How to have a successful job interview as an ‘ESFP’ personality type: The Entertainer

This week’s personality series article is all about the ESFP type, also known as The Entertainer. There is always room for improvement when it comes to job seeking, we are constantly learning more about ourselves and these articles are designed to help you analyse those findings and see where you can work on improving for interviews. Take this advice and tailor it to you and your experiences, everyone is different and no one thing works for everyone. If this personality type isn’t relevant for you, head over to the Career and Advice section to find the right one for you.

ESFP’s are natural charmers and easily engage the people around them. They have a high energy and are generally fun-loving people. They tend to be talkative and have this as a strength when it comes to interviews. This personality doesn’t tend to get as nervous as other people (not to say it doesn’t happen) but confidence plays a huge role in their success.

What does ESFP mean?

Extraverted – An ESFP type is more likely to feel energised and motivated when their time is spent with others apposed to spending it alone. This doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t enjoy time alone but being around people can help keep them focused and happy.

Sensing – They focus their opinions and actions around facts rather than ideas and concepts. They are driven by proof and what is in front of them.

Feeling – They often make decisions based on their feelings and values.

Perceiving – The Entertainer is likely to be someone that prefers to be flexible with their time and what they do with it, instead of sticking to a schedule or plan. Organisation can be overthrown with spontaneity.

ESFP’s are also referred to as The Entertainer because of their lust for life. They tend to engage the people around them with enthusiasm, whether that be in their own personal life or at work. Having such an engaging personality can motivate the people around you, people notice your attitude and it can be infectious. Someone with this personality type is likely to be a very positive person, someone who likes to push the negatives away, but this can sometimes be a bad trait to have. 

They like to keep busy, filling their days with activities and their hobbies. They don’t really like to plan ahead but are very likely to always have a full day worth of activities. Sometimes, maybe too much to do. Although they are very fun-loving people, they do understand their responsibilities and work very hard to reach their goals.

Strengths of an ESFP?

Supportive – A lot of the time, The Entertainer can be the centre of attention, it’s just who they are. However, they never try to keep the spotlight on them, they like to include everyone and ensure that the people around them are getting just as much credit as they are. They enjoy social interaction and this personality type is usually very good at working in a team orientated environment. They like to work collaboratively and praise their teammates. They understand that a team effort needs to be celebrated and acknowledged, not just as an individual’s success. What kind of employer isn’t looking for this quality? The fact that you work well and embrace and push your team to achieve, is a great quality to talk about during an interview.

Able to look on the positive side of things – Although we all talk about having our ‘dream’ job, not everything we do, and every day is going to go swimmingly. There are going to be hurdles along the way and being able to find the positive, even when things look a bit gloomy, is a personality trait a lot of people wish they had. Being able to find the light at the end of the tunnel can help team morale, help you find a solution to your problem and overall, keep you feeling mentally happy with your work. ESFP’s tend to believe that the bright side is the only one worth looking at. Not always 100% true, but it allows them to find new opportunities and be innovative when they need.

Practical workers – ESFP’s always try and find the positive, but they do still live in the real world. They have the determination needed to secure their goals and are willing to put in all of the work to get there. They take real circumstances into account and try to work around them. Yes, employers want positive thinking, but they want someone who can work with it and find a solution. A lot of ESFP’s have this trait and it is a strength you should be mentioning in an interview. This is a perfect answer to the ‘What is your greatest strength?’ interview question because it aligns well and gives you the perfect opportunity for you to use an example to back up your answer.

Weaknesses

Easily bored – Every job will have days that just aren’t that exciting. It happens to us all and we ESFP’s tend to have a need to be constantly busy and excited about something. It can be hard for this personality type to hold their focus when they are doing something they find ‘less motivating’ or boring. ­Not every day in a job will be exciting but being able to hold your focus and get the work done, even when you may find it boring is important. Employers look for consistency across all aspects of a role.

Sensitivity – The Entertainer likes to include everyone and can be very good at bringing a team together. However, when someone they work with may not agree with them or their ideas, they can become very sensitive about it. Their work is often something they are passionate about and if someone criticises that, even constructively, they can be easily offended.

How can you work on these to improve and develop as a professional?

Taking some time to analyse your behaviour and understand why you do certain things; can help you learn what you need to do to improve yourself and your interview technique. Employers will often ask you about your strengths and weaknesses in an interview and understanding them will not only give you some good and honest answers, but it can help you work on them to become a better employee and individual.

The ESFP personality type tends to be very motivated and ‘in the moment’. However, sometimes it is good to think a little in advance to ensure there is nothing you forget along the way. Think about your goals, write lists and ideas on how to achieve them and work for something long-term.

Try not to take things to personally. The people you work with are probably only just trying to help you and expand on your ideas, not completely disregard them. When your work is your passion, it can be easy to take offence, but it will better you as a person if you take the time to listen to their suggestions.

Make sure that you shine your light wherever you go. The ESFP type is very talkative, bright and most of the time, funny. Workplaces need someone to bring a little positivity and hold onto yours. There are so many positive things about you, and you should embrace them. You’re probably already pretty confident at talking about your strengths in interviews but take time to understand your weaknesses and let the employer know you understand where you need improvement. It shows dedication to not only the job role, but to yourself and your professional development.