As an ESFJ, career satisfaction means doing work that:
1. Lets you establish and maintain warm and genuine interpersonal relationships with other people working in real and tangible ways to improve their quality of life.
2. Have practical benefits for people and gives you time to learn and master necessary skills before using them.
3. Lets you exercise control, working with many people, and helping them work harmoniously toward a common goal.
4. Has clear expectations, and where the evaluation of your performance is judged upon established and explicitly stated criteria.
5. Is done in a cooperative environment, free from conflicts and tension between co-workers, supervisors, clients, patients, and others.
6. Let you make decisions and use efficient procedures to see that all the details of your projects are carried out to your specifications.
7. Gives you plenty of opportunities to interact with other people throughout the day and to be an integral part of the decision-making process.
8. Let you organize your work and that of those around you to ensure that things are run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
9. Is done within a friendly environment where people express their appreciation for your accomplishments, where you feel approval and support, and where you consider you co-workers to be your friends.
10. Is done in a setting with the existing structure, where the chain of command is known and understood, and where authority is respected.
Strengths: (work-related)
1. Good cooperators; create friendly and harmonious relationships with others.
2. Take a personal approach regardless of occupation.
3. Hardworking, productive, conscientious, and loyal.
4. Adapt well to routine; obey rules and regulations.
5. Well organized and able to remember and use facts.
Weaknesses:
1. Sensitive to criticism, stressed by tension-filled work situations.
2. Can become discouraged without praise and expression of appreciation.
3. Can make decisions too quickly and without considering other options.
4. May not look for new ways of doing things; can be opinionated and rigid.
5. May become restless if working alone for extended periods; need to socialize.
On the job search, your success will depend on (as an ESFJ):
1. Establish rapport with interviewers. Demonstrate your ease in meeting people, and your ability to find a common interest.
2. Conduct informational interviews. Interview people in the fields you are interested in. Expand your existing network of friends and associates by asking people you meet to refer you to others they know in certain targeted fields.
3. Conduct an organized, well-planned job search. Develop a timetable & budget, etc.
4. Sell yourself as a team player.
5. Learn as much as you can about the firm’s “culture.”
6. Make decisions, once you decide, act.
Possible pitfalls: (as an ESFJ)
1. Avoid the tendency to burn bridges. Try not to look at job options as “all” good or “all” bad. Reflect on the options; take some time for this reflection.
2. Try not to become easily discouraged. Accept constructive criticism, and seek out support and encouragement.
3. Gather more objective criteria for decision-making, don’t rely so much on your feelings.
4. Adjust your focus to more long-range career planning. Create some goals for one, five, and ten years down the road. Resist the temptation to take “stop-gap” jobs because you are beginning to feel overwhelmed.
5. Look for career opportunities beyond what is already known. Think of ways your skills are transferable from one situation to the other.
Pathways To Success In The Job Search Process
As an ESFJ, your most effective strategies will build on your abilities to:
· Establish rapport with interviewers. Demonstrate to interviewers your ease at meeting new people and your ability to make others feel comfortable with you. Find a common interest, using your keen powers of observation and your ability to create a friendly atmosphere with others.
· Conduct informational interviews. Interview people in the careers that interest you to get a better understanding of what the job entails. Expand your existing network of friends and associates by asking people you meet to refer you to others who might know of positions you are qualified for.
· Conduct an organized, well-planned job search. Develop a timetable and budget for your job search, including the cost of resumes, postage, and telephone calls, and how long you anticipate it will take. Set aside letter writing and follow-up telephone time each day, and keep a record of whom you have called and the status of each possibility. Demonstrate what type of employee you will be, using your job search as an example. Use your excellent organizational skills by creating an easy-to-read well-designed resume and cover letter. Be on time for interviews and follow up with thank you notes.
· Sell yourself as a team player who will work hard to reach the goals of the organization. Emphasize your experience working with a diverse group of individuals in one organization or during your career, providing examples of situations that challenged and utilized those skills and abilities. Learn as much as you can about the organization or company’s “personality” by reading about principals and recent events within the company. Use newspapers, and trade publications, and talk to people who know firsthand about the company before going into the interview.
· Make Decisions. Once you decide that you are interested in a position, act on it to minimize the risk of the opportunity slipping away. Eliminate unfeasible or less attractive options along the way so you can keep your focus on your goals. Remain realistic about your skills, interests, and needs so you aren’t easily swayed by jobs that may tempt you with their excitement and glamour but won’t provide the security or stability you seek.
Possible Pitfalls
· Avoid the tendency to burn your bridges once you think you’ve crossed them. Try not to view situations or job options as either all good or all bad. Look for the gray area that exists in most things. Sometimes trade-offs must be made. Take time to reflect on your options. Don’t run the risk of making decisions too hastily before you have had a chance to gather all the information you can.
· Try not to become easily discouraged. Accept constructive criticism in the spirit in which it is intended and try not to take it personally. Seek out support and encouragement from friends during the sometimes-trying job search process. Look for assistance from other people who are also going through or have recently gone through their job search.
· Gather more objective criteria for decisions rather than relying exclusively on your personal feelings. Take a step back from the situation to enable you to look at it more objectively. Resist the urge to base your opinions of a job on your liking or dislike for the person conducting the interview. Ask yourself what are the possible and logical consequences of taking a job or embarking on a course of action.
· Adjust your facts to more long-range career planning. Create a set of goals for one, five, and ten years from now. When considering potential careers or jobs, check them against this list to see if they will help move you forward toward your goals. Resist the tendency to take stopgap jobs because you are beginning to feel overwhelmed or uncertain about your security. Try not to compromise by taking jobs that will not provide satisfaction in the long run
· Look for career opportunities beyond what is already known. Ask yourself “What else?” when generating a list of possible jobs or careers. Consider less traditional approaches or settings if other important criteria exist. If needed, get help in brainstorming positions from friends (especially intuitive) who know you well. Look for ways to demonstrate or explain how your skills are transferable from one work situation to another.
For you as an ESFJ, understanding your career satisfaction traits means seeking jobs and environments where your caring and collaborative nature can shine. Your next step is to explore roles that allow you to support, nurture, and work closely with others. Look for careers where your strong interpersonal skills and ability to organize are in high demand. The path forward involves finding professions where your warmth and reliability are central to your professional role.
Ken Meyer
Myers Briggs Master Practitioner and Retired Senior Career Coach at Eastern Michigan University
