Top 10 Enneagram Type 7 careers
Careers to seek- Architect
- Interior Designer
- Chef
- Event Planner
- Personal Trainer
- Life Coach
- Pilot
- Travel Agent
- Taxi Driver
- Project Consultant
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Enneagram Type 7 careers can be a whirlwind of activity. A Type 7 has an endless supply or creative ideas, they can always be counted upon to make the job more fun and interesting. They are quick thinkers, dynamic communicators, and superb multi-taskers. At times they can be a little too blunt, unrealistic in their expectations, and short on follow-through. Attention to detail is not their strongest attribute, and they often get bored with routine work. Many Type Sevens pride themselves on leading by example and motivating others to give their best efforts.
Flexibility is crucial for the success and happiness of any Type 7 employee. Informal organizational cultures are much preferred, as Type Sevens are more comfortable with guidelines than hard rules. Routines can be tolerated as long as there is wiggle room and activities are changed up from time to time. These employees are at their best in environments where their curiosity is piqued and their creativity is stimulated. Masters of the quick fix, they thrive when presented with problems to solve.
These employees are at their best in environments where their curiosity is piqued and their creativity is stimulated.
Type Sevens are not likely to stay long in situations where their creativity and curiosity are stifled, where they are micromanaged, and where they are required to adhere to strict schedules and rules. The ideal employer will allow Type Sevens to create their own roles, fulfil multiple diverse responsibilities, and make lateral moves as well as advancements.
Most Type Sevens are highly social and charismatic, and they quite enjoy working as part of a team. They have little regard for established hierarchies although they may privately rank team members in their own minds. Natural cheerleaders, they tend to be well-liked and respected by their colleagues and they easily advance to leadership roles. They can be somewhat manipulative when motivated by a private agenda. When given the freedom to do so, they have been known to frequently create and change the rules, if only to keep things interesting.
Natural cheerleaders, they tend to be well-liked and respected by their colleagues and they easily advance to leadership roles.
Many Type Sevens can work independently, especially if they are intensely interested in the topic at hand. As they are typically far more interested in planning and starting projects than seeing them through to the last detail, it may be better not to leave them entirely alone with the full scope of a large project. Short timelines are best.
How to best encourage an Enneagram Type 7 - Type Sevens work best with managers who establish broad guidelines rather than strict rules and allow subordinates to creatively pursue topics of interest. These employees expect the people around them, especially those entrusted with authority, to maintain a positive outlook. Dedicated problem solvers, they grow frustrated when they feel that their ideas are ignored. They may have difficulty taking “no” for an answer when they want to try something new.
As managers, Type Sevens prefer to motivate employees and lead by example rather than to lay down the law.
As managers, Type Sevens prefer to motivate employees and lead by example rather than to lay down the law. They expect a high degree of independence and resourcefulness of all team members. Employees will note a low tolerance for complaining when problems arise, and Type Seven leaders can become impatient when issues aren't resolved immediately. Valued employees of Type Sevens are often treated to a broad range of opportunities for advancement and skill development.
Figure 1: Most popular employment sector for Enneagram Type 7
Results from our self-report survey on career choices for Type 7s. By surveying Type 7s in existing jobs we gain a suggestion of which careers this type is most suited to.
What this chart shows
The most popular Enneagram Type 7 career path from our survey was 'Finance - Other'. When we compare this to how all types responded, we see there is a higher than average proportion of Type 7s in sectors such as 'Finance - Other', 'Technology - Services', 'Education', and 'Manufacturing' for example. There is a lower than average proportion of Type 7s in sectors such as 'Automotive/Aerospace', 'Telecommunications' and 'Insurance' for example.
Notes:So far we've broken down the structures and environments that suit Type Sevens, but you may be thinking 'what kind of job should the Enneagram Type 7 do?'. Well, there are certain careers that are better suited to the traits and behaviors of Type 7s. Here we will list the best and the worst careers for Type Sevens.
Note: These career role recommendations are based on what is the best fit for a Type Seven. However, this does not mean that a career in the public sector working as a librarian would not work for you. That will depend on the managerial style, other team members and the company values.
University of Chichester, Advanced Applied Psychology
Chloe Yarwood, MSc in Advanced Applied Psychology from University of Chichester. Specialist in personality type theory and developing valid personality questionnaires.