JDQ Radar showing the typical personality type demands made in a career in teaching.
Key: darker areas indicate high demand, lighter ones less demand. That is, if your personality type is a darker area, then this career matches your personality.
Below you will find comments by people in this career. They were asked to rate their job (out of 6) and what they liked or did not like about their job. Their comments are sorted by the rating they assigned. The actual job title they gave is in brackets with, if provided, the personality type they declared.
Rating 6/6
Like: interaction with people, ideas, flexibility & variety of role; vision building & putting into action Dislike: over burdensome paperwork (Head of a senior school - ENFJ)
I love my job and the business of it. I don’t like when people are out unexpectedly because they feel like be out (Administrative Assistant - ENFP)
i love developing student’s skills and watching the enthusiasm grow. (art teacher - ENFP)
Too much paperwork no consistency (Lecturer - ENFP)
inefficient line manager (re-integration officer - ENFP)
I love hanging out with kids and being creative. I love the challenge. I love the sense of accomplishment I get. (teacher - ENFP)
Can not please everyone. Very emotionally demanding. Little positive feedback. (Principal - ENTP)
I serve society and enjoy it. (teacher - ENTP)
Like: interact with people, never a routine, always challenged, I feel good and students too Dislike: discipline issue, lack of time to cover curriculum (high school teacher - ESFJ)
Difficult to help people understand and accept change (Math Coach - INFP)
I love teaching. I love researching. I like law and computers. (Law Professor - INTJ)
freedom to teach what and how I feel is important to INDIVIDUALS using their level of understanding and interests as a guide. (homeschooling mother of three - INTP)
Likes-Working with young people who are inspirational Likes-Helping pupils rech their goals Dislike -Adhering to a curriculum that may be inappropriate for some. Dislike-Not having enough time to get things done to my personal standards. (English -Media Studies Teacher - ISFJ)
I like helping others learn by designing real-world teaching strategies and learning activities. (Faculty - ISFJ)
I love every minute of it. I enjoy helping children learn. (Assistant for ESE Child)
working with people/ every day is different/ the challenge - likes (depute head teacher)
I like working with the youth and giving my testimony of accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. (Substitute Teacher - ENFJ)
I like that I can determine what I teach. (Lecturer/co-ordinator)
i like music (Music Teacher)
Love seeing students blossom! (Nurse/Nursing Assistant Instructor)
planning, opportunity to work toward future goals, research, challenging problems, working with competent staff (physics technician)
I love to be able to guide the students, and change their lives. However, uncooperative students may drain my energy. (Student, part-time Teacher)
helping others to learn (teacher)
Like facilitating learning (Teacher)
Rating 5/6
No opportunity for advancement no special recognition (College Professor - ENTJ)
I like the sense of achievement when children remembers something I taught them, I dislike the lack of discipline amongst them. (French tutor - ENTP)
working wit hteeenagers, encouraging them and raising their aspirations (college lecturer - ESFJ)
Enjoy variety, dislike sole responsibility for generating business (driving instructor - ESFJ)
my boss The stress Not being a direst answer to a problem (Nursery nurse - ESFJ)
dislike paperwork (pastoral care worker - ESFJ)
DISLIKE: Unclear expectations from superiors Lack of consistency among staff- too many part time teachers in and out of the room Lack of resources Low pay LIKE: Establishing relationships with children and families Nurturing Watching children grow and learn Helping children to learn (Preschool Teacher - ESFJ)
I enjoy working in a team of people and enjoy working with the children. I dislike the amount of work and stress that comes with the job. (School Teacher - ESFJ)
I like personal interaction, making a difference, helping people, sharing what I love. I dislike the beaureacracy, inadequate funds and supplies, and the limited pay advancement. (Elementary Teacher - ESFP)
Class control (PE Aid & Fitness Instructor - ESFP)
I am able to shape the youth into strong individuals. I feel that I need more than just teaching, maybe a side job that will give me the feeling of importance or feeling that is content with the impression given to the world. (Science Teacher - ESTJ)
I love my job (teaching yoga and training teachers - INFJ)
I like helping students learn. (English teacher - INFP)
meeting new people with different values and ideas (graduate student - INFP)
conflict with colleagues, students and parents (high school english teacher - INFP)
Dislike the unilateral changes made without consideration of my efforts. Like the flexibility of my position. (Lead Legal Instructor - INTJ)
Not feeling valued for what I do. Reporting to people who have a different style from me and don’t like the way I do things. deadlines, (elementary special education teacher - ISFP)
Dislikes: Not enough time to get everything done properly Always have to plan how to fill the time Having to make constant presentations/making material entertaining Likes: Work on my own, with collaboration when necessary Good combination of creativity and formula Many different activities during the day (Teacher - ISTJ)
Situations where I have to react instantaniously to inappropriate behaviour (Teacher - ISTJ)
I dislike grading the assignments. I enjoy teaching the subject. (Faculty - ISTP)
like people, dislike workload (Outreach educator - ISTP)
Being with people Being organised Teaching Being creative (Art teacher)
I like interacting with kids, having fun in my job and learning how to be better at it. I also like trying new things and helping people learn and improve. I dislike the times Iwhen have nothing to do, not given responsibility or when my co-workers are unorganised. (Assistant Language Teacher)
high demands (classroom teacher)
Enjoy interacting and teaching people a skill (Dance Teacher)
I like working with a team of other teachers. I dislike having to do so much planning. I don’t like how my boss doesn’t respect or value us. (Daycare Teacher)
Freedom to choose, plan, mange my own time. Wait for other people to get things done. (Education co-ordinator)
pay (instructional assistant)
salary (instructor)
LIke: ideas, discussion, learning. Dislike: admin (Lecturer)
I like most of it; particularly one-on-one, where it is far easier to determine how much someone actually understands. I dislike the grading the most. (math teacher)
I love kids. (Pre-School Teacher/Childcare)
variety, personal challenge, ongoing learning; dislike meetings, paperwork, bureaucratic impositions (primary teacher)
like—working with people, troubleshooting, thinking on my feet, providing workshops, developing program and strategies with colleagues dislike - record-keeping and paperwork; working with ineffective, yet pushy colleagues (professional developer of teachers)
I like explaining concepts to others I dislike managing the behaviour of students (science teacher)
financial security (strength coach)
too much paper work (teacher)
Would like to be able to do more actual teaching as opposed to more of a care giver (teacher assistant one on one)
I like thw pupils , the variety but not the being put upon or coverung for sick and inadequate colleagues (teacher with responsibilties)
Rating 4/6
I enjoy facilitating learning. I disslike the political aspect as well as the gossip. (Elementary Teacher - ENFP)
I dislike having to force people to do what they don’t want to do (high school teacher - ENFP)
like working young people, sport, seeing progress, making relationships, keeping fit. (physical education teacher - ENFP)
low respect low pay lack of resources lack of collaboration with administration (Dept. Chair - ENTJ)
disorganised people (Fashion Teachers - ENTJ)
Dislike administration, bureaucracy, little flexibility and freedom. Like interaction with students and others, social aspects, learning environment. (Lecturer - ENTJ)
i like that the job involves workshops (Trainer - ENTJ)
like flexability - dislike structure (community worker - ENTP)
high demands (classroom teacher - ESFJ)
I like the hours and I love working with children, but I dislike the discipline problems that I have in my classroom and the stress that comes with it. (Teacher - ESFJ)
I love working with others and with children. I like to be a key part of helping the children grow and develop and helping them learn new things. I don’t like that I don’t get to do much organising. I love to organise events which i don’t do at preschool. (Early Childhood Teacher - ESFP)
keeping all employees happy and motivated is difficult. (headteacher - ESFP)
Planning and paper work (PE Teacher - ESFP)
Needless paperwork (Teaching - ESFP)
teaching: dislike: no immediate or continuous results (success); work also at home; temporary languitidy of adult students like: share the success translator: work from home (like and dislike), dislike: have to solve everything on my own like: work according to my own schedule (teaching English as a foreign language and translator - ESTJ)
like interaction with children and dislike interaction with coworkers who gossip,suck up to the boss and lack imagination (preschool educator - INFJ)
I like coming up with creative ways to help my students understand a concept. I like creating learning resources. I dislike dealing with behaviour problems. (special education teacher - INFJ)
I dislike constant disruptions, disappointment, and desrespectful students. I enjoy fun projects, positive students, and some of the silliness. I also enjoy learning everyday. (teacher - INFJ)
lazy students (teacher - INFJ)
long hours doesn’t stop no privacy (Special Education Teacher - INFP)
Like working directly with children Hate trying to make everyone happy when in consulting position-too many personalities to deal with and accomodate to (therapy consultant - INTJ)
i like the teaching of children (primary school teacher - INTP)
Likes: Working with others, helping kids see and reach their potential, bringing up new ideas, meeting goals, thinking up and implementing new ways of communicating and using information, techniques, and ideas, and assessing the success of these new ways Dislikes: need to run a tight ship, feel a lack of room for mistakes/ no room for error, need to put the group above the individual, multiple unrelated goals imposed upon me (High School Science Teacher - ISFP)
Like unpredictability and challenge. Dislike many of the homes I must visit (teaching homebound students - ISFP)
I enjoy preparing & delivering lectures and the interaction with students. I enjoy explaining different methods of solving problems to others and helping them make connections with the material. I enjoy coming up with creative assignments and the process of writing tests and updating information on course websites. I love different aspects of curriculum development and finding creative uses of technology aimed at student success. I do not like grading papers or taking time to fill out attendance reports. (College Math Instructor - ISTJ)
I like working with technology and organizing the lab activities for the students. I dislike the lack of respect and immaturity of the students. (middle school technology lab facilitator - ISTJ)
The paperwork (computer tutor)
I love answering to myself, I enjoy teaching, but hate managing bitchy staff (Director/teacher)
There is no scope for promotion (Educational Youth Worker)
the politics, the education system as a whole (Elementary Teacher)
Dislike: unclear guidelines, no detailed descriptions of content. The need for planing ahead. (High school teacher)
meeting new student (Lecturer)
i like being independant i like helping people i don’t like the current leadership (missionary)
I like being with students and helping them achieve. I don’t like the copious amounts of paperwork and office politics (NVQ Tutor)
I like that it gives me the opportunity to work things out for myself. I dislike that the requirements for tenure (publication) require you to fit your work to a prior template, i.e. to explain how it contributes to a prior debate in the literature (I’m too much of a “P” to like that!). (Philosophy Professor)
I like most of my work as ther is a balnce between practical working and theoretical working. I work with many services and young people. I dislike sitting at my desk most of the time in an office (Study Support Manager)
Difficult behaviour from students (Teacher)
stressful creative (teacher)
I like interacting with youthful minds. I dislike that other educators and the general public do not seem to take my job as seriously as I do. (Teacher Physical Sciences)
I like the constant changes and continuous need for growth. I dislike the fact that I don’t have any power to impact a change in educational system. (Teaching English)
Rating 3/6
I enjoy sharing my knowledge and observing how the children use it. (assistant teacher - ENFJ)
I love art and working with kids, and I’m given WAY more flexibility than the other teachers. I also like that I work with EVERYONE in the school, even the maintenance men. A lot of thims, though, I feel as if most people don’t really see the relevance of my job, and although I work with everyone on some level, I’m often left out of things. The most stressful part is my salary. (art teacher - ENFP)
Details and written communication (Consultant - ENFP)
I would rather lead the class and use my ideas rather than follow the teacher’s lead. I also would rather work with older children. (teachers assistant - ENFP)
Being responsible for the success of others who may not care or be able (science teacher - ESFJ)
Policies & procedures (Training Advisor - ESFP)
I love my job when I get to help people directly or when the results are easily visible. I dislike that the majority of my working hours are spent in front of a computer with little interaction with others. (Teacher, Translator, Interpreter, Writer - ESTJ)
too much of it (lecturer - INFJ)
Do not feel successful, adequate (Teacher - INFP)
Grading papers and lesson planning (Teacher - INFP)
Currently I don’t believe I’m being treated as a valued part of the school. (Teacher of gifted students - INFP)
i like the fact that i get to interact with new people but feel i am restricting myself and need to broaden my horizons. (university professor - INFP)
like: create, analyze, succinctly identify crux of learning; work alone dislike: forced standardization without logic (workshop designer and software trainer - INFP)
I hate working in a team, but I like everything else. My hate for the team work is so extreme that it makes me dislike my job overall. (Preschool Teacher - INTJ)
Kids who don’t try, bossy co-workers, being forced to conform to rules, the same thing every day, self induced pressure of creating fun ways to teach math (Middle School Math Teacher - ISFP)
I like learning constantly, and making a difference, but I hate the constant interaction with people and no personal time. (Teacher - ISFP)
Management and administration (history teacher - ISTJ)
long hours (teacher - ISTJ)
dislike teachers (consultant)
Like: Having different students who respond differently to the same teaching approach. Dislike: Teaching the same material over and over again. (English Instructor)
My students are apathetic, and I struggle to get them to try, to behave, and to take responsibility for their education. (High School Teacher)
I like the hours but dislike the pay (Instructional Asst. Teachers aid)
It’s mundane and repetitive. (Science Teacher)
I like helping students, i like other members of my department, I dislike constant deadlines, marking and feeling not getting through to some students (teacher)
I like the human interaction, research, learning about new things, knowing that my students have learned something new. I dislike behaviour management. (Teacher)
Poor management and superficial changes in the name of PR rather than prioritising resources to identified most important needs. (Teacher)
Being responsible for the learning of so many people without set guidelines and evaluation. (Teacher of English as a second language)
Pay (Translator and Teacher)
Rating 2/6
the politics get in the way of serving the students effectively (special education teacher - ENFJ)
I hate teaching class and translating between paper plans and practical action (Student Teacher - ESTP)
having to conform (classroom teacher - INFJ)
boring (preschool teacher - INFJ)
Working with young people but not being in charge of them or organizing and planning lessons. (School Teacher - INFJ)
I hate gossip. (Teacher - INFJ)
Like - Freedom to run things my way, variety of tasks, constant learning, dealing with music Dislike - lack of appreciation and understanding from general population, lack of intellectual stimulation, isolation (Band Director - INFP)
dislike routine, like the independence (teacher - INFP)
I dislike the offfice politics and the top down management. I like autonomy and helping students. (teacher - INFP)
I like the subject I teach. I like sharing my knowledge with others. I like many of my students. I dislike disciplining students. I dislike dealing with bad behavior. (Teacher - INFP)
I dislike planning classes and grading papers. I do like talking with students one-on-one about their work and helping them to solve problems or generate ideas. I like working with technology. I dislike teaching grammar rules. I prefer to encourage students to think about their readers’ needs as they write, and I like to emphasize Rogerian rhetoric. (Writing INstructor - INFP)
paperwork (special needs teacher - INTJ)
evaluating students and being evaluated and being in the spotlight (english teacher - ISFJ)
the responsiblity for others’ success, even though they want nothing to do with me or their own success (Teacher - ISFJ)
i dont like telling the kids what to do and being assertive, i dont like having to constantly talk to people. (teacher assistant - ISFJ)
Constant interaction with pupils, no feeling that it is ever done to satisfaction, stress of constant confrontation with pupils. (Science teacher - ISTJ)
no time to work alone (teaching - ISTJ)
Lack of professional development and senior career opportunities. Being stuck in the same job for the next 30 years - get bored. Do not like kids. Do not feel profession is respected. Low pay and no benefits. Do not like having to bring work home - constantly thinking about work. Do not like sychophantic people I work with. (Teacher - ISTP)
I dislike the unreasonable structure and limitations for progress. (teaching - ISTP)
I dislike the overwhelming responsibility and lack of time to do the job. I dislike the “establishment” and structure. I like helping students to realize their many potentials. I like being creative and helping my students to be creative. (elementary school teacher)
Like: paycheck, freedom to do what I like, vacation time, interaction with others Dislike: “controlling” a class of 30, trying to teach them all the same thing when there are varying abilities, putting up with excuses/bad behaviour. Most centres around the kids, not my co-workers. (high school teacher)
I dislike the repetitive days and that I dont have a very important role in the work place.I would most definately like something more challenging. (Jewellety Sales Assistant)
Like seeing children make progress in their dev. and learning dislike constant rules and damned if you do damned if you don’t atmosphere (kindergarten teacher)
Aggression from students Being on stage performing all day to an audience (maths teacher)
The Curriculum and moaning children (primary school teacher)
I find it boring (School Teacher)
I love the class but hate the teaching of a whole class. Groups are preferable. (student teacher)
middle management (support worker)
I like teaching and working with the students. I like the vacations. I dislike having too much work from my boss and having to deal with parents. I dislike not having support from my boss. I dislike having to document everything we do in a day. (teacher)
Lack of team work (teacher)
the feeling that I can’t teach to a whole class or that I am not making an impact (teacher)
too stressful too structured not enough variety (teacher)
Dislike stress, pressure, paperwork and high expectations Like working with children, Drama, communicating with others (Teacher/Manager)
monotonous (teaching/ supervising)
Too many observations by the administration too many deadlines Students misbehavior and disrespectful (Third Grade Teacher)
changing diapers, stress of different personalities (toddler teaher)
Rating 1/6
like- autonomy dislike - interactions (science teacher - INTJ)
Its not a profession and I do not make good enough money to make a living (Day care worker watch kids)
I like most of th people. Most of us does not matter the grade can get along very well. Most of know it’s about the children because the money is not good at all. (Instructional Assistant)
i hate dealing with discipline problems and an incompetent department head (music teacher)
Bad communication between technician and academics. Too much politics and incompetance is rampant. (Senor Technician)
Dislike need for planning preparation and organization hate disciplining others competition between colleages (Teacher)
giving back to the community (teacher)
Like interacting with students Dislike lack of recognition Dislike not having my ideas heard (Teacher)
(Return to /jdq/careers/ )