In Facebook group I am in a fellow INFJ posted an article about INFJ sub-types. Depending on how a person develops, focuses and leans on their cognitive stack. I know some people are deeply into Myers-Briggs but I see it as an interesting theory among other interesting personality theories, all of which succeed and fail in various ways. I just like to think about personality theory really. But it is interesting how this particular one has evolved. And in many ways I can see myself reflected in it. And in her particular post on career and education it really hit the mark.
Anyway, the three roles depending on the emphasis one puts on their cognitive stack are Artist, Theorist, & Counselor / Advocate. And that shouldn’t come to any surprise since those are the ‘parts’ of an INFJ smooshed together and what makes us seem like such a contradiction. And it is only natural we would focus a little more on one than the other. Although, I bet that can change over time.
RAISEC
The poster added the RAISEC test to show which of these is most important for us. I came out as Artistic, Investigator, and Conventional. Artistic and Investigator were 1 point apart. Which makes my code AIC. Things like Desktop Publisher and Technical writer.
I found that intriguing. Because I have always had a hell of a time fitting my artistic/creative side with my theoretical/investigator side into one bloody job. So that was neat to see the job site with recommendations according to that code. (Site to browse by interests)
INFJ career, jobs and majors
It was the last article on INFJ careers and majors that sort of made me chuckle because, well, that nailed it. Sort of is my personal history actually.
First was this:
Individuals with Realistic interests enjoy physical, hands-on work. Those attracted to Realistic work tend to enjoy working with “things” more than people. It is therefore unsurprising that this interest domain is correlated with a preference for Thinking (T). Research suggests that S, T, and P types are more drawn to Realistic work than are N, F, and J types. Hence, INFJs tend to avoid careers in this interest domain.
Personality Junkie
My Realistic score was 1. Yeah. 1. And I guess according to this paragraph the test I took based on my cognitive stack and said I was an INFJ and Not an INTP this would make sense then. And for many other reasons. I used to score as an INTP all the time on some of the basic Myers Briggs tests because of that INFJ dichotomy – that whole introverted thinking deal we have going on that I do focus a lot on. And since I know I have that trait I would score myself that way. Sort of ignoring all other facets. So while some things about an INTP fit me quite well, very well actually, it always seemed like half the picture. And when I did the full cognitive stack test that showed a clear INFJ – and when I read up on it Way closer on that one. Yeah, that would be why INTP never quite fit. That being said , it is a fine line. I could score more INXX… that is how close it is. INFJ is just the closest fit.
Social sciences
But it also said INFJs are way more prone to take social sciences. Which is why on RAISEC we tend to end up as AI, or IA, without that R.
Those with I-Investigators…
commonly major in the humanities, social sciences, philosophy, religion, critical theory, the humanities/liberal arts, investigative journalism, or non-fiction writing.
Personality Junkie
And that did make me chuckle. First, based on our Fe we are less inclined towards the hard sciences. And secondly, we tend to have that AI/IA on that test. And that we tend to major in things on that list (Philosophy here).
So I checked all those boxes. And it isn’t that I didn’t like the hard sciences, I do. It is just that I adore theories. A lot. And the more theoretical and abstract something is the more engaged I am in it. So social sciences always appealed to me. Philosophy was my ZONE. I started as an English major. And I almost had a minor in both English and Psychology in my B.A.
List of careers on that site of Investigator dominated and Artistic Dominated.
Investigative Careers:
- Philosopher / theologian
- Scholar, religious studies
- Social scientist: psychology, sociology, political science
- Researcher or research assistant
- Instructional designer
Artistic Careers:
- Playwright
- Art / museum curator
- Graphic / web design
- Musician
- Actor / actress
- Painter, illustrator
- Critic: art, film, literary, food
- Editor, writer
- Blogger
- Photographer
What I always notice about every single career test And personality test is that the options for jobs in my case are generally ones that are very hard to make Income at. Like artist, painter, writer, blogger. I love all those things and I do them anyway. But not exactly paying the mortgage with them. I was on my way to be a professor in philosophy but my health began its decline when I was taking my Masters and hasn’t stopped since so was never able to go for my PhD. Still should have in hindsight. I think if someone loves their job it is so much easier to have life/work balance and maintain one’s health than the sort of job I had in a rather toxic environment. But I didn’t know that then. I had this ‘idea’ that taking a year off to work might improve my health. Yeah. That didn’t happen.
But I have thought about web design. So i think there are options that mix the two traits potentially. I like the design aspect of web design and I also like coding. Things like that. So if my health ever does decide to half-ass behave itself again I might do something along those lines.
What I like about this whole discussion is that Artist/theorist mix. It has always been a frustration for me that I existed in both those worlds. Not that I Did. I liked both those worlds. But that I couldn’t focus on both. Or find a place to be both. Or fully explore both in some work environment. In some ways it always seemed like I was trying to suppress one and express the other. Because it seemed like the world was designed that way.
But of course that is bull because they work wonderfully together and I use both together quite naturally. Like my post on intelligence and creativity (sort of need creativity to boost intelligence) But I never quite admitted that. I was one way. Or the other. But of course that was a fabrication because I couldn’t help but be both.
The one thing about the Myers Briggs personality typing is that INFJs exist and therefore I am aware people have a similar type as me. With a similar struggle as me. It is a peculiar personality profile in its apparent ‘contradictions’ and I have felt very out of sorts. In the sense that you don’t feel like you ever quite belong anywhere, but you definitely can adapt in ways to appear like you do. I mean, I learned to be an ambivert. Flick on the extrovert switch in certain situations to adapt to those environments but in no way in hell am I an extrovert. It is just easier to adapt to the people around me. And I still am my authentic self- just fractions of that authentic self to whatever way I allow it to be presented. And my entire self isn’t really Out There. Because that self never quite fits right.
So I quite like this career test pulling out both those traits and saying, hey, that is a type that exists in the world and there is actually a place for that. Because I used to think I just had to accept what I could find and … settle for lack of job satisfaction. Still… I would like to see more options that have some earning potential along with the things I do that have Some income but not Sufficient income.
The Wyrd 