All Rationals (NTs) share the following core characteristics: 

• Rationals tend to be pragmatic, skeptical, self-contained, and focused on problem-solving and systems analysis. 
• Rationals pride themselves on being ingenious, independent, and strong willed. 
• Rationals make reasonable mates, individualizing parents, and strategic leaders. 
• Rationals are even-tempered, they trust logic, yearn for achievement, seek knowledge, prize technology, and dream of understanding how the world works.

All Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B—or C or D if need be.

Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency—any waste of human and material resources—they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don’t, aren’t, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.

In their careers, Masterminds usually rise to positions of responsibility, for they work long and hard and are dedicated in their pursuit of goals, sparing neither their own time and effort nor that of their colleagues and employees. Problem-solving is highly stimulating to Masterminds, who love responding to tangled systems that require careful sorting out. Ordinarily, they verbalize the positive and avoid comments of a negative nature; they are more interested in moving an organization forward than dwelling on mistakes of the past.

Masterminds tend to be much more definite and self-confident than other Rationals, having usually developed a very strong will. Decisions come easily to them; in fact, they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided. But before they decide anything, they must do the research. Masterminds are highly theoretical, but they insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea, and they are suspicious of any statement that is based on shoddy research, or that is not checked against reality.

Career and Job Interests of the INTJ

In the fourth quarter of 2000, AdvisorTeam conducted a career satisfaction survey, polling over 5400 people on how happy they are in their career, with their company, and what drives them to be satisfied (or not) at work.

The Rationals (NTs)
Rationals tend to be about as satisfied (about 75%) as their intuitive counterparts, the Idealists. However, in contrast to the NFs, NTs seem to base a great deal of their satisfaction on being provided challenging work and flexible hours. Company-sponsored beer on Fridays, pets allowed in the workplace, and even potentially lucrative stock options did drive this group’s satisfaction. Rationals tend to have a wide set of interests, and while they appreciate (and demand) a challenge at work, they also need to have time to “play”--the work they do outside of work.

Specific Career Choices of the INTJ:

Enjoyment
Overall, there are differences in other aspects of the four temperaments and their career enjoyment.  Idealists and Artisans tend to greatly enjoy oral communication (over 60%), while only about half of Guardians stated so, and only about 43% of Rationals.  Conversely, over 85% of Rationals tremendously enjoy logical thinking, as compared to 65% of Guardians, 55% of Artisans, and 51% of Idealists.

Individual Preferences

• Idealists want (in order) balance, teamwork, individual creativity, challenging work, and a stable environment.
• Rationals want challenging work, individual creativity, achievement, empowers employees, and balance.
• Artisans want balance, individual creativity, challenging work, teamwork, and empowers employees.
• Guardians want a stable environment, balance, teamwork, achievement, and challenging work.

For a more detailed list of occupations based on your indicated skills and interests, you may want to try an assessment such as the Campbell^TM Interests and Skills Survey. Click here for more information on the CISS^¨.

What the Letters Mean

The letter names of the sixteen types ("INFJ," for example) are based on four pairs of letters-E-I, S-N, T-F, and J-P-that represent the four Jung-Myers dimensions of personality. Each pair of letters forms a spectrum, and thus no single letter should be taken as naming a type of person (there are no "Extraverts" or "Thinkers," etc., as such). A personality is a complex unity of traits, and these letters merely suggest stronger or weaker tendencies in a person's overall makeup. The pairs of letters stand for the following concepts:

E = Extraversion                   I = Introversion
S = Sensation                      N = Intuition
T = Thinking                        F = Feeling
J = Judgment                       P = Perception

Your Keirsey Temperament Sorter II Results

(E) Extraversion	3						7	Introversion (I)
(S) Sensation	3						7	Intuition (N)
(F) Feeling	3						7	Thinking (T)
(J) Judgment	5						5	Perception (P)

Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I)
(Your E-I Graph)

The terms "Extraversion" and "Introversion" describe two widely different social styles. People who score high in Extraversion on the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II tend to be gregarious and expressive; those scoring high on Introversion tend to be private and reserved.

People strong in Extraversion seem more comfortable socializing with groups than being alone. They report that they are energized-charged up, fired up-by contact with other people. They usually have a large circle of friends, and are happy to approach others, even strangers, and talk to them, finding this an easy and pleasant thing to do, something that makes them feel alive. Quiet and seclusion actually exhaust such persons, and they report feelings of loneliness (or power drain) when not in contact with others.

On the other hand, people prone to Introversion seem more comfortable alone than in a crowd. They draw energy from private, solitary activities, reading, listening to music, working by themselves on their latest project or favorite hobby. They tend to have a few, long-time friends, and can remain in contact with larger groups only so long before their energies are depleted. If required by their job, family, or social responsibilities to be outgoing or on stage-to make a great social effort-they are soon exhausted and need "down time" in quiet places to rest and recharge their batteries.

Remember, however, that no one is simply an "Extravert" or an "Introvert." These terms are end points on the E-I scale, with most everyone falling somewhere in between, having in their makeup a mixture of these two social styles. Also, different tasks or roles at work or in the family can bring out more Extraversion or Introversion in a person. This dimension of personality, more than the other three, is fluid and situational.

A graph of the scores of other test takers at the AdvisorTeam.com web site is shown below, with your score shown by the red arrow.

Sensory (S) vs. Intuitive (N)
(Your S-N Graph)

The S-N scale on the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II differentiates between two distinct worlds of human interest or focus. People with a high Sensory score pay more attention to what is going on outside themselves in the world of concrete things; people with a high Intuitive score pay more attention to what is going on inside themselves in the abstract world of ideas.

Sensory people (the vast majority, maybe 85%) seem more at home in the physical, material world, where they spend their time looking after the business of everyday living-food and clothing, transportation and shelter, job and family, recreation and social life. With their eye on reality, they tend to see all the particulars of what is right in front of them, focusing on what is happening in the here and now, or what has happened in the past, rather than speculating about what might be or what would happen if. These are practical, down-to-earth people who want facts, trust facts, and remember facts, and who deal with situations as they are. They believe in common sense and that experience is the best teacher.

In contrast, people strongly Intuitive seem more at home in the abstract, conceptual world of ideas-inferences, theories, daydreams, musings, speculations, symbols-all those things that can only be seen with the mind's eye. Focused as they so often are in their internal world, these persons can miss a great deal of what's going on right around them; for them, reality is not solid and present, but is more a mental image, or a stage of development toward some future ideal. The possible is always in front of these people: whatever "is" can be better, and they are fascinated by hypotheses and potentials. Because they listen so intently to their inner voice, even from an early age, they often seem to have "their head in the clouds," absorbed in their vivid and complex imaginations. The S-N scale measures the most fundamental of the four dimensions of personality-it's the first cut, so to speak, in evaluating type. But this does not mean that it's an "either-or" proposition. Intuitive persons certainly turn outward at times and pay attention to the world at large; it's just that they are far more inclined to become preoccupied with their ideas. And of course Sensory persons do sometimes look inward to ponder and to dream, but for the most part their flights of imagination lag well behind their real-world observations. Neither type can be in both worlds at once, and each will usually show a clear preference for one over the other.

A graph of the scores of other test takers at the AdvisorTeam.com web site is shown below, with your score shown by the red arrow.

Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
(Your T-F Graph)

The T-F scale assesses how people govern themselves and make decisions. We all have both thoughts and feelings, of course, but those who score high on Thinking tend to use their head, while those scoring high on Feeling tend to follow their heart.

People given to Thinking are more comfortable with an impersonal, objective basis for action. They can be critical and exacting, both with themselves and others, and they are convinced only by hard data and sound reasons. They tend to be frank and straightforward, willing to speak their minds and stick to their guns even if it causes conflict with others. And they are tough-minded in their decisions, preferring to keep their emotions and desires as much as possible out of the process. They have powerful feelings, certainly, but a strong show of emotion usually embarrasses them. And so, rather than appear to be losing self-control, they keep their feelings in check, even at the risk of seeming hard-nosed or cold.

People prone to Feeling, in contrast, are more comfortable with a personal, emotional basis for what they do. When considering their course, they consult their feelings first and always show concern for others. These people are sympathetic and sentimental, and can be swayed by powerful desire or a touching appeal. And they are softhearted when making decisions, basing their choices on gentle, kindly considerations, hoping never to hurt anyone's feelings. They may not have more or deeper emotions than those on the Thinking end of the scale, but they let their feelings show more easily, and this makes them seem warmer and friendlier, and so usually gives them an easier time getting along with others.

A graph of the scores of other test takers at the AdvisorTeam.com web site is shown below, with your score shown by the red arrow.

Judgment (J) vs. Perception (P)
(Your J-P Graph)

The J-P scale measures how people process information and arrange their lives. Those who score high on Judgment tend to make up their mind quickly and commit to schedules, while those scoring high on Perception prefer to keep their options open and their timetables flexible.

People strong in Judgment waste no time forming opinions or drawing conclusions. They report they feel a sense of urgency until a decision is made, and can rest only after everything is settled, with all loose ends tied up. Closure or finality is important to them, as is orderly procedure. They are quick to make schedules, agendas, timetables, and so on, for themselves and others to follow. They tend to establish deadlines and to take them seriously, expecting others to do the same. They are comfortable with routines, and are willing to do all sorts of maintenance and cleaning up after a task, just because these are necessary to see the job through to its conclusion. Neatness also counts. These people are unhappy when their personal space-workplace, house, car-is a mess, and straightening things up is often near the top of their list.

For their part, people given to Perception tend to keep their eyes open, gathering information and looking for opportunities and alternatives that might be available to them. They feel no hurry to nail things down, or settle on a finished product, but prefer to explore the possibilities and just see what happens. These people are often playful and spontaneous in action. Schedules make them feel hurried and over-controlled, and they tend to look upon deadlines as mere reminders to get on with the job. Also, they prefer their work to be enjoyable and to the purpose. If their task is mere routine maintenance or clean up, they may balk at doing it, or leave it to someone else. Easy-going, even somewhat impulsive, these people are usually quite tolerant of mess. Their personal spaces are often cluttered with an assortment of things they have picked up, used, then dropped and forgotten about.

A graph of the scores of other test takers at the AdvisorTeam.com web site is shown below, with your score shown by the red arrow.