ESTJ

About ESTJ

ESTJs are generally practical, outgoing, organized, structured, and decisive. They tend to focus their energy on their external surroundings and enjoy interacting with people. The ESTJ often has as clear set of beliefs and will live their lives by these standards. They are generally comfortable in sharing their opinions and views with others. The ESTJ tends to value tradition, security, social order, and stability. They are often motivated to exceed the expectations of others and will work hard to meet their own high standards. ESTJs tend to focus on making sure everything in their work or personal lives is running smoothly and efficiently. They put a lot of energy into any of their commitments and maintain a focus on the bottom line.

The ESTJ generally thrives on organizing and managing people and is often drawn to leadership positions. They enjoy the power that is associated with being in charge and have the ability to organize people to complete tasks with optimal efficiency. The ESTJ’s aggressive, task-orientated approach to work may influence them to overlook the needs of people. They often expect others to imitate their personal work standards and possess the same values. The ESTJ may become critical or judgmental of those who do not mirror these principles. ESTJs are generally not overly sensitive to the feelings of others and should be cautious not to force their own desire for structure onto other people. They also tend to struggle with dealing with or understanding their own emotions or the emotions of others.

The ESTJ often uses a careful and meticulous approach to accomplishing tasks to the highest standard. They often use a sequential step-by-step process to gather specific details through their five senses and then logically evaluate the gathered information. They tend to have minimal interest in theory and prefer practical realities over possibilities. They are generally driven by results and enjoy organizing and structuring their activities and tasks in order to visibly achieve their goals. They strive to organize and make sense of everything and will gather just enough information to make a quick and logical decision. Often, the ESTJ will use decision making as a mechanism for finding closure and facilitating their move to the next project. The ESTJ will often determine the best way to do something and use that process for completing future tasks. As such, an ESTJ may struggle with altering their plans or dealing with unexpected change.

ESTJ and School

Learning

The ESTJ student will often…

• Prefer learning through a step-by-step and hands-on process
• Apply information in order establish its relevance
• Dislike learning theory
• Desire to hear clear presentations and explicit expectations
• Want instructors to evoke interest in a topic and support their information with facts
• Create and follow a specific study plan
• Study well with others

Writing

ESTJs generally write from an objective standpoint that involves logically analyzing a topic. They will often prefer not to write about their feelings or topics that pertain to their personal lives. For an ESTJ, their most effective writing occurs through following a set guideline. When examining theory, they often use case studies as a mechanism for finding the real or practical application. They also tend to be good at identifying any discrepancies when reviewing ideas. In an administrative position, the ESTJ is often comfortable with composing the necessary business documents.

In the writing process, the ESTJ will often…

• Create and follow a writing plan
• Use a step-by-step process to assess data and complete their writing
• Emphasis the main point and support it with gathered data
• Understand when to stop researching and begin the writing stage
• Need to consider how their writing will impact their audience
• Benefit from remaining open to new ideas
• Meet the deadline but should be cautious not to rush through the writing stages

Procrastination

ESTJs are often motivated to complete their work on time and may not experience significant procrastination. They tend to limit their procrastination to a particular situation or project. These situations often occur when the ESTJ feels that they do not have adequate control or perceive a lack of ability to complete a task. When feeling powerless, the ESTJ may have trouble reaching out and expressing their feelings. This can lead to frustration and further delay their work. To help reduce procrastination, the ESTJ often benefits from developing their skills or restructuring the situation to acquire a greater sense of control. ESTJs may also benefit from addressing a particular issue and the aspects of a task that are daunting. This is often accomplished by discussing their concerns with others.

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

Careers to Consider

The following is a list of suggested occupations that fit the qualities of an ESTJ or are careers that other ESTJs have found to be satisfying. Use this list as a starting point for further investigation but do not limit your options to only this list.

Career	Career
Police Officer	Probation Officer
Military Officer	Manager: Executive, Fire, Financial, Small Business, Sales
Factory Supervisors	Sales: Computers/Real Estate
Pharmacist	Dentist
Judge	Physician: General Medicine
Clinical Technician	Engineer: Mechanical/Applied
Teacher: Trade/Technical	School Principal Executive
Office Manager	Administrator
Credit Analyst	Bank Officer/Loan Officer
Purchasing Agent	Insurance Agent
Computer Analyst	Project Manager
Database Manager	Stockbroker
Public Service/Community Health Worker	Social Services Worker
Construction Worker	General Contractor
Funeral Director	Auditor
Farmer	Security Guard
Cleaning Service	Cook
School Bus Driver

Job Search

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 individuals
• Base 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 position
• Provide 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

ESTJ and Life

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

Playing

ESTJs are often serious about finishing their work and are able to have fun once a task is completed. The high emphasis they place on social order, security, and tradition tends to influence their active participation in their community. As well, they often feel an obligation to attend family functions and gatherings. They may also value their personal possessions and ensure that they maintain their upkeep. In a postsecondary environment, the ESTJ tends to become involved in leadership positions in campus clubs or join athletic groups. They are often quite friendly with roommates but should be cautious of becoming too controlling. The ESTJ may also enjoy competing and will transfer their hard work ethic to extracurricular activities.

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

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