Are you an ISTJ?  Are you wondering what the best ISTJ careers might be for you? Well, I guess if you are reading this, you are already a fan of MBTI - or the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, as I am.  As a career change consultant, I have found it to be a great tool when helping career changers work out what direction they should go in next.

So how do you make a connection between your personality type and the careers you could consider? There is no doubt that you will be happiest in a career where you are able to use your preferred style of operating for the majority of the time. So when you are considering new career options, take your type elements into account.

Using your Introversion

Make sure there will be opportunities for you to work in a quiet and focused way and that you will have time to think and reflect on the work you are doing.  If you are constantly required to interact with colleagues and clients, thinking on your feet as you go you will probably find that a struggle.

Using your Sensing

You will probably be happier if your work involves handling concrete facts and processes where you can see an immediate practical application.  You are great with applying detailed systems and may feel less comfortable if your work demands constantly coming up with new ideas and approaches.

Using your Thinking

You are a clear headed, logical thinker and have great skill in weighing up pros and cons objectively.  You will probably prefer a work environment where everyone works to clear principles and standards and will feel less inspired by a setting that has a strong 'people' focus.

Using your Judging

You prefer a planned and orderly approach and you are likely to be methodical and systematic in the way you work.  You just want to know what you are meant to be doing so you can get on with it.  If a job requires you to constantly chop and change, or if the environment is fairly chaotic and unstructured, it is likely that you will find this draining.

Don't just look for a simple match

You are a wonderfully complex creature and many factors will be important in your career choice, so don't expect a simple one-to-one match where ISTJ = x is the perfect job for you.

Looking at the outlines above, it would be easy to jump to a simplistic conclusion eg that accountancy or law would be good ISTJ careers.  Now you will probably find there are more ISTJs in these fields than in areas such as performing arts and advertising, but don't base your career change decision just on your personal style.  Make sure that you take account of your skills, interests and values too as well as practical issues such as where you live or are willing to move to.