MBTI Type ESTJ

Preferred Work Tasks

• Require thorough analysis
• Practical planning and organizational skills
• Process control and responsibility

Preferred Work Environment

• Will fit best where the norms are clear
• The culture is performance driven.
• The place for everything and everything is in its place
• ESTJ prefer working with facts, details and the known, where the product or service is tangible rather than conceptual.
• Clear lines of responsibility and a planning process.
• Do not like to ‘wing it’ or take risks without being in possession of the facts and having thought things through.

ESTJ and Career Exploration

An ESTJ tends to find career satisfaction with careers that have the following characteristics:

• Involves a structured, stable, organized, and busy work environment
• Requires organizing tasks, people, and resources to create a tangible product or service
• Involves a high degree of responsibility and control
• Outlines specific rules and procedures
• Provides an opportunity to interact with numerous people
• Respects individual experiences and values people’s input
• Evaluates individual contributions with a fair, objective, and logical system

When exploring career options, an ESTJ will often…

• Gather career related facts and details
• Use networking opportunities to gain a detailed understanding of various careers
• Logically evaluate their career options
• Need to incorporate their values into their career decision
• Select their career direction early and rarely question their choice

How Type Affects Career Development

During their job search, an ESTJ will often…

• Organize an efficient job search
• Collect job related facts and information
• Network with a large number of individualsBase their decision on comparing the job requirements and their personal abilities
• Need to spend time considering all their possibilities before making a decision
• Benefit from considering the future implications of the potential position

During an interview, an ESTJ will often…

• Effectively convey their skills and competencies that relate to the positionProvide examples of past experiences
• Need to intentionally cultivate a connection with the employer
• Need to be cautious not to appear too abrupt or talk too much

ESTJ and Work

At work, the ESTJ will often…

• Be dependable, decisive, detail-orientated, and practical
• Organize their work tasks to promote efficiency and achieve tangible results
• Aim to correctly complete a task on the first try
• Behave in a competent and businesslike manner
• Reliably complete tasks by their deadline
• Value and support the organization’s procedures, policies, and goals
• Desire a hierarchical organizational structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
• Desire clear instructions and expectations in a supportive work environment
• Use established methods to address problems as they occur
• Monitor current procedures and make necessary changes
• Enjoy working in a team environment.

At work, the ESTJ should be aware that they may…

• Overpower peoples opinions and become impatient or inflexible when their contributions are not recognized
• Need to be cautious not to overwhelm themselves with completing the work of others
• Oppose change unless the long-term benefits are identified
• Need to accept that new ideas and change are often necessary and can improve efficiency
• Need to intentionally consider the big picture or additional possibilities that are not immediately obvious
• Benefit from maintaining an open-mind
• Be critical of others who do not adhere to their high work standards
• Need to recognize that all people will not be like them and may effectively work at a different pace
• Need to patiently gather additional information to optimize the quality of their work

Teamwork

On a team, the ESTJ will often…

• Contribute their time, energy, and problem-solving abilities
• Use a direct approach to interact with their team members
• Challenge team members to excel
• Maintain a focus on the next step or required task
• Work most effectively with competent individuals who mirror their work standards
• Expect other members to meet deadlines and complete their respective tasks

On a team, the ESTJ should be aware that they may…

• Require additional effort to develop rapport with their team members
• Need to encourage group members to develop their leadership abilities
• Irritate others by only focusing on the task and being too straightforward or controlling
• Become frustrated with slow working members who deviate from the set procedures, lack commitment, or inefficiently complete tasks
• Need to balance their focus on the task with the needs of each group member

Leadership

ESTJs generally enjoy and pursue leadership positions. As a leader, the ESTJ will often…

• Create an organized plan that focuses on achieving results
• Provide clear instructions and expectations to ensure that individuals adhere to the plan and efficiently complete their job
• Enjoy directing and organizing people
• Model the behavior that they expect from their team
• Follow and enforce the organization’s policies and procedures
• Make quick decisions
• Need to recognize the small accomplishments throughout a project
• Need to remember to address the personal needs of their group

Communication

The ESTJ will often…

• Honestly and clearly present their thoughts, ideas, and opinions
• Desire to hear pertinent, detailed, and logical information
• Promote efficiency through limiting unnecessary discussions
• Enjoy discussing topics or debating issues
• Openly discuss their opinions in a direct manner
• Limit their involvement in small talk

The ESTJ should be aware that they may need to…

• Convey their opinions without being overly critical or judgmental
• Communicate with their coworkers throughout all stages of a project
• Ensure they listen to others and are not overly forceful of their ideas
• Refrain from interrupting people during a conversation
• Provide positive comments and acknowledge people’s accomplishments

Decision Making

When it comes to decision making, the ESTJ will often…

• Objectively and logically evaluate each option
• Reflect on past experiences and apply them to current decisions
• Be able to make difficult decisions and adhere to their principles
• Need to intentionally consider the effect their decision will have on others
• Need to ensure they gather all necessary information before making a decision
• Make quick decisions and may benefit from further considering their options

Stress

An ESTJ will often experience stress when…

• Perceiving others or themselves are unable to complete their duties
• Dealing with frequent changes or uncertainty
• Lacking control over their time or duties
• Working within an inefficient group or unorganized environment
• Feeling unable to deal with their emotions or the emotional expression of others
• Requested to extend beyond their current leadership position during a crisis
• Unintentionally having a negative affect on people as they pursue their goals
• Planning and organizing does not fix a problem

When they are affected by stress, an ESTJ will often…

• Become withdrawn and question their personal worth
• Lose control of their emotions and display outbursts of anger or tears
• Consume themselves with work and become more impersonal or detached
• Become rigid, inflexible, or unwilling to consider new ideas
• Fear that they are not liked by others
• Experience difficulty in discussing and articulating their feelings
• Under significant stress, abruptly express their critical judgments of others or experience difficulty in discussing their personal feelings of despair or depression

Advice: An ESTJ can reduce stress by…

• Talking through their feelings with others
• Considering how the situation will impact others
• Reestablishing control through spending time on their own
• Assessing whether their goals should be adjusted
• Participating in activities that facilitate reflection on their feelings
• Spending time making a decision Realistically evaluating the expectations they have of others