P E R S O N A L I T Y   6 J

ESFJ -- The Giver [Provider]

"Public service" is the hallmark of the ESFJ. Naturally sociable, ESFJs tend to gravitate toward careers in sales and local politics, where they can interact usefully with as many persons as possible.

For the ESFJ, life is about people. Mixing, mingling, and helping when- and wherever possible are the lifeblood of the ESFJ, who is happiest when being useful to large numbers of people. ESFJs can be counted on to remember anniversaries, and enjoy celebrating events with family and friends, where they will make sure that plenty of good food and drink are available.

ESFJs can usually be found in business positions which let them be of value to others, but they also make time to volunteer in their communities. This interest in public service is part of a keen desire to actively maintain social standards. All of the Sensing-Judging types are concerned with preserving traditional standards; the ESFJ expresses this concern in the form of "shoulds" and "should nots." At work, at home, in schools and in civic groups, ESFJs have lists of rules which they believe should be followed. And because most ESFJs tend to be respectful, loyal, friendly, outgoing and genuinely considerate, other types find themselves (sometimes to their surprise) willing to try to make the ESFJ happy.

Where ESFJs can run into trouble is when they feel their efforts are not appreciated. Over the short term, they become unhappy, but continue to try to serve others even if it means overwork. In time, though, an ESFJ will eventually "snap," taking out his or her frustrations on anyone in the vicinity. This can also happen as a result of ESFJs taking blame on themselves for problems they didn't cause and can't solve. At such time, ESFJs can become pessimistic and gloomy, certain that disaster is about to strike.

This tendency to consider the worst alternatives makes ESFJs the natural preservers of the good things in life. Their concern for how bad things can get ensures that they will always have a little something saved up when life--as it inevitably does--takes a turn for the worse. It may never get as bad as the ESFJ fears, but if does, he or she will be ready.

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