How to attract and assess Debater (ENTP) candidates during the hiring process

Persuasive, energetic, and curious, ENTP personality types are known for their ability to thrive in dynamic work environments. Conversely, they can flounder when faced with rigid structures or mundane routines.

A mismatched candidate may have low productivity and poor engagement, and could cause arguments between teammates. This may lead to a disruption in team cohesion and a high employee turnover. 

But don’t worry, in this guide, we explain what makes your ENTP candidate tick, including their personality, natural skills, and workplace preferences. Plus, we’ll show how you can effectively draw these chatty innovators to your workplace. 

ENTP Candidates: Key strengths, limitations, and personality traits

ENTPs, also known as “Debaters,” are one of the 16 personality types outlined by Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung. ENTPs are characterized by their extroverted, intuitive, thinking, and perceptive personality traits. They crave intellectual debates, love to challenge norms, and are skilled at thinking outside of the box.

However, they may come across as argumentative or disorganized, and they have a tendency to procrastinate. Let’s learn more about an ENTP’s strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits. 

ENTP strengths

• Innovative thinkers. ENTPs are known for their creative approach to problem-solving. Their innovative minds enable them to come up with out-of-the-box solutions to common problems. 

• Resourceful. ENTPs can pull projects together on a shoestring. They’ll work with what they have and go above and beyond to deliver the best outcome. 

• Analytical and strategic. With natural analytical skills, ENTPs have an amazing ability to find patterns and strategize. They are skilled in looking beyond what’s in front of them to uncover insights that others may overlook.

• Great communication skills. There’s no room for crossed wires or ambiguity with ENTPs’ straight-to-the-point communication style. 

• Quick-witted and smart. ENTPs can quickly build relationships with their team using their natural humor. 

ENTP weaknesses

• Procrastinators. ENTPs are chronic procrastinators. If a task seems boring or mundane, they’ll put it off for as long as possible. 

• Disorganized. The scattered nature of the ENTP brain can translate into a lack of organization in their personal and professional lives. They may struggle to maintain order or structure in their work and surroundings. 

• Argumentative. True to their name, ENTPs love a good debate. However, they can come across as argumentative and even aggressive to more reserved personality types. 

• Struggle with routine tasks. Your ENTP employees may find the day to day mundane, and might struggle to complete routine tasks or become bored by repetitive activities.

What ENTP applicants look for in a workplace

Try highlighting the following qualities in your job descriptions to draw ENTPs to your workplace. 

Collaborative culture

ENTPs are extroverted, so they’ll really value a friendly and collaborative culture. They enjoy positions where they can work as a team, share their ideas, and learn from one another. 

To attract ENTPs, highlight the group work they’ll be involved in, describe any workplace idea-sharing forums, and state that you encourage healthy debate and challenge during office hours. 

Dynamic environment

The day to day is just plain boring to an ENTP. They need to be constantly challenged and to work in an ever-evolving business. Highlight the dynamic nature of tasks, the opportunity to tackle diverse projects, and the adaptability required for the role. This communicates to ENTPs that your workplace offers the variety and excitement they seek.

Opportunities for growth

ENTPs are keen on self-development, so highlighting opportunities for growth in your business will appeal to their ambitious and forward-thinking nature. Showcase how your company values continuous learning and career advancement. Mention mentorship programs, training sessions, and avenues for skill development.

Employees who can’t see a way up will simply find a way out. 

Recognition

Recognition is important to ENTPs. They work hard, and they need to be told they’re doing a good job to maintain this level of effort. Regularly provide constructive feedback, praise their achievements, and publicly recognize their contributions to highlight the value they bring to your business.

You should also highlight reward programs in your job description to draw ENTPs to your business. Explain how efforts are recognized and that you actively seek opportunities to support those who go above and beyond. 

How to assess ENTP-type candidates 

Although it’s beneficial to know a candidate’s personality type, it’s also important to assess the specific skills associated with the job requirements.

Given their inherent abilities, ENTPs naturally gravitate toward leadership, project management, and engineering roles. As a result, you may find the following pre-employment skills tests beneficial:

• Leadership & People Management. This skills test will help you measure a candidate's ability to make decisions, influence others, and assess whether they possess natural leadership ability. 

• Project Management test. This test will help you measure a candidate’s ability to innovate, think outside the box, and overcome obstacles. It can also help you assess their organizational skills. 

• Problem-solving skills test. Problem-solving is a key competency for ENTPs, and assessing their problem-solving skills is essential in the hiring process. This test will help you measure how they adapt to changing information and their ability to apply logic to different situations. 

• Working with data test. ENTPs are naturally analytical, meaning they should be able to find patterns in data, draw conclusions, and synthesize information effectively. 

• Communication test. ENTPs are naturally strong communicators with a quick wit. This test will help you measure a candidate’s verbal and written communication skills, as well as how they interpret non-verbal cues and professional etiquette. 

These tests are just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of tests in TestGorilla’s extensive test library. The free account enables you to combine up to five of them to create your own custom assessments, and you can combine any number of tests with a paid account. Plus, you can customize your own test questions for a truly bespoke pre-employment testing experience. 

Pre-employment tests help you assess a candidate’s skills beyond what’s on their resume. They remove bias from the recruitment process and ensure candidates are hired based on skills and merit. This levels the playing field and creates a fair experience for all applicants. 

Hire your next ENTP with TestGorilla

ENTPs are resourceful, analytical, and smart. They can charm anyone with their quick wit, and their ability to innovate makes them an asset to any business. However, they can also come across as argumentative procrastinators who can be a little untidy. 

Measuring a candidate’s personality and skills through pre-employment testing will measure whether they’re a top candidate and help determine whether you're well aligned. No matter their skills, a mismatched ENTP is an unproductive ENTP.

Sign up for a free account with TestGorilla to better understand candidates’ needs and abilities. Alternatively, try a live demo or sign up for a free product tour with a member of our friendly sales team.