How to Identify an INTJ Part 2 (Or, Where are “They” – We – Hiding?)

While my blog is not specifically devoted to the subject of the INTJ personality nor the MBTI, the majority of queries come through from people seeking information on the INTJ personality type. Ironically, a “tongue-in-cheek” picture I posted obtains the most hits: How to Identify an INTJ Female (or A Compliment To INTJ Women). It must be because of the title – so I thought I should flush out the subject since I can’t believe people are looking for that picture or my witty sense of humor.

The picture depicts a woman not typed as the other women in the picture – all of whom are identical. She is also fully clothed and reading a book. She is not overly made-up and you cannot discern her figure. She is attractive.

INTJ women represent less than 1% of the population. While I know more than several INTJ women, I have a few that I consider good friends. They are all extremely intelligent, attractive, very indecisive about clothing, wear minimal makeup, and their figures vary, but all are healthy women. All of us have developed a dress code, if one is not dictated by work, so we don’t have to make the decision of what to wear in the morning. We don’t want to worry or care about it. Make-up is minimal, as is hair care, unless we are going to an “event” – then we make an appointment with a professional. (We know what we know.)

Where are we working?  One is a surgeon, another an OB, 1 in research labs, a computer analyst, and a consultant for medical analytics, and an army reserve pusher-around-person for public health. Those are my personal INTJ female friends. Blog world has brought more to my world and they include writers, doctors who are authors of fiction, military people who push others around…that come to mind off the top of my head. Oh, I am not counting any of my siblings. We’ll leave them for another day.

The men I know that are INTJ’s – 1 is a practicing surgeon in a specialized field, 1 a doctor in a teaching facility, 2 are teaching college, 1 is an Aeronautical Engineer, and the two in their early 20’s, college students, one is going into law, the other engineering. One is my son.

Logically, then, you would find an INTJ women in a field of study that complements her personality. She is intelligent and wants to be able to utilize her skills. Granted, not all of us stick to the script! I deviated from the path and went into pharmaceutical sales in my early twenties. (I would not look there for an INTJ, however – my boss bucked the system at the time, recognizing the value of introverts. He did well as did we. And that is how I ended up in management receiving my first MBTI evaluation, shocking the consultants, because they had never seen “one of you” at the level I was at.) But I watched how people did the work and made some adjustments. Typical INTJ. No sweat! J

However, another INTJ, perhaps an INFP and a few other would have noticed that I:

• Had outfits perfectly matched (and never deviated from those combinations,) as though the sales person put them together – because she did. I have no interest in that sort of thing but I know what is expected;
• May have forgotten to put makeup on that day, or perhaps had not finished putting makeup on;
• May have the same style shoes but one blue and one black – oops;
• Really struggled to interact with the other reps at the large displays;
• Never remembered your name;
• Knew every fact about every product, doctor, nurse, receptionist, cleaning crew, purchasing agent, pharmacist, clerk, tech, elevator operator (except their name) … and hospital – and had no problem sharing it with you when you asked, ironically only about the doctors. I knew I was getting the contract, so why not let you pay for lunch and think you were playing me.

Some people call the INTJ the “Mastermind” but I do not care for that term. The “Scientist” used at http://www.personalitypage.com is far better, I believe. We are able to see the big picture, love to work with complex theories and abstract material – and create a sense of order from it. (Our minds literally never shut down.)  But I am writing to discuss where you might find an INTJ provided an INTJ is working where she/he is best suited. Here is a list provided by Wayne State College of careers:

Careers INTJs Might Consider
Administrator	Manager
Architect	Dentist
Computer Programmer	News Writer
Electrical/Electronic Technician	Pathologist
Environmental Planner	Psychiatrist
College Professor	Neurologist
Investment/Business Analyst	Cardiologist
Biomedical Engineer	Pharmacologist
Attorney. Litigator/Commercial	Inventor
Management Consultant	Strategic Planner
Judge	Chemical Engineer
Astronomer	Scientific Researcher
Military Officer	Auditor
Psychologist	Aeronautical Engineer
City Manager	Human Resources Manager
Social Scientist	Designer
News Analyst	Photographer
Design Engineer	Computer Systems Analyst
Physical Scientist	Life Scientist
Architect	Education Consultant
Engineer	Mortgage Broker
Writer/Editor	Corrections Officer
Artist

(http://www.wsc.edu/advising_services)

And keep in mind – we have the ability to develop characteristics on the spectrum opposite of what our letters identify us as – we are not just initials. I “flex” to situations and people, and I am truly an INTJ/INTP – right now I am “stuck” in INTP mode… what I call my “analysis paralysis.”

INTJ’s will not likely be at the bar – if we are, we will be the quiet one with our friends. Or reading a book at the ball game. We love books. Have you looked at the bookstores? We may have a computer with us – that is social time – going to the bookstore or coffee shop with our computer.

Working late? Yes, we probably do.

Do we avoid eye contact when you try to make conversation? Yes? You have an INTJ! (provided all the above criteria, and then some, have been met.)

Congratulations! Now what?

Related articles

• Goodbye to MBTI, the Fad That Won’t Die (psychologytoday.com)

• Shine on Award – (or Maybe I’ll call it: The Summer Solstice and Super Moon Award)
• Trifextra: Week Seventy-Four – “Sweet and Sour Power”

Categories: INTJ and INTP

Tags: Biology, female INTJ, INTJ, INTJ Professions, INTP, MBTI, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Personality type, Psychology, Social Sciences, Wayne State College, Where are INTJ women

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