The Myers-Briggs® Personality Types of The Office Characters

Have you ever wondered if you’re more of a Michael Scott or a Jim Halpert? In today’s article we’re going to dive into the unique personality types of the lovable (and sometimes hateable) characters in The Office.

I’ve always had a soft spot for this series. As a mother of five, The Office is what helped me get through many sleepless newborn nights while still being able to laugh! I have so many memories of bouncing around my living room with a newborn, trying to lull them to sleep while listening to Michael Scott’s antics. I hope you’ll enjoy discovering the character with your Myers-Briggs (MBTI®) personality type below! Let’s get started!

DISCLAIMER: The Office is a sitcom with very stereotypical, one-sided characters. It is impossible for me to actually profile any fictional character so these type predictions are guesswork based on very limited facts in some cases. I am definitely not implying that if you have the same type as any of these characters you will show up like them.

Not sure what your personality type is? Take our personality questionnaire here. Or you can take the official MBTI® here.

Estimated reading time: 20 minutes

Here’s the Office Character You’d Be, Based On Your Myers-Briggs® Personality Type.

Michael Scott – ENFP

“Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information.” – Michael Scott

Quirky and true-to-himself, Michael Scott gives us a caricature-ish version of a fairly unhealthy ENFP. I mean, I personally love Michael, but I’m fully aware some of his actions are a bit over the top and even unkind (particularly when it comes to racial stereotyping). Still, his enthusiasm for life and his desire to get his co-workers on board with whatever crazy idea he may have is something that’s common amongst ENFPs.

When it comes to decisions, Michael clearly values Introverted Feeling. He marches to the beat of his own drum, even if that makes him appear a bit wacky or unusual at times. He knows who he is and doesn’t seem to notice when he’s making other people feel uncomfortable (a sign that he doesn’t value Extraverted Feeling). This isn’t to say that FPs will show up exactly like Michael Scott or make people as uncomfortable as he does; let’s not forget that this is a sitcom after all. But individuals with Introverted Feeling are more cognizant of what they feel on the inside and less cognizant or concerned with keeping everything socially harmonious and comfortable at all times. Simultaneously, Michael can show incredible compassion and insight at unexpected moments. When he shows up to support Pam at the art gallery, we see a deeply sensitive side of him that has long been hidden behind jokes and immaturity.

Michael’s Extraverted Intuition shows up in his ideas for the office—he often has grand schemes and is always looking for ways to spice things up. He’s also a big-picture thinker, and he loves to brainstorm about new possibilities. ENFPs are also known for their creative energy, which Michael shows off in some of his more outrageous pranks (like when he turned the office into a casino). Leave it to an ENFP to make working at a paper factory exciting and absolutely crazy!

Find out more about ENFPs: 12 Amazing Fictional ENFP Characters

Dwight Schrute – ESTJ

“All you need is love? False. The four basic human necessities are air, water, food and shelter.” – Dwight Schrute

Orderly and pragmatic, Dwight has no room in his energy bank for nonsense. He knows how to focus on getting things done, and he often approaches tasks with a level of efficiency and seriousness that can be a bit intimidating (and sometimes even comical).

Dwight is an Extraverted Thinker who strongly values logic and seeing results. He comes up with very organized systems in order to get the job done more efficiently; his “Schrute Rules” are just one example. Dwight also highly respects authority figures and credibility—he likes rules, structure, organization, and tradition. Even when it would benefit him to break the rules or think outside of the box, he typically still chooses to stay within bounds. This isn’t always a good thing because it can lead to a lack of creativity, but it is important for certain tasks that require precision and efficiency.

Yet even sitcom-style ESTJs can have some creativity that shows up at unexpected moments. When Dwight decides to teach his co-workers a lesson about fire safety, he decides that they need to have an actually terrifying experience to learn their lesson. Here, his creativity shows up in role-playing and storytelling, a common trait of Extraverted Intuition, Dwight’s tertiary function. So while Dwight might not be the most creative person in the office, he does have some innovative spark when it’s needed (or in the case of the fire…a little misguided)!

ESTJs are also often natural leaders—they know how to take charge and get things moving. Dwight isn’t afraid to be in the spotlight or make decisions, and he loves showing off all his knowledge. He’s usually one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to common sense, which makes him one of the most reliable characters in The Office (even though many people don’t always like his methods).

Jim Halpert – ENTP

“Right now, this is just a job. If I advance any higher in this company, this would be my career. And, uh, if this were my career, I’d have to throw myself in front of a train.” – Jim Halpert

Without Jim Halpert and his epic pranks, The Office would be a totally different show. Jim is the master of satire and sarcasm, and he loves to challenge authority figures in an effortless way that often leaves them speechless. Jim’s lack of respect for rules, but simultaneous charming, sweet-natured exterior are common among certain ENTPs (particularly ENTPs with a 9 Enneagram type, as I suspect Jim has). Jim enjoys messing with convention and creatively pranking his co-workers, but he also isn’t mean-spirited or harsh. Many times we see him simply shaking his head or raising his eyebrows in disappointment or disbelief when someone has done something foolish, instead of picking on them or making a scene.

Jim is an ENTP with Extraverted Intuition at his core. He gets bored with the sameness of the office and in order to cope he creates elaborate ways to prank Dwight or make Pam feel better during tough times. He has the charm of the ENTP (thanks to tertiary Extraverted Feeling), but the rational cleverness common with Thinking-Perceiving types.

Find out more about ENTPs: 24 Signs That You’re an ENTP, the Trailblazer Personality Type

Pam Beesly – ISFJ

“There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that kind of the point?” – Pam Beesly

Some people believe Pam Beesly is the heart of The Office, others believe she is the conniving gossip of The Office. Whatever the case, Pam’s ISFJ preferences are clear. She is someone who enjoys routine, stability, and warm, supportive friendships. Soft-spoken and a little shy, Pam’s Introverted Sensing expresses itself in her ability to remember all the details of people and events—a trait which makes her an excellent receptionist. Also, as a Feeling-Judger, she highly values harmony and peace within relationships. This shows up in how she comforts people when they’re having a hard time, expresses support, and is willing to give lots of grace when things go wrong.

Find out more about ISFJs: 10 Fictional ISFJ Characters

Angela Martin – ISTJ

“Sometimes the clothes at Gap Kids are too flashy. So I’m forced to go to the American Girls’ Store and order clothes for large colonial dolls.” – Angela Martin

Angela is the stickler of the accounting department. She loves order and rules and hates gossip and morally bad behavior. Her Introverted Sensing is heavily valued, which means she pays lots of attention to facts and details, while her Extraverted Thinking can help her manage metrics and make logical decisions. ISTJs also have strong values that they take seriously—which explains why Angela is so dedicated to following the guidelines set by her faith (even if it makes everyone else uncomfortable).

Angela’s tertiary function is Introverted Feeling, which shows up in how strongly she cares for her values and is unwilling to bend them. She also has a sensitive side that she keeps hidden underneath her strict exterior. No matter how people might wish she was different, Angela must stay true to what she personally believes is right. I hope any ISTJs reading this are well aware that Angela is a deeply toxic version of this type and certainly not representative of the type as a whole.

Kevin Malone – ISFP

“You think this is a great party? This cake has vegetables in it like a salad bar, Robert.” – Kevin Malone

No matter what’s happening in the office, Kevin manages to find a way to have some fun on his own. Whether he’s playing solitaire on his computer or making beer, Kevin doesn’t mind working his way around the rules and people usually put up with him because he’s fairly lovable and low-key. Like most ISFPs, Kevin keeps a low profile at work and is fairly laid-back and quiet. Yet he has a wry sense of humor that he uses to his advantage to mess with people on occasion.

Kevin loves to laugh and have a good time—something common with Feeling-Perceivers. He’s often seen joking around or making light of a situation instead of getting upset about it. He also loves to express himself, either on the drums or in his offbeat sense of humor. For Kevin life is about enjoying, even if it’s in small things like Cup O’Noodles or M & Ms.

Stanley Hudson – ISTJ

“I have been trying to get on jury duty every since I was 18 years old. To get to go sit in an air-conditioned room, downtown, judging people, while my lunch is paid for…that’s the life.” – Stanley Hudson

Serious and a grumpy, Stanley knows how to roll his eyes or sigh at just the right moment. His Introverted Sensing expresses itself in his love for routine and consistency. He’s comfortable when he knows what to expect every day, and this gives him a sense of stability. Even though the antics at the office are unsettling at times, he values the predictability of his paycheck and knows he can get by without having to push himself too hard.

Stanley also has a strong preference for Extraverted Thinking, which means that he values logic and sound reasoning when it comes to making decisions. He rarely gets caught in flights of fantasy and is often the unimpressed voice (or scoff) of reason during meetings.

Ryan Howard – ISTP

“I don’t want to be the guy here, you know. Like Stanley is the crossword puzzle guy and Angela has cats. I don’t want a thing here, you know. I don’t want to be the something guy..” – Ryan Howard

Okay, Ryan is a bit tricky. During the first few seasons of The Office, Ryan appears introverted and analytical. He seems quietly unimpressed by the chaos around him, but struggles to adequately express himself and his own discomfort. He can easily point out the flaws with Dunder-Mifflin and he has a certain gift with tech, although sometimes for no particularly useful purpose.

However, during the later seasons Ryan seems to morph into some kind of an extremely unhealthy ESTP-ESFP hybrid. He’s impulsive, reckless, hedonistic, manipulative, and shallow. I am NOT saying that ESTPs or ESFPs are like this; but very imbalanced and immature ones can be.

Kelly Kapoor – ESFP

“Sometimes I get so bored I just want to scream, and then sometimes I actually do scream. I just sort of feel out what the situation calls for.” – Kelly Kapoor

Kelly Kapoor is interested in socializing, gossiping, and living life to the fullest! As an immature version of an ESFP, she seems to be primarily interested in having fun and living up the moment. Bubbly and friendly, she likes to be privvy to the latest gossip and trends. As a sensor, she’s primarily aware of what’s happening around her and has a fairly concrete perspective on life. As an extrovert, she’s chatty and expressive, and as a Perceiver she seems flexible and spontaneous. Kelly’s feeling side shows up in her decisions (she definitely thinks more with her heart than her head) and in her awareness of the emotional realm.

Despite being a Feeling-Perceiver, Kelly doesn’t always take into consideration other people’s feelings. She can be dramatic and selfish when things don’t go her way, but she usually sees the lighter side of situations and provides comic relief when tensions get too high in the office.

Erin Hannon – INFP or ENFP

“I’m not going to be one of those exes who can’t move on. They have their life and I have mine. I’m taking an Italian class. So far I have learned tortellini, spagettini, linguini… Well, it’s not so much a class as a restaurant, but I do Monday, Wednesday, Friday from seven to nine.” – Erin Hannon

Creative and sweet, Erin’s personality was hard for me to pin down. She seemed to fluctuate between INFP and ENFP throughout the series and, as she’s a sitcom character, lacked a lot of the nuance that would make it easier for me to get a clear read on her. What we do know about Erin is that she has a strong ability to imagine multiple scenarios and create hypothetical questions and possibilities. As an example, when she’s trying to come up with a way to earn $100K for Dunder-Mifflin she hypothesizes that they could take out a life insurance policy on a new hire and then kill him. She easily generates random possibilities on the fly, but at other times seems shy, held back, and sensitive.

Erin can also find fascination in anything. As with most Intuitive-Perceivers, everything is filled with potential and possibility. Thus, she is rarely bored and can easily be drawn to stories or objects that might seem dull to others. As a sitcom character, Erin is fairly vapid and airheaded, but she also has the imagination, creativity, and sweetness of the NFP personality types.

Andy Bernard – ESFJ

“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” – Andy Bernard

Generous and fun-loving, Andy Bernard is the king of good vibes and nice gestures. As an ESFJ, he loves to express his feelings openly and is usually the first one to suggest a party or get-together. He also values loyalty—in both friendships and romantic relationships—and will always be there for people when they need him. Although he can be a bit obnoxious, he loves to feel needed and will do a lot to help a friend out; sometimes too much.

Extraverted Feeling is Andy’s dominant function, which shows up in how much he enjoys connecting with people on an emotional level and getting into a positive “vibe” with them. He also frequently hearkens to his past experiences and values the memories he’s made with his colleagues or friends in college. You’ll often see ESFJs hearken to their past and to fond memories and traditions that were particularly significant to them.

Find out more about ESFJs: The Flirting Style of the ESFJ Personality Type

Meredith Palmer – ESTP

“I got permission to bring Jake-y into work, which is great because he got suspended this week and now I don’t have to pay for a sitter.” – Meredith Palmer

Sorry, ESTPs. I know nobody really wants Meredith on their “type team” but she’s the one you get. As an ESTP, Meredith lives in the moment and takes advantage of opportunities as they arise. She loves to have fun and rarely thinks of the consequences (a sign that she is at an immature level of development). A straight-talker, Meredith has no problem expressing exactly what she wants and she often uses situational humor to get a laugh (or a cringe).

Holly Flax – ESFJ

“Holly is sweet and simple, like a lady baker. I would not be surprised to find out that she had worked in a bakery before coming here. She has that kind of warmth. I’m pretty sure she’s baked on a professional level.” – Michael Scott

Considerate and supportive, Holly knows how to bring out the best in everyone and create a harmonious workplace environment. She understands protocol and has no problem enforcing it with a kind and gentle hand. Throughout the series she shows an attention to detail and a respect for the rules while also maintaining a silly side that creates a spark between her and Michael. Many people think of ESFJs as fairly straight-laced types, but Holly is an excellent example of how ESFJs (at their best) know how to be both dutiful and kind yet quirky and fun-loving at the same time. Because ESFJs have tertiary Extraverted Intuition they are often more attracted to outside-the-box ideas and playful creativity than most type descriptions would imply.

Oscar Martinez – INTJ or ISTJ

“Everyone realizes this coupon book is not actually worth $15k, right? you’d have to spend $200k on crap you don’t even need to get $15k worth of benefits. I’m not the only one who sees this, right?” – Oscar Martinez

Oscar’s type is a little hard to solidify throughout the show. We primarily see that he is introverted, quiet, and reserved (I) as well as logical and focused on metrics (T). He has an organized approach to life and a concern with ROI (TJ). The S or N preference for Oscar was harder to identify. The sitcom simply doesn’t give us enough data to make any clear hypothesis on whether he’s a sensor or an intuitive.

Jan Levinson – ENTJ

“I am taking a calculated risk. What’s the upside? I overcome my nausea, fall deeply in love, babies, normalcy, no more self-loathing. Downside? I date Michael Scott publicly and collapse in on myself like a dying star.” – Jan Levinson

For a long time I didn’t want to consider ENTJ for Jan Levinson because her candle business seemed so poorly thought-out and ENTJs typically have much stronger business acumen. She also seems to lack an awareness of her personal finances with Michael, which is atypical for ENTJs who are usually running metrics on a fairly regular basis. That said, I eventually came around to the idea of ENTJ for Jan.

Jan is mentally unstable and her life is a bit of a dumpster fire (unfortunately for her and those who know her). While she can be logical, disciplined, and strategic, she also has many moments of emotional collapse and extreme impulsivity. This is common of ENTJs who are experiencing a loop or a grip stress reaction.

At her best, Jan knows how to run businesses, take action, and stay focused on the task at hand. She has insight into situations and doesn’t mind trailblazing new paths. Yet because of the increasing stress in her life (and the sexism she also faces in the workplace) she regularly falls into bouts of impulsivity that is poorly thought-out and destructive. Even though she puts on a tough exterior she has a much more sensitive, fragile inner core that erupts during stressful moments.

Darryl Phylbin – ISTP

Michael: Let’s start with the warehouse. What bothers you as guys? You know?
Darryl: My priority is safety.
Michael: Ok.
Darryl: So it really bothers me when somebody comes in here speeding around on a lift, playing with it like a toy. It kind of gets under my skin, ok?

Down-to-earth and gifted with a wry sense of humor, Darryl has a laid-back, cool vibe that is typical of ISTPs. He takes life as it comes, but also knows how to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. He’s someone who gives his honest opinion without sugar-coating it, and he likes to maintain a logical approach to life.

The IT Guy (Nick) – INTP

Nick, the IT guy at Dunder Mifflin, is the person everyone underestimates. He appears reserved and analytical; easily helping out whenever the people of Dunder Mifflin can’t remember their passwords. People give him no real consideration, even with the help he provides. At the end of his time on the show he rants about all the things he knows about people that they had no idea he knew. Like most INTPs, he prefers to stay in the background, but that doesn’t mean he should be overlooked.

Find out more about INTPs: How INTPs Say “I Love You”

Robert California – ENFJ

“I know you now, your nature. I’m done.” – Robert California

Robert California is a great example of an unhealthy ENFJ. He knows how to manipulate people and pit them against each other; playing peoples’ emotions expertly to get what he wants. He is the ultimate salesman and his confidence often blinds people from seeing the real underlying intentions of his words. Expressive, insightful, and talkative, Robert demonstrates how well ENFJs can speak to an individual’s deeper emotional yearnings and express big-picture insights with a casual elegance. However, his motivations are often tangled in a dark web of selfishness and manipulation. Robert is an example of how ENFJs can be charming on the surface but deep down they may have ulterior motives that go unspoken or unrecognized.

Jo Bennett – ENTJ

Jo Bennett is a classic ENTJ. She’s straightforward and unapologetic, but she also has a big heart that reveals itself more and more as the series progresses. Jo doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to getting what she wants or making her point known – yet she still manages to come off as likable even with her no-nonsense attitude. Like most ENTJs, Jo has no tolerance for incompetence or people wasting her time. She can switch from being affable and friendly to intimidating and fierce when she feels like there’s insubordination or a lack of respect.

Vikram – INFJ

“Confidence– it’s the food of the wise man, but the liquor of the fool.” – Vikram

I’m hesitantly typing Vikram as INFJ because there really isn’t a lot of data in the series to draw from. What we do see is that Vikram has an insight about people and situations and can see the bigger picture fairly well. He speaks in proverbs easily, works diligently, and knows right away when Michael’s “investment club” plan will fail. Yet even though he has a certain amount of strategic intelligence, he’s both warm and gentle in his interactions with people – paying attention to their feelings and graciously interacting with them.

Find out more about INFJs: 10 Reasons Why INFJs Feel Misunderstood

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What Are Your Thoughts?

Do you agree with these typings of the Office characters? Do you have any other perspectives or insights? Share your thoughts with our readers in the comments!

Explore more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type, The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic, The INTJ – Understanding the Strategist, and The INFP – Understanding the Dreamer. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

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