ENTPs are natural debaters, explorers, inventors and visionary leaders. They thrive on innovation, can easily identify hidden connections and are constantly seeking ways to improve upon their world. A mere 3 percent of people possess the unique skill set of ENTPs — extroversion, intuition, thinking and perception — making them a tremendously valuable asset for organizations that want to push the conventional boundaries.
1. Engineer
Engineers are tasked with solving real-world problems, ranging from designing buildings to developing life-saving medical equipment to eliminating production wastefulness. Creativity converges with math and science as engineers analyze issues and develop new features to improve processes. There are more than two dozen specialty careers in the industry, including aerospace, biomedicine, computer hardware, environmental, marine and mechanical engineering, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even within a specialty, engineers constantly move from one project to the next, tackling new problems as they arise.
2. Computer and Information Technology
The rapidly evolving industry of information technology feeds an ENTP’s need to tinker with existing systems and push them in new directions. This innovative environment not only challenges your intellectual capacity but also demands thinking outside the box. Advancements in cloud computing, enterprise-scale data storage and coding have created an exciting opportunity for creative, forward-thinking individuals to devise new approaches to technical problems. Specialists in this field range from computer research scientists who invent new approaches to systems analysts who design efficient computer procedures for organizations.
3. Lawyer
In many personality tests, ENTPs are referred to The Debater or The Lawyer. This profession is a perfect fit for independent thinkers who are always willing to speak their mind and thrive in the center of controversy. As an ENTP, you likely experience pure joy when engaged in mental sparring and believe in being direct and honest in all encounters. Another common trait of ENTPs is their rare ability to make connections between contrasting ideas to support their arguments, which is an excellent skill for lawyers. Despite the perfect fit, other legal professions, such as paralegals, judges and probation officers, are often perceived as confining because of the rigid rules of the law.
4. Scientist
Scientists are driven by an innate passion to understand how our world works. Being a scientist requires a questioning, analytic mind, an intuitive nature as well as a willingness to experiment, fail and try again using a different approach. The remarkable discoveries unearthed in biology, physics and astronomy in just the past 100 years have only scratched the surface on the potential unknowns that await the next generation of scientists. Today, agricultural scientists are researching ways to improve sustainability of crops, medical scientists are working on possible cures for cancer, chemical scientists are investigating new product materials and hydrologists are improving water quality around the world.
5. Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs have a tremendous amount of freedom to focus their energy where they want. Being your own boss also liberates you from the constraints of being managed and dismissed, which are huge sources of frustration for ENTPs. In addition to inventors, freelancers and small business owners, ENTPs are also successful in consultant positions because they are able to temporarily step into an organization to analyze the problem from an outside perspective. You are encouraged to think big to come up with creative solutions, but you do not have to follow through with implementing the logistics, which can make an ENTP feel trapped.
Related Resource: 30 Great Colleges for ENTP Personality Types
When ENTPs are challenged intellectually and have the freedom to explore their many novel ideas, their potential to thrive in any career is limitless. As an ENTP, consider solution-oriented fields that foster creativity, reward curiosity and offer diverse challenges.