# are certain jobs truly unsuitable for certain types.



## JhunneQuinn (Jan 10, 2017)

Basically.

"XNFX type is not suited to do military work, because being in the millitary requires one person sticking to the system, ect. ect."

This sentence above may or may not be true, but seriously, do jobs requiring a certain sets of skills that a person cannot do, based of their personality and their way of life, prevent them from fully succeeding in being good/great/able to enjoy their job/s?


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Very likely, yes. Like an introvert doing a very extroverted job, i.e. hosting/sales/phone sales, etc so do other jobs are better suited for specific types over others. Doesn't mean no one of the type will never do that particular job, but overall I think there are distinctions.

If you look at the work of neuroscientist Dario Nardi and the evidence he's found for the existence of MBTI types + Jung's theory perhaps you will understand better.


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## JhunneQuinn (Jan 10, 2017)

Red Panda said:


> If you look at the work of neuroscientist Dario Nardi and the evidence he's found for the existence of MBTI types + Jung's theory perhaps you will understand better.


what's the name of the book/papers? i'm interested in reading it, to have a much more understanding. thank you.


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## SolonsWarning (Jan 2, 2017)

Red Panda said:


> Very likely, yes. Like *an introvert doing a very extroverted job*, i.e. hosting/sales/phone sales, etc so do other jobs are better suited for specific types over others. Doesn't mean no one of the type will never do that particular job, but overall I think there are distinctions.


I'm in this predicament currently.


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## Wild (Jul 14, 2014)

For the most part I'd say so, but there are *always* exceptions. There's always going to be that one introverted feeler that loves doing some kind of extroverted logical work for their own reasons and/or has talents in odd places for their type. I don't believe that being a particular type will ever completely bar someone from having certain talents - just that certain types are far more likely to have certain talents than others.

I'm an ESFP that will possibly end up going into medical research, and I love it. Most people would label that an INTJ/INTP job I'm guessing, or at least an introverted logical job. I'm good at biological/chemical sciences/mathematics too, even though many ESFP descriptions might have you believe ESFPs "can't" be good at those things.

I think that's why it makes me uncomfortable when people try to put types into such tight boxes. I think type can be a great guideline for what you might like to do in life/who your ideal friends and romantic partners might be, don't get me wrong, but it's important to remember that psychology is a soft science. It's all theoretical, and trying to take soft theory and perceive it/speak of it as concrete information leads to fallacies.


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## seafeather (Jan 8, 2017)

I'm an introvert who works in customer service/food service. It's awful. I'm drained at the end of the day and dread going back to work (sometimes to the point where I make myself sick). I'm on the path of pursuing education that will give me a career that where I basically work on my own, but that's far off in the future. Until then, I'm afraid I'm stuck in entry level work situations that are made for extroverts, it seems. :dry:


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

JhunneQuinn said:


> what's the name of the book/papers? i'm interested in reading it, to have a much more understanding. thank you.


I've watched this presentation of his work: 





very interesting stuff, basically the closest to proof of the existence of cognitive functions and that distinct types exist that correlate with MBTI and, as he says, with Jung's theory the most.
I haven't read any of his books yet, you can find them here, the first one being the same content as the presentation, dunno about the rest:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=dario+nardi


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## EndsOfTheEarth (Mar 14, 2015)

Red Panda said:


> Like an introvert doing a very extroverted job, i.e. hosting/sales/phone sales, etc so do other jobs are better suited for specific types over others.


I resemble that comment and actually my very extroverted job was the one I loved the most. The careers I had more suited to my personality were entirely forgettable. The thing is, humans don't derive happiness and enjoyment from easy. Easy bores the fuck out of us and there is no psychological reward for performing a job you could do blindfolded with your hands tied. If I am not challenged, I am bored, unhappy and quite cantankerous. It's human nature to look for easy coz.....laziness. But if you never step outside of your comfort zone then you'll be anything except comfortable. 

We've been fooled by decades of self-help literature telling us we should do what we are naturally good at, or enjoy. There's a massive flaw in that logic. It's unchallenging. Human's evolved because of challenge, we grew large complex brains precisely to handle challenge. If you don't feed that brain by testing and stretching yourself the end result is depression. That large creative brain just implodes on itself and starts generating feelings of worthlessness.

Thank God my last employer didn't use something as dumb as MBTI to determine suitability for my job. They would have missed out on one of their most consistent performers who worked tirelessly for their company. What a mistake that would have been.


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

[Truly] -- Keyword "True", no. Because there is nothing "true" about MBTI®.

On that other hand, it depend(s) how lazy they are; and how willing you are to _sacrifice it_ (&) *adapt*. If not, it is safe to say you simply _do not like your job_; thus, terminating will be sufficient.

Do not confuse "general personalities / interests" with MBTI®.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

EndsOfTheEarth said:


> I resemble that comment and actually my very extroverted job was the one I loved the most. The careers I had more suited to my personality were entirely forgettable. The thing is, humans don't derive happiness and enjoyment from easy. Easy bores the fuck out of us and there is no psychological reward for performing a job you could do blindfolded with your hands tied. If I am not challenged, I am bored, unhappy and quite cantankerous. It's human nature to look for easy coz.....laziness. But if you never step outside of your comfort zone then you'll be anything except comfortable.
> 
> We've been fooled by decades of self-help literature telling us we should do what we are naturally good at, or enjoy. There's a massive flaw in that logic. It's unchallenging. Human's evolved because of challenge, we grew large complex brains precisely to handle challenge. If you don't feed that brain by testing and stretching yourself the end result is depression. That large creative brain just implodes on itself and starts generating feelings of worthlessness.
> 
> Thank God my last employer didn't use something as dumb as MBTI to determine suitability for my job. They would have missed out on one of their most consistent performers who worked tirelessly for their company. What a mistake that would have been.



Doing something you are good at doesn't mean it will be easy. You are making a lot of assumptions that fit what you want to say rather than think of it more broadly. Doing something suitable means your mind will be good at it and won't drain you the way an unsuitable job would, doesn't mean it won't be challenging or difficult, just that you will be capable to work through those difficulties because your mind is suited to do so, and for whatever reason you have the motivation to do that. 

I worked at a hospital for a while, it was a pretty difficult job, being in contact with people all day, patients and other staff who were swamped, dealing with illnesses, having to solve problems regarding patient treatment and stuff. Wasn't an easy job one bit, but it did suit my personality and therefore its challenges were welcome. Definitely had to step out my comfort zone multiple times, since comfort zones are firstly psychology-based not cognitive function-based.


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## EndsOfTheEarth (Mar 14, 2015)

Red Panda said:


> You are making a lot of assumptions that fit what you want to say rather than think of it more broadly.


Who cares quite honestly. I don't.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

EndsOfTheEarth said:


> Who cares quite honestly. I don't.


Why bother then...


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## EndsOfTheEarth (Mar 14, 2015)

Red Panda said:


> Why bother then...


Indeed. Let it go...PerC isn't a think tank. It's a forum where people put in 2 cents


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

EndsOfTheEarth said:


> Indeed. Let it go...PerC isn't a think tank. It's a forum where people put in 2 cents


Forums exist to discuss, exchange and challenge opinions, you quoted my post, I responded. If you don't want to participate in that it's fine, but don't expect others to not respond to you.


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## atamagasuita (May 15, 2016)

Nopes. Don't believe in MBTi. It's actually a mind control.


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## 100_the_cat (Oct 1, 2016)

Absolutely


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## angelfish (Feb 17, 2011)

Certain _tasks_, yes - certain jobs, no. Certain _individuals_, yes - certain types, no.

Absolutely there may be certain tasks truly unsuitable for certain individuals, but I think it's nearly impossible to generalize that out to the entire type and entire job title. There are sectors and roles that align more or less with individual strengths, weaknesses, and interests, but there is so much variation both between individuals with the same type and between jobs with the same title that it's not realistic to assert that a certain type and job cannot make a good match.

In my ~15 years of working experience, job positions have very rarely been static. Even a single position at a single workplace during a single period can vary greatly depending on clientele, time, administration/management, and even the employee in that role. Most positions that I have held seem to have some degree of flux that relates to the personalities of the individuals who do them, as well. Often roles in departments/teams will shift on a group level as individual strengths and weaknesses surface and play out - there can be a net positive gained from swapping tasks when it becomes evident that two people would be happier and more effective doing one another's work. Additionally I have observed plenty of individuals who aren't perfectly matched to their roles in terms of strengths but nevertheless carve out a niche where they are particularly valuable, sometimes even thereby changing the role itself. Jobs can change based on service provision as well - I worked as a caregiver/home healthcare provider for several different individuals and each case was vastly different due to each individual's unique set of needs. Finally there are the external/"lifestyle" factors to jobs - pay, benefits, schedule, vacation, location, safety, weather exposure, coworkers' personalities, perceived social status, childcare, flexibility, unique perks, etc. - that can have a strong impact on whether a job "works" in a person's life or not. 

Personally my current job is definitely not perfectly tailored to my strengths but on the whole I feel that right now it "works" in my life. I gain short-term satisfaction from the tasks I naturally do well and long-term satisfaction in having attained and getting to experience this role, since it's the culmination of a series of previous positions. It is a good job for my lifestyle in terms of shift, benefits, lack of exposure to hazards, travel and leadership opportunities, and my fantastic team. Importantly, I feel like I am contributing to the team by streamlining some systems and I hope to be able to leave them in a better place than they were before I got there. The drawbacks are ones I can deal with. While the average IxxJ could potentially do my job better, I really feel content overall right now, which is not something I could say for some other jobs I've held in the past - even ones more theoretically aligned with my personality.


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## atamagasuita (May 15, 2016)

Well, probably. Because if I'm gonna be in the military i will always complain of not having my skin be sunburned

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk


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## flamesabers (Nov 20, 2012)

I think it really depends on the person. A number of famous actors for instance were introverts. Ultimately, if you have thick skin and can wear a mask so to speak, I would say yes. If you find it difficult or downright stressful to adapt outside of your preferences, than stick with jobs you're more comfortable with.


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## Miss Bingley (Jun 28, 2013)

I think any type can do any kind of work. I mean, some may be more naturally gifted at things than others, but your type is no indicator of how well you will do at a certain job. My mom is an ISFJ and spent ten years on Wall Street before her work now as a public relations expert for a multibillion dollar company. Is it hard for her to be demanding and harsh and upfront, as an ISFJ? Yes. But she's still great at her job.


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## MisterPerfect (Nov 20, 2015)

JhunneQuinn said:


> Basically.
> 
> "XNFX type is not suited to do military work, because being in the millitary requires one person sticking to the system, ect. ect."
> 
> This sentence above may or may not be true, but seriously, do jobs requiring a certain sets of skills that a person cannot do, based of their personality and their way of life, prevent them from fully succeeding in being good/great/able to enjoy their job/s?


Clearly certien type of people are more suited for certien kind of work.


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## SevenENTP (Nov 5, 2016)

So which boundaries are the hardest to cross? I-E/N-S, etc?

In my experience, being in an introverted, quiet corporate culture makes work intolerable, regardless of my role. And being in a regimented, SJ, government contractor culture also makes things rough.


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## Eren Jaegerbomb (Nov 13, 2015)

YES. Even though said person may do the job very well, it might not be satisfying or fulfilling.


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## The red spirit (Sep 29, 2015)

Priest, preacher for ESFP


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## Carpe Vinum (Jan 22, 2017)

I don't think your type automatically makes you "unsuitable" for any job. I think any type can excel in any field. Maybe some types are "better suited" (?) for some jobs because of their preferences, but you're not doomed to suck at something just because you're an introvert or sensor or whatever.


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## General Lee Awesome (Sep 28, 2014)

It would be nice to see a Therapist telling the patient you need to be stronger


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## Razorsharp (Jun 23, 2016)

Red Panda said:


> Very likely, yes. Like an introvert doing a very extroverted job, i.e. hosting/sales/phone sales, etc so do other jobs are better suited for specific types over others. Doesn't mean no one of the type will never do that particular job, but overall I think there are distinctions.
> 
> If you look at the work of neuroscientist Dario Nardi and the evidence he's found for the existence of MBTI types + Jung's theory perhaps you will understand better.


One of the best corporate trainers I have worked with is an INTJ female. She is great at the social things. Her only problem is that she needs a day to recover her energy afterwards. So as long as there is a mix of introversion/extraversion in the job I believe most can do it.


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## He's a Superhero! (May 1, 2013)

Not sure how other XSFPs feel about this, but I feel like I'd die if I was stuck in an office. I also find overly bureaucratic jobs to be deeply unsatisfying.


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## angelfish (Feb 17, 2011)

Razorsharp said:


> One of the best corporate trainers I have worked with is an INTJ female. She is great at the social things. Her only problem is that she needs a day to recover her energy afterwards. So as long as there is a mix of introversion/extraversion in the job I believe most can do it.


My INTJ aunt is a manager and trainer at her job and she's excellent at it. Her job is a balance of individual work and social leadership. 

I think part of the issue is that more than one quality can be applicable to job success. It could be suggested that Es in general make for better/happier teachers because teaching is generally an extraverted process, but an IxFx teacher can enjoy and excel at teaching on the basis of personal connection, too. 

We each will have our own personal preferences but they cannot always be expanded to everyone else of our type because others may be combining and utilizing different personality aspects in different ways. Certainly there may be correlations but there are not going to be hard lines.


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## Arzazar Szubrasznikarazar (Apr 9, 2015)

Red Panda said:


> Very likely, yes. Like an introvert doing a very extroverted job, i.e. hosting/sales/phone sales, etc so do other jobs are better suited for specific types over others. Doesn't mean no one of the type will never do that particular job, but overall I think there are distinctions.


I'm pretty sure INTJs and INFJs would be very effective sales due to ability to talk a lot without dying from exhaustion and in case of INFJs, also charisma.



JhunneQuinn said:


> what's the name of the book/papers? i'm interested in reading it, to have a much more understanding. thank you.


Nardi has some silly methodology like having people do tests before connecting them to the electrobrain thingie. MBTI tests are known to be pretty unreliable, so whatever he's measuring probably isn't cognitive functions.


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## Glitter Polska (Feb 5, 2017)

I think so. Considering each type is stronger or weaker in certain types of intelligence it logically follows that each type would be suited to certain career paths that would be less than ideal for some other types. I don't think a more aggressive type like ESTP or ENTJ would be satisfied being a psychologist, for example. Other types are not going to feel comfortable being a cut-throat businessman.


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