Careers for INFP personality types (with salary and duties)

Updated 30 September 2022

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire is an assessment that identifies and classifies the prominent parts of your personality, decision-making processes and psychological processes. One personality type in this assessment is INFP (introversion, intuition, feeling and perceiving). If you have this personality type, understanding the suitable roles can help you when choosing a career path.

In this article, we explore careers for INFP personality types, review the meaning of the INFP personality type, discover what INFP types value in their work, identify career potions to avoid if you have this personality type, highlight workplace motivators and challenges INFP types, examine frequently asked questions about this personality type and how they function on a team and review the details of this personality type in leadership.

Careers for INFP personality types

Here's a list of careers for INFP personality types for you to consider:

Science, education and healthcare

People with the INFP personality type typically thrive in roles that align with their personal values. These people often find themselves interested in science, education or healthcare, as these roles typically allow them to help others. As INFP types often make extra effort to meet the emotional needs of others, they may be most comfortable in quiet spaces and engaging in one-on-one conversation. Here's a list of roles in the science, education and healthcare sectors they may consider pursuing:

mental health professional
midwife
counsellor
physical therapist
archivist
librarian
special education teacher

Arts and humanities

People with the INFP personality type are often talented in the arts due to their innate creative talent. Their introversion and tendency towards solitude may find them applying their creative skills to technical positions rather than those involving performance or fine arts. Here's a list of roles in the arts and humanities that INFP types can consider:

writer
photographer
animator
fine artist

Communications and commercial media

INFP personality types tend to be skilled at making connections and forming relationships. They may prefer roles that challenge them to solve problems or puzzles. This may encourage them to pursue roles in commercial media or communications. Here's a list of roles in communications and media that may be suitable for people with the INFP personality type:

graphic designer
interpreter or translator
editor
copywriter
public relations professional

Business, management and technology

While it may be typical that a person with an INFP personality type avoids high-stress customer-facing or sales roles, there are many roles in business that rely on the creative, comprehensive thinking common to this personality. There are many technology-focused and creative business aspects that may appeal to INFP types. If you have this personality type, you can consider the following careers in business or technology:

fundraising manager
training manager
human resources manager
technical writer
design technologist
content strategist

What is the INFP personality?

INFP is one of the personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire. INFP individuals are typically innovative, curious and inquisitive. They tend to be optimistic and inspiring within a team environment. As abstract thinkers, they're typically creative and easily find hidden patterns and connections. Employees with this personality type may tend to focus less on the details of their work and more on the overall idea or purpose. While they often approach projects with enthusiasm and intensity, the challenge for people with INFP personalities can be maintaining their enthusiasm over longer periods of time.

What do INFP personality types value in their work?

People with INFP personality types tend to be motivated by vision and inspiration in their work rather than by money or status. They typically seek endeavours that align with their personal values and provide opportunity to help others. INFP personality types tend to pursue projects and causes that are personally important to them and enjoy creative problem-solving for complex issues. They often search for innovative solutions and favour work that allows them to express their individuality.

People with personality type typically value autonomy in their work and the capacity to have control over when and how they complete projects. Even when engaging with a team, they value the ability to incorporate their own personality in their work. When working in a team dynamic, people with the INFP personality type find it important that their teammates have a similar passion and personal investment in the work. They're often supportive, cooperative and flexible team members.

Careers to avoid for people with INFP personality types

Some personality types naturally suit the challenges they may face in certain jobs. Other individuals may require development of skills that aren't as natural to them. Tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test can be valuable in directing you towards better personal and professional satisfaction, as you're able to identify your natural strengths and preferences and use them to choose your career path.

People with INFP personality types may benefit from avoiding open office environments to satisfy their natural preference for solitude. Social roles, such as those in sales or law enforcement, might by stressful and draining to people with INFP personality types. When considering a career to pursue, people with INFP personality types might benefit from avoiding specific roles, including:

sales manager
performer
judge or solicitor
military officer
police officer
auditor

Workplace motivators and challenges for INFP personality types

Here are some of the motivators and challenges people with the INFP personality type may experience in their work:

Motivators for INFP personalities

INFP personality types may feel motivated when:

working self-directed on projects that require long-term planning and problem-solving
working on or evaluating creative work, such as the design of a new webpage
carrying out meaningful, one-to-one conversations with colleagues or clients that have a positive impact on the person

Challenges for INFP personalities

INFP personality types may find it challenging to stay motivated, focussed and productive when:

working on monotonous and detailed administrative tasks, such as budgets
engaging with a large group of people or entering a high-pressure situation where they feel under-prepared
putting forward a creative idea or proposal that they're personally invested in, which is ultimately rejected

Frequently asked questions about the INFP personality type on a team

Here's a list of FAQs about the INFP personality type and how they function on a team:

What do INFP personality types contribute to a team?

People with the INFP personality type tend to be imaginative team members and are typically supportive of others in their group. Their major contributions come from understanding their teammates' ideals and working to unify the group's mission. They're creative thinkers and often strive to identify innovative solutions. This is further strengthened by their capacity to be good listeners. They typically listen to any idea or opinion as long as it doesn't conflict with their personal values. They often strive to incorporate the ideas and priorities of the whole team in their solutions.

When do INFP personality types work best in a team?

As INFP personality types prioritise vision, mission and their personal values above other considerations such as money, they perform their best working on a team guided by a vision. If they feel they have an authentic understanding of the team's values and purpose, they're likely to engage well with the team. They typically prefer teammates with similar commitment to the vision and mission and value teammates who are flexible and open to exploring creative approaches to achieve the team's objectives.

When might people with this personality type struggle as part of a team?

INFP types may struggle in teams that are more focused on output and action, without a deeper understanding or moral motivation to the mission, as they may feel alienated in such a team environment. Similarly, people who are INFP personality types may struggle in an overly competitive team environment or one that doesn't value mutual support or acceptance. Any element of judgement or negativity towards new ideas may stifle their talent for creative problem-solving.

INFP personality types in leadership

In positions of leadership, ideals and personal inspirations motivate those with an INFP personality type . They work their best and often show high levels of determination when engaged with a cause that's important to them. Due to their passion and desire to encourage and create a positive vision for their team, they tend to motivate those they lead. As they often see potential in others, people with INFP personality types have the capacity to inspire and encourage others to develop their abilities.

INFP types often excel when leading a team that shares their values, passions and ideals and who are as committed to the vision of the team as they are. They're typically creative, supportive leaders who encourage their team members to identify unique solutions. As they're typically flexible by nature, they value that same flexibility in their team and look to foster harmony among teammates. They may avoid conflict and can be prone to delay when responsible for making difficult decisions.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.