Career Paths

“One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done, and if one didn’t like the work, it would be very discouraging.”

Architects (INTJs) are rarely satisfied by work that feels easy or comfortable. They want a career that fires up their curiosity and leverages their intellect, allowing them to expand their prowess as they tackle meaningful challenges and problems. If a job’s description makes the average person think, Wow, that sounds hard, then it might just be a good fit for an Architect.

The Early-Career Blues

Starting at the bottom of the career ladder can be frustrating for Architects. Early in their professional lives, they may be saddled with easy, routine tasks that bore them half to death. People with this personality type brim with creative and outside-the-box ideas. But with their disdain for schmoozing and workplace politics, they may struggle to earn the favor of their bosses and colleagues.

The good news is that, over time, many Architects develop their abilities into a track record so good that it can’t be ignored. Even when everyone around them falls prey to groupthink, people with this personality type can cut through the noise and figure out the true cause of a problem – and then fix it. As long as they don’t alienate their coworkers, Architects can advance in their careers and gain the leverage that they need to see their ideas through.

Finding Their Place

Some personality types are drawn to jobs that require nonstop teamwork and interaction, but Architects tend to prefer positions that offer independence. By working alone or in small groups, they can make the most of their creativity without constant interruptions from curious coworkers or second-guessing supervisors. Architects really do believe that if they want something done right, they’d better do it themselves.

The other side of that coin is that Architects have little respect for anyone who gets ahead based on networking or nepotism rather than merit. They believe that everyone should get their work done to the highest possible standards. So if a social butterfly at work breezes through without carrying their own weight, Architects may feel called to use their ingenuity to bring that person back down to earth – or they may be driven to work especially hard to prove their own merit by comparison.

Ever Greater Challenges

Architect personalities demand progress and evolution, and they love to explore new ideas. As their careers progress, they may be drawn to positions that allow them to influence a company’s or organization’s overall strategies. Many Architects pursue low-profile but influential roles as project managers, systems engineers, marketing strategists, systems analysts, management consultants, and military strategists.

People with this personality type tend to be happiest in careers that allow them to innovate and experiment in ways both large and small. It’s no surprise, then, that jobs in engineering, research, science, and technology are common choices for Architects. But creative fields, from architecture to musical composition to video game design, can also gratify their innovative streak. And Architects’ relentless desire to get to the bottom of things can lead them to careers as auditors, cybersecurity specialists, or business analysts.

The truth is that Architects can apply their strengths to just about any role. In a retail setting, for example, their insatiable curiosity might lead them to investigate what makes one front-of-store display more effective than another. Some careers with strong social components, such as sales or human resources, might not seem like obvious fits – but fortunately, Architects know how to look beyond the obvious.

Creative and visionary, Architects want to find a career that takes advantage of their unique gifts. Few personality types, if any, can match their ability to transform complex principles into clear, actionable strategies. Architects know how much they can offer the world through their work – and their priority is to ensure that their position, whatever it may be, makes full use of their skills, knowledge, and intellect.