How to attract and assess an Architect (INTJ) personality type

Known for their deep thinking and strategic planning, Architects (INTJ types) bring a level of intellectual rigor and creativity to the workplace that can be a game-changer for any organization. 

But understanding their personality is just the start. It's equally crucial to evaluate their hands-on skills and ensure they gel with your team. This helps prevent issues – such as their intense critiques rubbing colleagues the wrong way or their firm views limiting the flow of new ideas. Such issues can damage team morale, productivity, and employee retention. 

Luckily, we’re here to help. Below, we focus on the INTJ personality – one of the 16 personality types – to help you appreciate their analytical prowess and problem-solving capabilities. We also explore what sets them apart, the strengths they bring to the table, and the challenges they might face. Finally, we discuss how to evaluate their skills so you can feel confident hiring them.

INTJ candidates: Key strengths, limitations, and personality traits 

INTJs come from a model inspired by the work of Carl Jung, the renowned Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. They're called Architects because they possess a unique combination of imagination and reliability, often crafting innovative solutions to complex problems with a strategic, long-term vision.

They’re intellectual, innovative, and confident – with a preference for structured approaches. Their challenges lie in social and emotional areas, and they can sometimes be overly analytical and critical.

Let’s take a closer look at their key strengths and limitations to understand this unique personality type and how you can support them in the workplace.

Key strengths:

• Analytical and strategic thinking: INTJs excel in analyzing situations and developing long-term strategies. Their ability to see the bigger picture helps with devising effective plans.

• Highly intellectual: They’re naturally curious, enjoy complex problem-solving, and often have a broad knowledge base.

• Independent and self-confident: INTJs are confident in their abilities and prefer working autonomously.

• Innovative and original: They often come up with unique solutions to problems.

• Determined and decisive: Once they’ve formulated a plan, they’re focused and determined to see it through.

Limitations:

• Social challenges: INTJs may struggle with social interactions and can sometimes appear aloof or insensitive.

• Stubbornness: Their confidence in their intellect can make them resistant to other perspectives.

• Overly analytical: They can get caught up in the planning stage, leading to inaction or delayed decision-making.

• Highly critical: They have high standards and can be overly critical of others and themselves.

• Discomfort with emotion: INTJs might find dealing with emotional situations – both their own and others' – challenging.

Personality traits of INTJ types

INTJ personality traits mirror the elements of their acronym. Their strategic, future-focused nature and ability to create long-term plans highlight the “N” in the INTJ acronym, which stands for intuition. The “T” for thinking means they prioritize logic over emotions in decision-making, often using data to support their views in discussions.

Their introversion (“I”) drives their continuous quest for knowledge and innovation, making them great at embracing new challenges and technologies. The “J” for judging shows up in their pursuit of efficiency, as they constantly seek to improve processes and productivity.

This blend of foresight, analytical thinking, and systematic efficiency makes INTJs invaluable, especially in roles that demand critical thinking and a proactive approach.

What INTJ applicants look for in a workplace 

Understanding what attracts INTJs to a workplace can help you tailor your approach to encourage these candidates to apply. Here are some key aspects INTJ applicants look for. 

Intellectual challenge and innovation

INTJs thrive in environments that stimulate their intellect and creativity. They’re drawn to roles that challenge them and offer the opportunity to solve complex problems or work on innovative projects. 

To attract INTJ candidates, highlight the intellectually challenging aspects of the role in your job descriptions by sharing stories or examples of past projects where your company implemented creative solutions. 

Autonomy and independent work environment

INTJs prefer workplaces where they can work independently, make decisions, and have control over their work methods. Consider using your hiring materials to discuss the level of autonomy and independence the role offers. 

Try offering flexible working hours or the option to work remotely, showing that you trust employees to manage their own time effectively. You can create work environments that employees can personalize or offer a budget for home office setups for remote workers. This demonstrates a commitment to individual comfort and productivity preferences.

Efficiency and organizational structure

INTJs are attracted to companies that have clear systems in place and value productivity. To appeal to INTJ applicants, showcase your company's commitment to efficiency and organization. This can be through your company's use of advanced technologies, processes, or a clear organizational structure.

For example, consider using project management software that streamlines workflows and boosts efficiency. Highlighting this in job postings or on your company website can demonstrate a tech-forward approach.

Opportunities for personal and professional growth

NTJs seek environments that encourage their continuous growth. Companies can appeal to them by clearly outlining opportunities for development through their employee value proposition (EVP), in job descriptions, and on career pages.

The EVP should highlight a culture that values learning and growth, making the company attractive for career-driven individuals. Job descriptions should also detail available training and paths for advancement. On career pages, sharing stories of employees who have risen through the ranks can illustrate the company's commitment to nurturing talent.

This approach demonstrates the tangible ways a company supports personal and professional development, making these roles especially enticing for INTJs.

How to assess INTJ candidates 

When assessing Architect candidates, understanding their typical strengths and weaknesses is vital. 

Effective testing methods for INTJ candidates

Personality tests like TestGorilla’s 16 Personalities test are great for learning candidates’ motivations and workplace preferences. But you can’t rely solely on the results of a 16 personality types test – you must also evaluate candidates’ skills. 

TestGorilla provides a wide range of pre-employment tests covering cognitive abilities, role-specific skills, and more. They’re ideal for evaluating an INTJ's capabilities. 

For example, INTJs are often intellectual and analytical. Our Critical Thinking test finds candidates capable of analyzing information and making well-reasoned decisions using their analytical abilities. 

Architects are also great problem-solvers. TestGorilla’s Problem Solving test checks how well they can spot problems, look at data and text, and make smart choices. It helps you find people who are good at using their analytical thinking to handle tricky situations.

To assess INTJs’ strategic thinking skills, use tests like our Branding Strategy test or Content Strategy test. These tests assess candidates’ skill in positioning, managing, and growing a brand or increasing organic traffic. 

Some INTJs may struggle with accepting others’ perspectives. Our Communication Skills test is a great way to measure their active listening skills: their ability to understand – and not just hear – others’ perspectives. 

To probe deeper into their teamwork skills, try these 50 behavioral-based questions related to teamwork. Candidates’ answers will reveal how they maintain professional relationships, which roles they tend to take on in group projects, and how they welcome new colleagues. For a personality type that can be perceived as overly-critical of others, measuring these skills is crucial. 

You can also create your own meaningful interview questions to probe their other limitations. Consider asking about their past experiences or presenting them with hypothetical scenarios. For instance, you might ask them, “Describe a scenario where you dealt with a co-worker’s emotional challenge” or “How would you give a colleague constructive criticism?” 

While personality traits offer valuable insights, they shouldn’t be the sole criterion for hiring. TestGorilla’s extensive library of hundreds of tests ensures a fair and objective evaluation of candidates, focusing on their ability to perform job-related tasks. 

With TestGorilla, you can combine up to five tests into a personalized talent assessment. Adding your own custom questions is also an option.

This skills-based hiring approach minimizes unconscious bias and offers a more comprehensive view of the candidate, blending their innate traits with their practical skills. It also leads to more effective hiring decisions, ensuring you choose INTJ candidates based on their overall suitability for the role.

Find talented INTJ candidates with TestGorilla 

INTJ candidates can bring a strategic edge and innovative problem-solving to your team. But you must ensure they have the right blend of personality traits and work skills – so they can thrive despite their challenges while maximizing their strengths. 

That's where TestGorilla steps in. With our library of personality, cognitive ability, and practical skills tests, you get the full picture of each individual candidate.

Combining tests into a custom assessment is exactly how you’ll learn how well a candidate will fit in at your organization. This approach lets you see not just who INTJ candidates are, but also what they can do, ensuring you make spot-on hiring decisions.

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