Type E
Enterprising
Enterprising work moves people and money toward a goal. Someone has to set the direction, make the case and take the risk.
People with a strong Enterprising pull like to be where decisions get made. They are comfortable asking for the sale, disagreeing in the meeting and acting before every fact is in. A goal with a number attached tends to wake them up.
Founders, sales leaders and managers are the clear examples. Lawyers, real estate agents, fundraisers and restaurant managers also draw on this type. Preparation varies widely: some sales careers open with little formal study, while many senior roles depend on a degree and a record of results.
The pressure is real, and results can be public. If you score high here, look for roles where you control enough of the outcome to make the pressure fair, and watch for those that hand you the target without the authority.
What tends to energize
- Clear goals and visible scores
- Convincing people who started out unsure
- Authority to decide
- Competition and momentum
What tends to drain
- Slow approvals
- Detail work with no decision at the end
- Roles with no way to move up
On the compass, Enterprising sits between Social and Conventional, the two types it has most in common with. Investigative sits directly across from it.
Careers led by Enterprising
99 occupations in our library have Enterprising as their top interest. A sample across preparation levels:
- Real Estate Sales AgentsECS · Some preparation
- Retail SalespersonsECR · Some preparation
- Food Service ManagersECR · Some preparation
- First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling ServicesECS · Some preparation
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersECS · Some preparation
- Chefs and Head CooksERC · Medium preparation
- Spa ManagersECS · Medium preparation
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersECS · Medium preparation
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersECS · Medium preparation
- Advertising Sales AgentsECA · Medium preparation
- Financial ManagersECS · Considerable preparation
- General and Operations ManagersECS · Considerable preparation
- Human Resources ManagersECS · Considerable preparation
- Marketing ManagersECI · Considerable preparation
- Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersECS · Considerable preparation
- LawyersECI · Extensive preparation
- Chief ExecutivesECS · Extensive preparation
- Investment Fund ManagersECI · Extensive preparation
- Chief Sustainability OfficersEIC · Extensive preparation
- Architectural and Engineering ManagersEIC · Extensive preparation
See all 99 Enterprising careers
Find your own mix
Most people lean toward two or three types. The test shows yours.
The other types
Occupation lists use information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.