Our career options play an important role in structuring our social and professional life. While we are growing up, we usually think of at least one dream job that we want to do someday in our lives. It can be a childhood dream, but it also becomes our motivation, helping us move towards our future. However, we all know when we are growing, we go through a number of changes in our body, both physically and mentally. Our own actions and our environment, and the people we remain surrounded with, play an important role in constructing our personality. And this growing change further helps us in choosing a better future for us.
We have always known about the fact that every person is built differently. Of course, there are huge possibilities of finding people with whom we share similarities but to have someone who completely reflects our personality, is pretty much impossible. No matter how many things we find similar, our views can, at least once, conflict. It is the same with career choices. There are times when while talking to our friends and family, we share our dreams with them regarding what we want to do in life. Instead of “following”, or should I say, copying someone’s footsteps, we decide to do something which we feel like doing and have confidence in. Apart from the times when peer pressure compels someone to take a wrong decision, career choices made by an individual depends on their personality. Just like any other time, here as well, our choice depends upon our strengths and preferences. What we like, what we dislike, what intrigues us, what puts us down- all these factors along with much more help look for the “perfect” job for us.
As I said, personality differs from one person to another. And there are even different labels present to define them If you have ever had any interest to look for your personality type, you must have gone through a number of personality tests over the net. Generally, the terms “extrovert”, “introvert” and “ambivert” are used by people to define themselves. But simply putting them among any of these three categories will not help understanding someone’s personality. Similarly, to understand where we would like to put the best of our potential, we should also understand what kind of an individual we actually are.
There are many personality types out there depending on which they look for their profession. ISFJ is one of them. If you are an ISFJ who is a little bit confused regarding their career options, then you might get some help from here.
But before we move further, let us look at what makes an ISFJ, an ISFJ.
ISFJ: AN OVERVIEW
Known as the “defenders” by many, ISFJs are considered to be the conservative types. With the full form of “Introvert,” “Observation,” “Feeling,” and “Judging,” the defenders are a rare type to be found. According to the 16 personality tests, ISFJs only consist of 13% of the total population. Even though being reserved and introverted, they are said to be very social. Along with having great analytical skills, they also build very profound social relationships because of their adaptable nature. They are often receptive to change and new ideas, which make them pretty unique along with their other individual traits.
For the defenders, kindness comes first. Their humble and generous nature is what makes them so endearing. But because of this nature of theirs, they can also be taken advantage of. ISFJs have a bad tendency of underplaying their accomplishments, which, in one way, show their humble nature, but at the same time, can lead to other cynical and selfish people taking credit for their work. There are times when are unable to stand up for themselves or say no to others which can be very harmful to them later.
Apart from their kind personality, they also happen to have a great memory. They utilize their memories not to remember data and trivia but other people’s lives and stories. Because of their social skills, they are also able to maintain a very close and heartfelt relationship with others. They also like to engage themselves in idle tasks. They love to share the experience of joy which creates a very lovable and supportive connection with others. Even though they don’t like to get the spotlight or take any credit during teamwork if Defenders are able to do what they genuinely want then they can achieve a lot of things in their lives.
Their strength lies in their supportive nature. Because of their compassionate personality, they are said to be universal helpers who love to share knowledge and experience with others while supporting others. They try to be judgmental and are more empathetic towards others. Their reliable personality is of great help in any situation. Along with that, they are also considered to be patient who like to approach any situation carefully without taking any hasty steps. They like to use their imaginative skills through their observations, ensuring that the tasks given to them do not remain boring but go beyond everyone’s expectations. They are loyal and hardworking and have a habit to get really attached to the organization they are working with. Along with their analytical skills, their practical skills also help them in various situations.
As for their weaknesses, their shy and humble nature can be a downfall for them. Like I mentioned before, people can take advantage of their kindness and will not even give credit for their hard work. They also get way too emotionally attached which can affect their personal lives. With their helpful and generous personality, they can overwork themselves too. It is possible that they won’t be able to notice their stressful mind but it can adversely affect them. They can also be pretty reluctant to change as they value traditions and history highly in their decision. All these weaknesses of theirs though are a result of their altruism.
THE DEFENDERS AND THEIR CAREER OPTIONS
As you just read above, the ISFJs tend to be very kind and generous people who have great social skills. If you are also an ISFJ then you must be agreeing with me on this. As I mentioned earlier, our career choices depend on our personality too. It is just not our academics that plays an important role in strengthening our spot in a particular workplace, but also the fact that what kind of person we actually are.
In the case of ISFJs, they are considered to be the backbone of today’s workforce. With their kind and hardworking attitude, they are able to provide service with generosity to others. They are said to be a great help to their coworkers and even though they don’t like taking credit for their work, they put all their effort into it to make it perfect. INFJs careers are typically behind the scenes, fulfilling responsibilities without public attention. They are well-tuned with others on an emotional level and have a strong sense of practicality, which helps them in extending their own skills to get things done in their team.
If you are an ISFJ, there are several career options present out there which will suit you. However, if you are slightly confused and need some detailed information regarding the career choice you can make, here is a list of options for you:
ISFJ CAREERS IN HEALTHCARE
ISFJs are supposed to be very well-tuned with the emotions of other people which makes them empathetic and supportive towards others. This trait of theirs is a great help in the medical field as it not only requires skilled workers but also has a demand for individuals who are great at forming good emotional connections with the patients. Here are a few ISFJ careers you can choose for yourself:
MEDICAL ASSISTANTS
With an average base pay of $31,508 per year, ISFJs can make great medical assistants if they are properly trained. In a hospital, doctors are in constant need fi4 assistance and that’s where the job of a medical assistant comes. Along with their job as an assistant, they are also given the task to come face to face with patients and have their treatments and examinations done with the physician. The most common types of medical assistants include administrative, optometric, specialized, podiatric, and clinical medical assistants. These professionals must be detail-oriented and have excellent interpersonal skills, which is aligned with the personality of ISFJs.
NURSES
The Defenders can also make great nurses because of their compassionate nature. With an average base pay of $65,870 per year, in the medical field, nurses are always in great demand. And as ISFJs are said to be of helpful and caring nature, they tend to form a good connection with the patients which not only supports them physically but also puts them at ease mentally in a distressing situation. Common types of registered nurses include public health nurses, addiction nurses, clinical nurse specialists, neonatal nurses, and rehabilitation nurses.
DENTISTS
With an average base pay of $62,027 per year, dentists generally are in contact with their patients working directly and ensuring that they are maintaining a hygienic dental routine. For this job, compassion and detail orientation are pretty significant, and to do so, an ISFJ will make a perfect candidate.
PHARMACIST
With an average base salary of $120,777 per year, pharmacists play an integral part in the medical field. They are assigned to prepare and dispense medication, instruct the patients when to take it, and tell them about any side effects that may occur later. These professionals are supposed to remain detailed regarding their job as well as should have proper interpersonal skills which an ISFJ definitely possesses.
ISFJ CAREERS IN BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Business is just not about transactions and making deals. This professional field requires a lot of skills with its candidates who not only have knowledge regarding this field but can actually be helpful in practical situations. Along with being well-defined with their work, they also need to achieve concrete results. These ideal traits are found in ISFJs who can look for a career in this field:
PERSONAL FINANCE ADVISOR:
These professionals play an integral role in the building field as they are not only responsible for directly working with individuals but also incorporate with clients for achieving the best concrete results possible. With an average base pay of $42,942 per year, These professionals are also given the job of identifying client financial goals, recommending and making investments on behalf of clients, monitoring client accounts, and making changes to maximize financial returns. ISFJs make incredible personal advisors because of their defined working habits and interpersonal skills.
HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST
With an average base pay of $51,115 per year, these professionals require excellent detailed orientation and communication skills. As these professionals are responsible for identifying and fulfilling employee needs, helping new hires get adjusted, conducting new employee orientations, and keeping track of various employment data and paperwork, ISFJs make a great addition because of their exceptional communication skills and quick and practical thinking. This job is definitely a success for them as it requires all the significant traits they possess.
ISFJ CAREERS IN ARTS AND HUMANITIES
In this field of profession, the ISFJs are guaranteed to find careers that are most suitable for them. Because of their keen interest in values, social skills as well as their way of detail-oriented work, they are able to form a decent place for themselves.
SOCIAL WORKERS
The need for social workers in society is immensely important and to fit in this role in the best way possible, ISFJs are the perfect candidates. Because of their emotional attitude, not only are they able to connect with their coworkers but also spread the message to the general public with empathy and passion. Their social skills help them interact with various people as they are able to gather information through that and continue to remain supportive with the people.
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
These professionals are not just given the task to educate students but also play an important part in building a child’s mind during one of their most tentative stages in life. The Defenders are the best possible candidates for this job because of their kind and compassionate nature which helps them form a strong bond with them on an emotional level. They are given the duty to not just teach them but also to have a more interactive relationship which helps the children grow. Because of their kind and understanding nature and good interpersonal skills, ISFJs make perfect kindergarten teachers.
LIBRARIAN
In a library, it is not easy to maintain the large stacks of books along with the people coming inside and keeping the place quiet. A librarian’s job may seem easy but it is far from that as it requires well detail-oriented skills and a good memory. ISFJs tend to have these traits as they will be able to have proper knowledge regarding the place where the particular book has to be kept along with maintaining a well-organized workplace for themselves as well as for the readers.
ISFJ CAREERS IN ADMINISTRATION
Administrative work requires well-organized attention skills and the ability to thrive in traditional offices with established procedures. ISFJs are said to have all these traits in them as they make excellent administration officials. Their practical skillsets, along with good social skills, help them strive here. A few ISFJ careers in this field are:
These professionals have the duty to maintain a cash drawer, accept cash and checks from customers, perform various bank-related requests for clients, and record customer transactions. ISFJs are best suited for this job because of their well-organized working environment as well as the well-detailed tasks given to them. With an average base salary of $29,316 per year, this is a great career choice in the administrative field for many ISFJs.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
With an average base salary of $27,834 per year, these professionals are responsible for seeing to customers who are asking any questions, take orders and offer information about various services and products, and handle customer complaints. This job requires great interpersonal skills along with well-detailed work which makes it a suitable job for ISFJs.
RECEPTIONIST
The job of a receptionist in an administrative field is no easy task. Managing calls, clients, individuals along with other documents and information require great detailed working as well as interpersonal skills. With an average base salary of $27,965 per year, ISFJs make excellent receptionists because of their kind yet professional attitude which not only greets clients with a smile but are also compelled to motivate others with their help and adhere to structured procedures.
Apart from these career options which are most suited for ISFJs, there are also a few they must definitely avoid. Here is a list of ISFJ careers:
JOURNALISM
This job is definitely not made for ISFJs because of its unpredictable nature. Journalism does not require a well-organized schedule but a much flexible time routine which is not possible for an ISFJ to maintain. Apart from that, journalists also require to be brash and rude at times which does not match an ISFJ’s personality as they try not to hurt other’s feelings. A journalist has to deal with people from all over the land which itself is a nightmare for an introvert
ACTORS
Even though they are social does not mean that an ISFJ is willing to put themselves under the spotlight willingly. And that’s what exactly an actor’s job is- to put themselves under the spotlight and act. ISFJs prefer to work behind the scene, rather than stealing the show which makes acting a completely avoidable option for them.
SALES
If you are an ISFJ and are thinking of entering the sale, don’t. Sales usually require people who are able to move from door to door while convincing them to buy a particular product. This job, however, can completely backfire an ISFJ because of the fact that they will be thrown into the spotlight along with the problems of handling random strangers, convincing them to buy a product which they definitely don’t want to have. As an ISFJ, you may be good at social skills and mind-reading, but you definitely lack in convincing others.
MILITARY
There are chances that some ISFJs may find a career in the military suitable for them but it really is not. ISFJs are supposed to be kind who do not prefer conflict or like staying under the spotlight. They are not emotionally strong as they form strong bonds with their coworkers which can definitely backfire here. Moreover, in the military, a person is required to follow orders. But in the case of an ISFJ, they might not be able to do so because they will be looking for the logic behind it. Criticism and harsh words are also pretty common in the military which an ISFJ cannot withstand because of its sensitive nature.
JOBS RELATED TO LAW
As a lawyer, an individual is supposed to have the confidence to represent their clients in the court and be argumentative regarding the case with the opposition. For an ISFJ, this profession is completely out of the question it usually provides a competitive environment. Here, ISFJs will neither be able to keep their points nor convince the court regarding the case under immense pressure. They will not even be able to argue back because that’s how out of character it will be for them.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
ISFJs may be good as caretakers in the medical field but as far as emergency medical services come, they are not very good at dealing with it. Working in emergency care demands the ability to take immediate action which is not possible in an ISFJs case. They also tend to do their work in the best way possible but here, such a case cannot be guaranteed. This job is also very pressurizing which can put a mental strain on an ISFJ.
Here is a list of both Do’s and Don’ts for ISFJs when it comes to career options. Remember, opting for a job that challenges your physical and mental health can be pretty straining. That is why, to avoid such circumstances, try to understand what kind of a person you are and where you feel like you can excel. Only when you will know about yourself correctly will you be able to look for a job which suits your personality.
Also Read INFJ Careers: Best Jobs for INFJ personality
