Careers for the NF "Idealists" (INFP, ENFP, INFJ, ENFJ)

The Idealists are quite different from the Rational NTs discussed above, and will generally prefer different types of careers. While the NTs gravitate towards the sciences, most NFs do not find such objective and dry topics to their interest. According to Keirsey, the Idealists are on a search for their "true self" and want to make the world a better place to live by helping others. Integrity matters.

NF types with ADD often get by in school and might even do well, depending on their particular circumstances, but they are highly sensitive to criticism and classroom setting. NFs are particularly prone to imaginative daydreaming, even the ones who are not ADD.

According to Keirsey, "Novelists, dramatists, television writers, playwrights, journalists, poets, and biographers are almost exclusively NFs." These are the writers who wish to "inspire and persuade." Note: Most of the personal ADD websites are undoubtedly written by NFs. This is somewhat interesting because Intuitive ADDers often have reading and writing problems, even those who consider themselves to be compulsive readers and writers! I've had several NF ADDers comment that they took ADD medication so they could read better or write with less editing. But it is not so much the "writing" per se as the release of ideas which most attracts the NF. And ADDers are definitely full of ideas.

Idealists are also drawn to teaching, where they are highly over represented. In the teaching field, they often end up arguing with the more common SJ types about how things should be run, arguing on behalf of students or alternative teaching styles. Other fields which NFs are often attracted to are psychiatry, ministry, and acting.

Like the NTs, the NFs are easily bored and often restless, even those who are not ADD. NFs may plan for job or career changes from time to time in order to keep things interesting and challenging.

More detail from "Please Understand Me":
ENFJs "make superior therapists, charismatic teachers, excellent executives, and personalized salespersons." To be avoided: accounting. "Almost any people-to-people occupation where personal, sustained contact is involved" will be best for the ENFJ. However, they "experience some degree of restlessness whatever their jobs."
"INFJs make outstanding individual therapists" and "often select liberal arts as a college major and opt for occupations which involve interacting with people on a one-to-one basis."
"ENFPs have a remarkable latitude in career choices and succeed in many fields."
INFP "career choices may be toward the ministry, missionary work, college teaching, psychiatry, architecture, psychology -- and away from business."

The ADD NF: The specific job setting is likely to make the difference for an NF who is ADD. Most importantly, try and find a particular job within your field which has a minimum amount of paperwork or be sure there is reliable support staff. A career of successfully helping people should keep an NF interested in their work, and an interested ADDer is a focused (or hyperfocused) ADDer.