ESTP: MBTI® personality profile
ESTP personality types are energetic, enthusiastic and easily adaptable, and like to make work fun.
This introduction to the ESTP personality type, based on the Myers-Briggs® Step I personality assessment, can help ESTPs to understand how they interact with others, and what careers they might enjoy
ESTP strengths
ESTPs motivate others by bringing energy into situations. They apply common sense and experience to problems, quickly analysing what is wrong and then fixing it, often in an inventive or resourceful way.
Potential development areas for ESTPs
ESTP people may have difficulty in managing their time, and may lose interest in long, complex projects. Being so focused on immediate problems may lead to them ignoring long-term systematic problems, and they may also be uncomfortable discussing or focusing on relationships.
Typical ESTP characteristics
ESTPs are typically analytical, outgoing and enthusiastic as well as logical and they tend to be observant and resourceful.
The most common characteristics are shown here in the form of a fun Typie, which you can download and share.
ESTP careers & career ideas
ESTPs enjoy taking risks, managing crises and putting out fires. They work best surrounded by active, task-oriented people in an environment that is immediate and focused on the project. ESTPs are likely to be attracted to jobs in the protective services, agriculture, manufacturing and marketing. More insight about ESTP jobs can be found in Introduction to Type and Careers.
ESTPs under stress
An ESTP will typically become stressed in the situations shown in this MBTI stress head illustration. In these circumstances you will tend to be withdrawn, distracted and paranoid, with feelings of chronic anxiety. Download and share* this ESTP stress head to remind yourself and your colleagues about the things that stress ESTPs.
ESTP relationships
An ESTP truly loves life and they immerse themselves in it, their partners see them as adventurous risk-takers as well as pragmatic troubleshooters, however they might be impatient with exploration of relationships.
Read our blog post on "What if your date is not your type?!"
Fun ways to share ESTP characteristics:
- Explore what kind of drink, sport or shoes we think depicts an ESTP personality
- Discover more ways to characterise the ESTP personality on our Fun ways to share your type page
- Already have your MBTI Step II profile? Create your Personal Typie
- Read more on our blog about how aspects of Type dynamics are captured in each Type