTJ career options to consider.
Needless to say that it is a job that integrates overseeing other people’s performance, analysis on multiple levels, financial control, and excessive planning.
Analysts often work overtime and spend more time on their job assignments than on their friends and families, but that’s nothing unusual for the workaholic ENTJ.
Network Administrator
As with the rest of the ENTJ career matches, this job involves taking charge and supervision. In today’s world, the internet is crucial for any job, so being in charge of complex systems will give an ENTJ an immense sense of satisfaction and achievement.
In addition to system monitoring, network administrators lead support teams and manage their performance.
Are you an ENTJ?
Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.
TAKE THE FREE PERSONALITY TEST
7 Jobs and Career Paths ENTJs Should Definitely Avoid
While ENTJ’s career paths are not strictly limited to the jobs above and there are many more that fit the ENTJ personality description, there’s a list of jobs that won’t make an ENTJ personality a happy person.
The ENTJ careers to avoid are in direct contrast with their skills and preferences, so take a look at the jobs below.
Receptionist
While on the one hand, being a receptionist does involve lots of communication with random people, it very rarely goes beyond the basic chitchat.
If they are lucky enough to work at a frequently visited place, it might stir their motivation to show initiative.
ENTJs think big and dream of sharing their big ideas with people of authority and power; they desire in-depth discussions, criticism, and engaging talks.
Unfortunately, the job of a receptionist is rather monotonous, often lonely, and repetitive. Many ENTJs would feel unmotivated and useless if the job description involves only providing information to customers.
Assistant
Starting off as an assistant won’t hurt an ENTJ’s dignity. On the contrary, the job will provide him/her with an insight into the job’s specifics to wire the information and start developing their ideas.
However, suppose the Commander’s prospects of promotion are far-reaching, and the only function he/she does involve assistance, acting upon demand, and taking no initiative.
In that case, this job will make any ENTJ feel miserable and restrained.
Are you an ENTJ?
Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.
TAKE THE FREE PERSONALITY TEST
Clerical Occupation
The dominant and authoritative nature of ENTJs will rarely accept the rigid rules set in any clerical work. The job might be demanding at times, but not in a way an ENTJ imagines it to be.
There’s no creativity, no initiative, no leadership, and hardly any novelty besides the predetermined tasks. This way, anyone with an ENTJ personality is likely to feel unchallenged and ultimately ineffective.
Social Worker
ENTJs have an inferior sensing function that negatively affects their emotional response when dealing with emotions.
As previously said, they often consider the emotional outburst as a sign of weakness, so any job that requests interpretation or dealing with people’s feelings could not be the right choice for ENTJs.
Indeed, they can analyze the situation and come up with a solution, but only for issues that need objectivity and common sense.
Nursing
Jobs that rarely offer structure and organization will rarely appeal to Commanders’ desires. Plus, nursing requires an emotional response that once again, is not in the ENTJs’ career paths pool.
The rather hectic nature of the job with even more complicated emotional outbursts often makes ENTJs lose control over the situation.
Theology
Statistically speaking, ENTJs are the least believers and hardly ever put their faith in intangible concepts. They love discussing concepts or ideas in measures and numbers.
They want to control and plan the outcome, not just to theorize on possibilities and the supremacy of God. For them, ‘seeing is believing,’ and until then, the only power they believe in is their own.
Data Entry
Just imagine a day working as a data entry clerk. You’ve got a set of procedures you need to comply with, then a pile of data for entry and prescribed methods to do the job. The same thing, over and over again without much happening.
No ENTJ would thrive in such an environment regardless of their qualifications and experience. This job will never put in the spotlight with their creativity and brilliance.
ENTJ’s Core Strengths and Weaknesses in a Working Environment
The MBTI personality test’s primary purpose is to provide you with an insight into your personality so that you can make better choices in your life and career.
Being aware of your strengths means focused improvement of your natural talents while identifying your weakness means avoiding involvement in situations or jobs that can lead to mundane experiences and loss of your potential.
Strengths at Workplace
- Outstanding leadership skills
Many people call ENTJs ‘born leaders’ as it is their most dominant personality feature. They are people who have the potential to gather masses for achieving a purpose, and rarely do they surrender no matter the difficulties.
This leadership comes from the inherent blend of charisma, intelligence, and wittiness to always focus on the end goal.
- Efficiency
The measurement of efficiency for ENTJs is the number of things done. The challenges they come across are often accepted with an incentive to work even harder.
Commanders openly express their contempt for people who tend to give up, sabotage, or perform poorly and will often do anything in their power to get rid of such behavior.
- Self-confidence
Commanders are aware of their capabilities and often show off with their skills and personal qualities. But that is precisely what makes them good leaders as their self-assurance, combined with their charisma, motivates people to act upon a cause.
- Strategic thinking and analytical skills
What’s essential for ENTJs is the big picture and the end goal. They need to know what’s ahead, carefully plan the steps, and analyze the situation from all perspectives.
If you are looking for someone who always has a plan B and has foreseen the outcomes, look for an ENTJ.
Are you an ENTJ?
Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.
TAKE THE FREE PERSONALITY TEST
Weaknesses at Workplace
- Dominant
When dealing with weaker personality types, ENTJs feel powerful and tend to dominate in discussions or work-related environments.
- Emotional insensitivity
ENTJs are very bad at recognizing and dealing with their own and other people’s emotions. They often neglect any personal involvement in whatever they do, and often ignore those needs or consider them a weakness that clouds objective judgment.
- Arrogant
While Commanders are mostly outgoing people who love socializing and sharing their thoughts, they can soon turn into cocky, self-centered individuals who look down on people they consider inferior.
ENTJ Working in a Team/Group
People with a Commander personality are visionaries and leaders. Being part of a team implies having less power over the others, which can make them feel hindered to give their best and end up unsatisfied.
But, with good management, ENTJs can be very inspiring and helpful for the whole team.
As a matter of fact, they never refuse to learn new skills and apply them in practice once they master them. ENTJs appreciate clear instructions and expectations and strictly follow set standards.
Contrary to many other personality types, they accept criticism and work hard to make things right since they can overcome any barriers with dedication and persistence.
And, with this attitude and their commitment, they quickly shine as stand out team members.
ENTJ Working as a Leader/Manager
Throughout this article, ENTJs are mainly described as leaders as that’s their most natural characteristic, and it is an ENTJ best match.
In their job, their primary goal is to do the job in line with the highest standards. They conceive the idea, scrutinize whatever it takes to do the job well, delegate responsibilities, and deliver clear and concise expectations.
When it comes to dealing with people, ENTJs managers are very good at assessing their team members’ strengths and weaknesses, so they precisely know who they can rely on.
Shady work, procrastination, and laziness are never tolerated, and in such cases, ENTJs eradicate the problem to its core.
Are you an ENTJ?
Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.
TAKE THE FREE PERSONALITY TEST
Interesting ENTJ Career Stats and Facts
- Compared to other personality types, ENTJs are the most likely to earn much better.
- The chances to report being unemployed are the least probable.
- Among the other personality types, ENTJs are the least likely to be a stay-at-home parent.
- The largest portion of small business owners belongs to the ENTJs.
- Most likely to manage a large team compared to other personality groups.
Why are ENTJs so successful?
The main reason why so many ENTJs tend to be very successful in their careers is probably related to their personality traits. First of all, ENFJs are extroverted individuals, meaning that they aren’t afraid to ask questions, communicate with people, and understand everything they require to perform better.
But also, their thinking (T) trait helps them to make rational decisions, avoid emotions when it comes to work, and dedicate their time to the job they do. As a result, ENTJs work hard and achieve the desired success. That’s why their job satisfaction rate tends to be about 9% higher compared to average people.
Is sales a good career for ENTJ?
Yes, sales are among the best careers for ENTJ personalities. That’s due to the fact that they’re extremely hard-working and dedicated individuals when it comes to working. And sales usually require great effort and motivation. Besides, it’s impossible to thrive in a sales position if you don’t have amazing communication skills.
This is another reason why sales is a suitable career path for ENTJs as they have exceptional interpersonal skills. As a matter of fact, ENTJs feel naturally comfortable while communicating with people. They can easily find ways to convince people and develop trust in them, which is crucial for producing sales.
Are ENTJs rich?
Yes, successful ENTJs often tend to be rich. ENTJs are strategic leaders with rational thinking skills, which help them find ways to earn money and become rich. As a result, of all the MBTI personality types, ENTJs, along with ESTJs, tend to be the richest.
Based on the statistics of the US population, ENTJs are the highest earners. Not only that, but it turns out that the households of ENTJs also had the highest incomes. This means that they either encourage their household members and help them find ways to get rich, or they earn so much that their salaries impact the household income.
Conclusion
Commanders are strategic thinkers armed with brilliant analytical minds, self-confidence, and a strong will to pursue their goals. The natural charisma and the ability to express their thoughts with precision and clarity often make them irresistible and hard to say no to.
Their strong will and determination often turn the impossible into reality, and these are usually those people that others typically look up to.
Despite excelling in job-related environments and being socially engaged, ENTJs struggle in the most personal, human areas – emotions.
They can easily understand or cope with feelings and tend to ignore them completely. And even though this might make them look cold-hearted, reserved, and distant, it doesn’t mean they are unable to love or show compassion.
Just, emotions are not their priority, which might be extremely painful for those who emotionally attach to ENTJs.
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