Enneagram 9 careers are based on productivity and seriousness. They choose career options that allow new learning, experimentation, and innovation. Armed with empathy, they prefer conflict-free work environments also.
Each of the Enneagram personality types has one basic fear and one intrinsic motivation. This fear and motivation together control the attitudes and behavior of every individual belonging to that personality type.
It also controls their likes and dislikes. This also includes their hobbies, what kind of career path they would prefer, etc.
In this article, we will discuss the career options for Enneagram type 9s.
Enneagram 9 Careers
An Enneagram 9’s basic fear is a fear of loss. They may fear losing their loved ones, or prized possessions. Their basic motivation is to achieve internal peace and harmony. Enneagram 9s give strong importance to their own mental health. But at the same time, they believe that if they help others around them maintain peace with everyone else that will help them attain their own inner peace as well.
Type 9s prefer a slower-paced work environment rather than a fast-paced one. They like to work on things at their own speed. They do not like working under strict deadlines. They also do not like it if their supervisor micromanages them at every small step. They want to feel independent while working.
They also hate work environments where there is a high probability of conflict. They feel safe in a slow-moving workplace where there is minimum tension and strife between co-workers. These are the main factors that an Enneagram 9 must consider when they try to find a career.
They also have a calming presence on others. They want to support and help others. Job environments that allow them the opportunity to do so would help type 9s thrive.
With that being said, let us now take a look at some career options which would be ideal as Enneagram type 9 careers.
1. Social worker
Most type 9s seem to have a natural talent for mediating conflicts. They always want to jump in at the opportunity to resolve conflicts between others. For this reason, people often refer to type 9s as “the peacemakers”.
They can utilize this passion for helping others by becoming a social worker. They can work with people of different sociocultural as well as economic backgrounds. This gives them a chance to interact with different people, which is something that type 9s love.
Social workers play an important role in society to protect vulnerable populations. The importance of such a job role also resonates with type 9s.
2. Clinical psychologist
In general, Enneagram type 9s tends to have a high degree of empathy. They have a strong desire to help others. They want other people to achieve peace. At the same time, they are open-minded individuals.
They never judge others for their choices or decisions. These qualities make sure that Enneagram type 9s are a good fit to be a clinical psychologist.
Type 9s can tap into their patience and empathy skills in order to help patients or clients through various forms of therapy. Clients who are going through some sort of conflict can get the best kind of help from a clinical psychologist who is an Enneagram type 9.
3. Counselor
A layman may think that the job of a counselor is the same as that of a clinical psychologist. But in reality, they are quite different. A counselor is also a mental health professional, but of a different type. As a counselor, an Enneagram type 9 would have to counsel or guide their clients or patients.
This does not include psychological therapeutic sessions. But still, a type 9 would have to be patient enough to listen to the problems of his or her patients. Then, they would guide their patients to work through those problems. Apart from patience, this job also requires good communication skills.
4. Human Resources (HR) official or employee
A job in the Human Resources department of any organization would also be appealing to an Enneagram type 9. An HR employee is concerned with making sure all the cogwheels in an organization run smoothly.
A type 9 can do this by staying behind the scenes. They would not need to come under the spotlight. But at the same time, they would also get the opportunity to help others. In a multinational company, a Human Resources employee also has to play the important role of mediating conflicts.
In fact, if someone asks a layman what is the most important job that an HR person does, that individual would say that an HR person resolves conflicts. This just goes on to show how important conflict resolution is, in the job role of an HR official.
5. Veterinary doctor
Although this is not a generalization, most Enneagram type 9s tend to be animal lovers. So, the veterinary doctor is a profession who can try their hands. Type 9s have the required patience needed to deal with animals.
At the same time, they are also caring enough. Spending time with animals would also help them achieve their own peace of mind. This is one of the key motivations for an Enneagram 9. So, the job of a veterinary doctor is also quite appealing to them.
6. Librarian
A librarian’s job may seem quite unappealing to many people. But this is not the same for an Enneagram type 9. Individuals with a type 9 personality like a slow-paced work environment. Only a few other professions could match that of a librarian in terms of the slow pace. This kind of job also offers an ample amount of stability.
This is very appealing to an Enneagram type 9. Many other people would think that the job of a librarian is very boring. But an Enneagram 9 would not agree with this. It is true that a librarian’s job needs a lot of patience.
But type 9s have an ample amount of patience needed to strive in this position. On top of that, if an individual loves reading, they would also get a lot of opportunities to pass their time by reading through different kinds of books.
7. Forensic psychologist
A career in forensic psychology is very interesting to any individual. But the various qualities possessed by an Enneagram type 9 help them to thrive in this field. A forensic psychologist may have to work with criminals, as well as victims of crime. They would sometimes have to talk with criminals to understand their mindset.
They can then use this understanding to help detectives solve crimes. This kind of job offers a very unique challenge. Type 9s can rise to this challenge.
They have a good amount of patience needed to deal with hardened criminals. Moreover, they have very open minds. So, they can judge any situation from the point of view of the criminal.
This helps them understand the criminal in a better way. Sometimes, a forensic psychologist would also have to talk with victims of a crime and help them work through their trauma or grief. A type 9’s calming and supportive presence would be a natural asset in this kind of scenario.
8. Newspaper or magazine editor
This is an interesting position that can also be appealing to an Enneagram type 9. Being an editor requires a creative outlook. Type 9s have a well-rounded personality. They have enough creativity needed to strive in an editor’s role. Being an editor, they would get the opportunity to interact with a lot of people.
By helping struggling authors, they can also satisfy their altruistic selves. Being an editor, a type 9 would also get a lot of respect and admiration from others. This is something that they secretly crave.
9. Yoga instructor
As we know by now, peace and tranquility are of extreme importance to an Enneagram type 9. So, it is not surprising that they would love to work in a job role that involves a large degree of peace and tranquility. This kind of job also has the slow pace that Enneagram 9s love. They do not have to report to any supervisor and work at their own pace.
10. Baker
Many Enneagram 9s love baking. In fact, if they want, they can even turn this into a profession. By having their own bakery, type 9s can be their own boss. They can work at their own pace, in their own way. They would not have to report to anyone. If people like their baked products and appreciate them for them, type 9s can find inner peace.
11. Freelance writer or blogger
Enneagram type 9s often have a lot of advice that they want to give to others. But they tend to be soft-spoken. They feel uncomfortable interfering in the matters of other people. They can get over this uneasiness by expressing their thoughts through blogs or articles.
By being freelance writers or having their own blogs, they would not have to be worried about deadlines or due dates. They can also provide many tips related to various areas that people would love and benefit from.
12. Elementary school teacher
Type 9s is very patient. At the same time, they have a caring attitude. They can also give good advice to young kids and mold them to be better human beings.
Enneagram 9 Careers to Avoid
From our discussion so far, it is clear what kind of careers Enneagram 9s would like to work in. They prefer slow-moving work environments. So, they would find it quite hard to survive in fast-paced, cut-throat work conditions.
Type 9s would also hate to work in job roles that involve a high degree of confrontation. Most Enneagram 9s are also soft-spoken individuals. They are not good at exerting their authority or dominance over others. They are not good at negotiating or bargaining with people either.
Considering these factors, here are some common career options that Enneagram type 9s should avoid:
- Salesperson
- Investment banker
- Doctor
- Army or military
- Police officer
- Data analyst
- Coder
- Game developer
- Engineer
- Scientist
To Sum Up
Overall, in this article, we have discussed some possible career options for individuals with the Enneagram type 9 personality. Type 9s are skilled at conflict resolution. In fact, others often call them peacemakers.
They can utilize this passion by working as a Human Resources official or a social worker. They can also put their empathy and patience to the test by being a clinical psychologist or counselor.
In short, there are many career options where an Enneagram 9 can thrive. If you are an Enneagram type 9 looking to decide what career option is the best for you, we hope this article can be of help.
