Paul Brian
Are you wondering what career is best for your personality type?
Some professions are ideal for one person while being ill-suited for somebody of a different personality.
The following list takes a look at the best jobs depending on your personality type.
This guide will take a look using the 12 Jungian personality archetypes developed by Swiss psychologist and author Carl Jung and what careers are best suited for people in each category.
Jung’s personality archetypes are divided into four categories:
Social: the need to bond and make ties with others.
Order: to keep organization and rules in place in society and relationships.
Freedom: to escape the social and psychological limits of society and the human condition
Ego: to self-actualize your own identity and will in the outer and inner sense.
With that said, let’s get started…
1) The jester (social)
The jester wants to enjoy life and find the funny side in everything. He or she lives life to the fullest and lives for the moment more than anything else.
A wild party is always worth it, regardless of the hangover, and a new adventure is always beckoning, regardless of the risks.
At their worst the jester is irresponsible and reckless; at their best they are a major boost to those around them, providing energy, laughs and enthusiasm on the personal and professional level.
Best careers for jesters:
- DJ
- Entertainer
- Radio host
- Comedian
- Stunt man
- Bartender
- E-celeb
- Social media figure
- Social media influencer
- Sports announcer
- Carnival barker
- Party planner
- Cruise ship entertainer
- Birthday party magician
- Cartoonist
- Public busker
- Professional clown
2) The member (social)
The member wants and needs to fit into the group in order to feel validated and worthy.
The member sees him or herself reflected in the lives and identities of those around them and loves to contribute to the common good and work on collaborative projects.
At their worst, the member is a conformist to any system including negative ones; at their best the member is a hard working and encouraging member of society who upholds the good in tradition and family.
Best careers for members:
- City councilor
- Town hall staff
- Transport planner
- Urban planner
- Electrician
- Plumber
- Pharmacist
- Airport staff
- School teacher
- Bus driver
- Delivery driver
- Accountant
- Administrator
- Librarian
- Civil engineer
- File clerk
- Office assistant
- Manufacturing
- Auto factory worker
- Construction crew
3) The lover (social)
The lover is focused on romance, sex and bonding with others. They want to feel and experience closeness in all its forms.
They seek to find true love or at least some enjoyment along the way, and often experience all the highs and lows of love.
At their worst the lover is overly self-absorbed and focused on relationship hopes and problems; at their best the lover is somebody who is highly empathetic and brings compassion and intimacy to those around them and helps people feel better about themselves and their bodies.
Best careers for lovers:
- Homemaker or spouse
- Relationship advice writer
- Sex or relationship therapist
- Romance writer
- Style consultant
- Dermatologist
- Dental hygienist
- Makeup artist
- Hairdresser
- Dietician
- Plastic surgeon
- Erotic writer or videographer
- Massage or holistic therapist
- Sex education teacher
- Sex store worker
- Webcam performer
- Stripper, sex worker
4) The ruler (order)
The ruler wants to make sure that order is maintained through rules and organization.
They want to lead and keep that system in place which they feel best keeps folks safe and healthy.
Structure, scheduling and organization are everything for a ruler.
At their worst they are sticklers for routine and lack willingness to change or modify what they think is best; at their best rulers keep others safe and ensure calm and vision in otherwise chaotic situations.
Best careers for rulers:
- CEO
- Lawyer
- Judge
- Politician
- Mayor
- Security guard
- Bouncer
- Police officer
- Union leader
- Community organizer
- Insurance agent
- Tax agent
- Federal law enforcement
- Air traffic controller
- Private investigator
- Building inspector
- Sports coach
- Bylaw enforcement officer
- Corporate governance leadership
- Mall cop
5) The creator (order)
The creator is a person with a lively imagination and an intense desire to bring their dreams into reality.
They want to bring order out of chaos and transform ideas and inspiration into tangible objects and creations.
They often have many different ideas in the works at the same time and love to see their projects to fruition, either alone or in collaboration.
The creator tends to be highly authentic and true to him or herself.
Best careers for creators:
- Musician
- Filmmaker
- Thespian
- Video game designer
- Songwriter
- Fiction writer
- Costume designer
- Landscape designer
- Fashion designer
- Website designer
- Graphic designer
- Visual artist
- Choreographer
- Set designer
- Costume designer
- Playground designer
- Painter
- Sculptor
- Architect
6) The caregiver (order)
The caregiver likes to look after others and ensure the wellbeing of those around them.
They tend to be highly compassionate and selfless, and place a priority on the welfare of people in their life.
They love to be supported in their work and given the resources to assist as many as possible, but even without help the caregiver does what he or she can to be of service.
At their worst, the caregiver becomes codependent and addicted to helping; at their best the caregiver becomes a deeply respected and valuable figure who is a net plus in the lives of all they come across.
Best careers for caregivers:
- Nurse
- Doctor
- Veterinarian
- School teacher
- Educational assistant
- Special education teacher
- Care home worker
- Retirement home worker
- Kindergarten teacher
- Counselor or therapist
- Social worker
- Probation officer
- Rehabilitation worker
- Prison staff
- Cook
- Children’s author
- Flight attendant
- Receptionist
- Fitness trainer or instructor
- Personal or life coach
7) The explorer (freedom)
The explorer is an action-oriented individual who cares most about experiencing life.
They want to explore different ways of life and taste life in all its glory and many flavors.
They tend to be very high energy individuals who have high ambition and drive.
Best careers for explorers:
- Tour guide
- Ship captain or staff
- Park ranger
- Ski or snowboard instructor
- Adventure guide
- Meteorologist
- Anthropologist
- Archaeologist
- Heli-logging
- Deep sea diver
- Smoke jumper
- Firefighter
- Lobsterman
- Land surveyor
- Travel writer or photographer
- Fisherman or hunter
- Fishing guide or hunting guide
- War correspondent
- Fixer
- Tree planter
8) The innocent (freedom)
The innocent individual just wants to enjoy life and have a nice time. They tend to see the best in others and be highly optimistic.
They run away from drama and conflict and try to find the silver lining no matter what they’re going through.
At their worst, the innocent is blissfully ignorant and naive; at their best the innocent is uplifting and inspiring in their ability to love life and other people.
Best careers for innocents:
- Retail
- Copywriter
- Sommelier
- Administrative assistant
- Personal assistant
- Interior designer
- Perfume and fragrance tester
- Brand ambassador
- Art gallery owner
- Waiter or waitress
- Cheerleader or backup dancer
- Orchestra member
- Children’s book illustrator
- Camp counselor
- Florist
- Barista
9) The sage (freedom)
The sage is an individual who wants to know the truth and discover as much knowledge as possible.
He or she seeks to uncover hidden mysteries and help themselves and the world through the attainment and perfection of knowledge and wisdom.
At their worst the sage is overly inflexible and dogmatic; at their best the sage is a wise and compassionate guide for those around them.
Best careers for sages:
- Scientific or academic researcher
- Espionage and intelligence work
- Author or journalist
- Museum curator or guide
- Professor
- Diplomat
- Translator
- Historian
- Government advisor
- Publisher
- Economist
- Geneticist
- Behavioral scientist
- Neuroscientist
- Tech
10) The hero (ego)
The hero has a strong desire to redeem or save others and the world or society as a whole.
At their best, the hero devotes themselves to the service of betterment of society and addresses problems and challenges for the good of everyone.
At their worst, the hero becomes egotistical and narcissistic and may get tunnel vision in pursuing goals.
At their best, the hero becomes a transformational figure, leading change and positive action where others sit passively by.
Best careers for heroes:
- Soldier
- Military leader
- Counterterrorism agent
- SWAT agent
- Paramedic
- ER doctor
- Fire chief
- Police chief
- Environmental leader
- Tribal leader
- Stay-at-home parent
- Prize fighter
- Entrepreneur
- Astronaut
- Early intervention case manager
11) The magician (ego)
The magician lives in his or her emotions and has highly advanced emotional intelligence.
He or she is generally very charismatic and able to influence and convince others of almost anything.
At their worst the magician is a huckster and con man; at their best the magician is an inspirational speaker and savvy master of the human mind and emotions.
Best careers for magicians:
- Psychologist
- Political lobbyist
- Marketing and publicity
- NLP therapist
- Hypnotherapist
- Philosopher
- Motivational speaker
- Guru or spiritual leader
- Religious leader
- Salesperson
- Opinion writer
- Television scriptwriter
- Psychiatric researcher and experimenter
12) The outlaw (ego)
The outlaw marches to the beat of his or her own drum and won’t let anybody define their path for them.
The outlaw feels called to challenge anything they feel is unfairly imposed and thrives in environments that call for revolutionary change and transformation.
At their worst the outlaw is a destructive and vindictive opponent of all authority; at their best the outlaw is an agent of necessary change and a righteous rebel.
Best careers for outlaws:
- Activist
- Environmental lawyer
- Political opposition leader
- Tech disruptor
- Day trader
- Inventor
- Demolition
- Bomb disposal
- Special forces
What if I don’t fit in any category or fit in more than one?
All of us are complex individuals and it can be hard to define yourself as being in just one category.
Jung himself understood this well, and left lots of room for interpretation and diversity in finding out who we are and what motivates us.
If you don’t fit fully in one category or find that multiple categories apply to you, don’t worry!
This just means you are even more well-suited to all of these career paths, and as noted, several categories here have a bit of overlap.
If you’re still exploring the values that drive you, I also highly recommend doing the free core values exercise from Jeanette Brown.
Jeanette is a renowned coach and educator who’s developed Life Journal to help people tap into their authentic inner power and find a life and career path that brings out the best in them.
The values exercise helps orient you towards finding what’s really motivating you in life and what matters most to you.
Exploring Jung’s quadrants
Jung’s division of personalities into four main types is valuable in finding the career path that’s best for you.
Order, freedom, social and ego are interesting ways to divide the types of people.
Broadly speaking:
Order people want to keep society safe.
They yearn for organization, routine, dependability and laws.
They want to fulfill a role that will help keep the trains running on time and ensure that people are secure and healthy.
They like to generally stay in their lane and do what they’re told.
Ideal jobs in these categories keep the peace, keep society running and maintain the status quo…
Freedom people are focused on exploring the inner and outer bounds of life. They don’t necessarily mind being told what to do, but they’re more interested in learning and discovering for themselves.
They want to find ways to enjoy life and make it liveable. They may be curious or closed off, but either way, they want to be free to do it their way.
Ideal jobs in these categories test new ideas, explore the world and find ways to make money that thrive on human freedom…
Social people put a priority on relating to others. In their work and personal life, they want to have ties that bind.
They may tend more toward order or freedom, but both are subordinate to their desire for social meaning, acceptance and purpose.
They are much less interested in freedom or order and much more interested in whether it involves other people.
Ideal jobs in these categories are focused on working with other people and collaboration…
And ego people tend to be those who want to self-actualize and focus on their own role and potential.
Whether that involves socializing, being independent and pushing the boundaries or not, the priority is on self-growth and making a mark.
The ego people don’t necessarily need praise or recognition, but they want to know for sure that they have made a big difference and that they are special.
Ideal jobs in these categories give plenty of room for the individual to do what he or she feels called to do in order to lead and make a difference.
So there you have it, an epic guide of careers based on your personality!
Remember to check out the free values exercise as well to get more guidance on the core values that are guiding you in life.
