Psychological Type Descriptions:
INTJ
Description:
The roughly 1% of the population who share the INTJ type are distinguished by their self-confidence and independence. INTJs are on a mission to improve any procedure, theory, or relationship that captures their interest. What keeps them from becoming bogged down in never-ending perfectionism is that they temper their idealism with an equally strong pragmatism-"is it useful" is their constant question. If they believe they have discovered a better way to do something-and they can't help but look for ways to tweak everything-they are usually undeterred by indifference or even direct orders in bringing their idea to fruition. INTJs rarely pay much attention to authority, convention, or sentiment unless they can be made to serve the overall goal. Oddly enough, given their other characteristics, INTJs are not particularly prone to ego trips-the solution rather than the person doing the solving remains the focus. Perhaps because of this lack of ego-involvement, INTJs usually don't mind admitting their limitations and tend to be very open to others' ideas. Indeed, they are usually extremely careful about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into making a project a success.
Potential Blindspots:
As with all types, INTJs can encounter problems in certain areas. The INTJs' natural independence can bring them into conflict with hierarchies, such as those found in corporations and governments. Redundancy, inefficiency, and incompetence are all characteristics that can cause an INTJ to dismiss a person, idea, or procedure altogether-even when some merit exists. Interpersonally, INTJs may find themselves frustrated since they expect their partners to "make sense" at all times. This problem is often made worse because INTJs don't have the innate grasp of the social graces shown by other types and are naturally very private. Small talk, self-marketing, and asking for help are all skills that INTJs need to make a priority. Other types can mistake the natural self-confidence of the INTJ for arrogance and may need encouragement to offer the INTJ challenging feedback.
Possible Careers to Consider:
- University Professor
- Efficiency Consultant
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Commercial Attorney
- Judge
- Inventor
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- Astronomer
- Psychologist/Psychiatrist
- Management Consultant
- Biomedical Engineer
- Neurologist
- Cardiologist
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- Strategic Planner
- Architect
- Investment Analyst
- Scientist
- Pharmacologist
- Computer Programmer
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Return to the Personality Type Descriptions list.
Last updated: 1 October 2002
Maintained by: John
W. Hall, PhD - john@drjohnhall.com
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