7 Best & 3 Worst ISFP Careers: Full Guide for the Adventurer

For ISFPs (Adventurers), picking a career path is often easier said than done, as they are quite indecisive and prone to boredom. This might explain why ISFPs make career changes more often than most other personality types.

So, are there any career paths that can provide lasting fulfillment for Adventurers? You bet there are!

In this article, we’ll not only share a list of the top ISFP careers but also cover everything you should know about Adventurers in the workplace, including what they’re like as teammates and leaders.

7 Top Career Paths for ISFPs

When it comes to career, ISFPs prioritize flexibility and a good work-life balance above all else. Since they also tend to gravitate toward hands-on occupations, you’ll rarely find them working regular 9-to-5 jobs.

On that note, let’s explore the top 7 career paths for ISFPs:

#1. Art & Design

It’s no secret that people with the ISFP personality type are rather creative and have an eye for aesthetics, which makes them perfectly suited for jobs in art and design.

While many go to school to develop their sense of aesthetics, ISFPs are often inherently sensitive to beauty thanks to their auxiliary extraverted sensing (Se). Unsurprisingly, many of them have creative hobbies—drawing, home decor, nature photography, etc.—that can be turned into a career.

Most importantly, rather than chasing trends, ISFPs craft their own sense of style, which can give them an edge over their competitors. After all, they wouldn’t be dominant introverted feeling (Fi) users if they didn’t pride themselves on their authenticity!

Not only do jobs in art and design allow ISFPs’ creativity to shine, but they also provide enough flexibility for Adventurers to flourish. Oftentimes, they pursue careers in this field as freelancers simply because they like to be in charge of their work and time.

Most often, ISFPs with an artistic streak work as:

• Animators
• Artists
• Art Therapists
• Costume Designers
• Fashion Designers
• Filmmakers
• Graphic Designers
• Illustrators
• Interior Designers
• Jewelry Designers
• Painters
• Photographers
• Potters
• Tattoo Artists
• Video Game Artists

#2. Community and Social Services

As dominant Fi users, ISFPs are value-driven individuals. Simply put, they want everything they do in life to reflect and resonate with their values. Sensitive to other people’s pain, they also often feel called to help others. Knowing this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many Adventurers work in community and social services.

Jobs in this field enable ISFPs to leave a positive mark on other people’s lives. This often brings them a strong sense of purpose and accomplishment, inspiring them to keep going no matter how tough it gets.

Like most introverts, ISFPs make excellent listeners. This, coupled with their gift for anticipating other people’s needs stemming from their tertiary introverted intuition (Ni), makes them ideal for the following jobs:

• Marriage and Family Therapist
• Mental Health Counselor
• Rehabilitation Counselor
• Social Worker
• Substance Abuse Counselor
• Youth Counselor

#3. Personal Services

If you’re interested in ISFP careers in business, you might want to look into personal services. While this approach may be unconventional, so are Adventurers—and that’s one of the reasons why they often prefer being self-employed to climbing the corporate ladder.

Jobs in personal services are practical and involve one-on-one social interactions, which is precisely what ISFPs like about this field. Many of these jobs are also quite creative, allowing them to express their unique vision and exercise their artistic skills.

Since personal service jobs usually provide a high level of autonomy and flexibility, it’s only natural that ISFPs often build fulfilling careers as:

• Barbers
• Cosmetologists
• Fitness Trainers
• Hair Stylists
• Massage Therapists
• Nail Technicians
• Personal Chefs
• Yoga Instructors

#4. Healthcare

Adventurers are among the most compassionate personality types. Not only are they empathetic, but they also want to help others in practical ways. For this reason, they often gravitate toward healthcare-related jobs, such as nursing.

While jobs in healthcare require ISFPs to follow certain procedures and guidelines, they don’t mind it as long as it serves a greater purpose. And for Adventurers, there’s no better purpose than assisting others on their journey toward a healthier and happier life.

Guided by their dominant Fi cognitive function, ISFPs treat every patient as a unique individual rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions. As such, they often excel at providing patient-centered care.

If you’re looking for ISFP careers that pay well, consider the following jobs in healthcare:

• Dental Hygienist
• Dietitian
• Emergency Physician
• Registered Nurse
• Nutritionist
• Occupational Therapist
• Pediatrician
• Pharmacist
• Physical Therapist
• Physician
• Speech-Language Pathologist

#5. Education

Kind, patient, and compassionate, ISFPs are born to help others grow and thrive, which is exactly what draws them to education. Even though they’re rather introverted, Adventurers love sharing their passions with others and igniting curiosity in their students.

Since ISFPs seek authenticity in everything they do, they tend to teach subjects they’re genuinely passionate about, such as art, music, sports, and so on. In doing so, they benefit not only themselves but also their students. Although Adventurers are typically quiet and unassuming, their enthusiasm is beyond contagious!

Here are some suitable careers for ISFPs interested in education:

• Art Instructor
• High School Teacher
• Kindergarten Teacher
• Preschool Teacher
• Special Education Teacher
• Teacher Assistant
• Tutor

#6. Animal Care and Horticulture

Animal care and horticulture is an ideal career path for ISFPs, as people with this personality type often feel strongly connected to all living creatures. In fact, some of them even find the company of plants and animals more comfortable than that of other people!

Moreover, ISFPs often enjoy creative problem-solving and challenges that come with taking care of animals and nature. They would also rather pursue jobs that allow them to spend time outdoors than be forced to sit in an office for eight hours straight. For this reason, ISFP men and women alike often build rewarding careers as:

• Animal Trainers
• Dog Walkers
• Florists
• Gardeners
• Landscape Designers
• Park Rangers
• Pet Groomers
• Pet Sitters
• Veterinarians
• Veterinary Technicians

#7. Emergency Services

While ISFPs may not seem as eager to take risks and jump into action as ESTPs or ISTPs, they aren’t called Adventurers for no reason. Despite their calm façade, ISFPs are action-oriented and spontaneous. Like other Se users, they react quickly to emergencies and have no trouble adapting to new circumstances.

This, coupled with their innate need to help others, makes Adventurers ideal candidates for the following roles:

• Animal Control Officer
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Firefighter
• Paramedic
• Police Officer

3 Careers ISFPs Should Avoid

Now that we’ve explored the best career paths for Adventurers, let’s discuss the top three ISFP careers to avoid: accountant, lawyer, and CEO.

#1. Accountant

Although ISFPs are detail-oriented and don’t mind solitary jobs, they rarely, if ever, enjoy accounting. Since this job is rather structured and monotonous, it restricts their creative freedom, which is why most Adventurers will find it awfully boring. Not to mention, desk jobs tend to make ISFPs rather miserable, as they prefer hands-on, flexible positions.

For this reason, they should avoid pursuing careers as:

• Auditors
• Accountants
• Bookkeepers

#2. Lawyer

Since Fi is the dominant ISFP cognitive function, Adventurers have strong values and morals. However, just because they are sensitive to injustice and have a good sense of right and wrong doesn’t mean they should make a career out of it.

Most ISFPs are rather timid and have a hard time dealing with confrontation. After all, these peace-loving personalities strive to avoid conflict at all costs. As such, it’s rather uncommon to see them working as:

• Constitutional Lawyers
• Corporate Lawyers
• Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Immigration Lawyers
• Labor Lawyers
• Personal Injury Lawyers
• Tax Lawyers

#3. Executive

As inferior extraverted thinking (Te) users, ISFPs often struggle with organization and can be quite indecisive. While they can make effective leaders, most Adventurers don’t feel comfortable being the center of attention and managing people. Being very independent, they prefer to work at their own pace and don’t like interfering with other people’s work—even if it’s part of their job.

This, coupled with the fact that most ISFPs have trouble with long-range thinking and planning, means that people with this personality type should better avoid the following positions:

• Chief Executive Officer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Information Officer
• Chief Operating Officer
• Executive Director

What Are ISFPs Like as Leaders?

As leaders, ISFPs are flexible, democratic, and people-oriented. Although they’re often reluctant to take on leadership roles, their genuine concern for their team members makes them great leaders. While they may have trouble setting long-term goals, they excel at creating a positive atmosphere where everyone feels included, valued, and heard.

Since ISFPs generally dislike structured work environments, they tend to make relaxed leaders. Rather than micromanaging their team members, theyencourage them to work autonomously. Still, they usually have a hands-on approach to leadership, guiding their team members every step of the way.

Caring and compassionate, ISFP leaders welcome everyone’s input equally. Since they have trouble making decisions, it’s not unusual for them to consult with their team members before making up their minds. While this is admirable, overly relying on others may prevent them from making logical, objective decisions, which can sometimes bring more harm than good.

ISFPs in Teamwork

When it comes to teamwork, ISFPs stand out as supportive, cooperative, and adaptable teammates. While they often prefer to work independently, they make a great addition to any team because of these qualities. Still, being fairly independent, most Adventurers will start working on their tasks autonomously once they have clearly defined tasks and objectives.

In team settings, ISFPs strive to create a harmonious work environment and contribute to the team in practical ways, such as brainstorming creative yet actionable solutions to problems. Although they may get carried away with personal projects, they make sure to do their part rather than expecting their colleagues to cover for them.

Sharing their opinions with a large group of people can make ISFPs very uncomfortable, which is why they prefer to work in small groups. Although they tend to get along with their colleagues, Adventurers may get easily upset with those who attempt to exert control over others or create a hostile work environment in other ways.

ISFP Strengths and Weaknesses at the Workplace

Generally speaking, ISFPs should ideally pursue careers that enable them to capitalize on their strengths and develop them even more. Similarly, it’s best to avoid jobs that put a spotlight on their weaknesses, as this is a surefire way to end up unhappy, frustrated, and burned out.

With that in mind, let’s explore the key strengths and weaknesses ISFPs bring to the workplace.

ISFP Workplace Strengths

The greatest workplace strengths of ISFPs include:

• Creativity. Imaginative, original, and often artistic, ISFPs have no trouble coming up with creative ideas and solutions to problems.
• Attention to detail. As sensing personalities, Adventurers have an eye for detail. This comes in handy in just about any job, especially in those that require precision and accuracy.
• Flexibility. Being rather flexible and easy-going, ISFPs tend to see obstacles as challenges and have no trouble adapting to change.
• Compassion. Thanks to their empathetic and understanding natures, Adventurers have a gift for connecting with others—be they colleagues or customers—on a deeper level.

ISFP Workplace Weaknesses

Meanwhile, the main workplace weaknesses of ISFPs include:

• Dislike of rules and regulations. ISFPs can’t stand feeling restricted in any way, so they may struggle with structured work environments and jobs that require them to follow specific procedures.
• Lack of assertiveness. While humility is generally commendable, ISFPs may have trouble asserting themselves in the workplace. They may shy away from leadership positions, avoid speaking up when someone takes credit for their work, and so on.
• Difficulty with strategic thinking. By nature, Adventurers are more focused on the present moment than the future, which makes long-term planning quite a challenge.

Top 10 College Majors for ISFPs

Adventurers aren’t the most decisive personality types, and it’s not unusual for them to put off making big decisions for as long as possible. So, if you’re an ISFP struggling to pick a college major, you certainly aren’t alone.

To help you narrow down your choices, here are 10 college majors suitable for ISFPs:

1. Arts (Fine Arts, Digital Arts, Performing Arts, etc.)
2. Biology
3. Cosmetology
4. Education
5. Environmental Science
6. Fashion Design
7. Interior Design
8. Nursing
9. Psychology
10. Social Work

Key Takeaways

If there’s one thing you should take away from this ISFP career guide, it’s that Adventurers perform best in flexible work environments, as too much structure stifles their creativity.

Now, let’s summarize what we’ve learned:

• The best career paths for ISFPs are those that allow them to express themselves creatively and/or help others, such as art and design, personal services, and healthcare.
• Although leadership doesn’t come naturally to ISFPs, those drawn to management positions can make remarkable leaders due to their considerate natures.
• Ideally, ISFPs should look for jobs that let their innate strengths—flexibility, creativity, compassion, and attention to detail—shine.