INTP Profile of Interests - The Logical Personality Type

The INTP personality type is the Analyst. About 4 percent of people (in the U.S.) are INTPs . Being an INTP means that you have the personality profile

(I)ntroverted
I(N)tuitive
(T)hinking
(P)erceiving

You (I)ntrovert your attention and focus on your inner world and you actually love your time alone. You are energized through reflection on information, ideas, concepts, etc.

By your i(N)tuition you have your own take on concepts, theories and future possibilities. You also like to have a plan ahead of time, while not in detail; putting that off until later.

(T)hinking means you are conscientious and your decisions are based on logical analysis and objectivity. Some may think your observations are quite knowledgeable.

You exhibit your (P)erceiving through adaptability and flexibility. You desire and have quite an openness to new information and knowledge.

Is This Your Personality Type?

Are you a logical INTP? Have you ever had employee screening and taken a "personality type test for employees"? If not and you want to know what your myers briggs personality type is, here's a free place to start.

7 Recommended Job Parameters for the INTP Employee

INTPs find work more satisfying where you have these parameters included in your job.

1. Time to carry out necessary investigation before action is to be taken, hopefully by someone else
2. Independence to seek input and comments from those few of your chosing
3. Supervisor with established credentials who also recognizes and utilizes your expertise
4. Exercise understanding of inconsistencies and explanation of complex technical, economic or political problems
5. Challenge of rigorous thinking and analysis
6. Definition of words, concepts and systems to define and convey solutions
7. Limited social requirements and responsibilities

These parameters are based on the INTP personality's natural abilities and interests. Go here for 5 job hunting tips.

Some Natural Abilities of INTPs

Natural abilities that INTPs use to achieve job satisfaction, and which define your natural strengths, are like the following. You would be more effective in jobs that incorporate these abilities (listed in alphabetical order).

INTPs Love to Problem-solve

INTPs especially enjoy theoretical or scientific pursuits. You like solving problems with logic and analysis. Mainly you are interested in ideas, with little liking for parites or small talk, and often take on the role of analyst.

You find satisfaction in making sense of concepts, and the world; enjoying, expressing, living through independent thought. Whether the new piece of data is an article, drawing, a plan, scheme, thought, or theory, you INTPs expend all effort to put the pieces together into a complete picture.  You then expand that picture with new pieces you continually discover through your great powers of concentration.

You therefore hold open all thoughts, ideas, and plans, however final they seem, to further last-minute changes when "new data," from either your inner or outer world, become available. This is particularly exciting to you INTPs!

3 Interest Areas of INTPs

In another article I explain six areas of interest and those compatible to the INTP personality usually involve Investigative, Realistic and Artistic (or IRA). The combination of the three interests can be expressed as "looking for unique insights into the universe". Your Investigative interests are expressed in your independence, curiosity and desire to learn. Your Realistic interests are expressed in your thrift, persistence, practicality, traditional values and common sense. The Artistic interest is seen in an independent flexibility and idealism, and also in a creative approach to tasks.

You INTPs thrive on your ideas and the imaginative you see, and find it most satisfying when you can find a hole in a theory, even if it is your own.

Caution!

You INTPs with your inner reflectiveness explore all sorts of imaginative possibilities, yet you can appear to be like the absentminded professor, seeming to know less than you really do (particularly you females). You might get excited about last-minute "new data," but some may become very frustrated when this means yet another change when they thought plans were settled.

What's worse is you will exhibit a pattern of anxiety symptoms particular to the INTP personality. Your balanced cool approach of aloof objectivity can get knocked out of balance when confronted with strong emotional expressions, your values are violated or lose the privacy you need.

This isn't too bad if you can manage to get relief from these stressors and get back into balance, however, if relief is not found, it gets worse! When you INTPs lose your objectivity you go extreme. You overreact with cutting sarcasm and are vague and distracted. Out of character you may also become hyper-logical and hypersensitive to relationships and emotionalism. By that point (if not before) you INTPs must take drastic measures to get back into balance. You must find peace and get distance from others and their questions, and reduce your responsibilities (for the time being).

BUT, since you INTPs do want to get back into the intellectual forray, you will regain your balanced objective, adaptable selves once again. Useful thinking is your motivation. INTPs driven by analysis of information and your continual search for new information will draw you into the discovery of new ideas once again. The trick is to keep yourselves in balance and manage your call to understand the universe with life's priorities.