Finding the Right Career

My mindset is that while it's important to work at a job you enjoy, leading a lifestyle that you love is far more important. Barring someone winning the lottery or inheriting a long lost aunt's millions, all of us are going to have to work for a living. And every job is going to be work. It's not going to be perfect. So if you're going to work anyway, make it so that the other half of your life is as comfortable and as much to your liking as possible.

My advice is to balance your heart with your head. Look at the pay, look at the hours, and look at the opportunities for advancement in your field. That should narrow things down on that list of "what to do with your life." Because some jobs really are pipe-dreams. Especially once you do the research on how to get in the industry.

For example if you're not a "great" writer, even though you love to write, chances are you're not going to make the best-seller list anytime soon. Or if you're a great writer, but not disciplined enough to churn out a book on a schedule, you're not going to find the publishing industry very pleasant. Breaking out is tough, and the pay is meager. It takes a lot of grit and determination to make it in any artistic sort of field because there's a dime-a-dozen folks like you. It's important to really know the in's and out's before you give up everything, and chase after what you love.

And the writer example is speaking from my own experience.

I think if you're not exceptionally good at anything, perhaps the reality check is that you need to look at stability and structure. Pick something that you find mildly interesting and that is going to make you a living, and get good at it. With these two conditions, you're going to be narrowing that list of possible things to do by a lot.

My advice is, go to the bookstore and take out some books on different careers. Read the profiles. There's so many jobs out there that people don't know about. Get educated about them, explore, but don't take too long making up your mind.

Even if you make a mistake in your career choice, and you find out its not what you want to do, if it's practical, chances are you're going to have a lot more wiggle room to change things around for yourself. It might even be the stepping stone to get you to your "perfect" fit.

So yeah. Balance head and your heart, leaning more in favor of your head than your heart. Especially in career-matters. You still have the other half of your life you can spend enjoyably if you cover your bases.

 

You and me both. I think you should just start paying attention to yourslef when you're at places. You'll be surprised what you learn.

 

Doing what you love is overrated...

I agree with the posts above. I read a blog while back that was very much common sense smacking this idea "do what you love". This may fly great when you got money in the bank or a trust fund, but for the rest of us - good environement/ stable finances and somewhat interesting workload should not be a problem. if anything doing what you can do well can provide a healthy and happy lifestyle. It is true that we should balance head and heart.

Personally I was aspiring to be a fashion designer; but upon doing a lot of research I found that to be a fashion designer means to be a manufacturer. We all know that everything is made in China - so the chances of me being the next calvin klein is small; and all jobs are outsourced so trying to get my foot in the door is slim because all the jobs remaining are designers and there is a milion of them. So finally I ask myself; is it worth it?

I can always do what I love in my spare time and not necessarily do it for a living. I have started even looking at recession proof fields - health/technology/law which have many variety of jobs that I know will help fund my ideal existence.

 

This exact problem has been the bane of my psyche for a large chunk of my adult life.

The only part I've figured out is to not worry about what you're good at or how much it pays. Success will come in doing what you love. This is because tenacity is the biggest key to success and loving what you do is the easiest way to maintain tenacity.

Now, what I love to do, I don't know. I have interests ranging across computer science, cognitive science, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and even a bit of astronomy. I do know my passion is academic in nature at least.

 

I agree that balance is the key. I'm about the same age as you and I am just as lost, if not more so. I always felt like an artist, but realized that I didn't want to mix art with commerce. It's just not the same anymore when your hobby becomes work: a part of your soul dies every day. I'm trying to find something I don't hate doing and am somewhat competent at to provide me the financial stability to pursue things I do enjoy doing.

 

Hat girl pretty much nailed it, try looking at what you do fo fun, and find a job that incorperates similar skills, though to help with resources, here is a website that tells you the type of work that you enjoy most.


Realistic people are usually assertive and competitive, and are interested in activities requiring motor coordination, skill and strength. People with a realistic orientation usually prefer to work a problem through by doing something, rather than talking about it, or sitting and thinking about it. They like concrete approaches to problem solving, rather than abstract theory. They tend to be interested in scientific or mechanical rather than cultural and aesthetic areas. They like to work with THINGS.

Investigative people like to think and observe rather than act, to organize and understand information rather than to persuade. They tend to prefer individual rather than people oriented activities. They like to work with DATA.

Artistic people are usually creative, open, inventive, original, perceptive, sensitive, independent and emotional. . They do not like structure and rules, like tasks involving people or physical skills, and are more likely to express their emotions than others. They like to think, organize and understand artistic and cultural areas. They like to work with IDEAS and THINGS.

Social people seem to satisfy their needs in teaching or helping situations. They are different than R and I Types because they are drawn more to seek close relationships with other people and are less apt to want to be really intellectual or physical. They like to work with PEOPLE.

Enterprising people are good talkers, and use this skill to lead or persuade others. They also value reputation, power, money and status, and will usually go after it. They like to work with PEOPLE and DATA

Conventional people like rules and regulations and emphasize self-control. They like structure and order, and dislike unstructured or unclear work and interpersonal situations. They place value on reputation, power, or status. They like to work with DATA.

http://www.roguecc.edu/counseling/HollandCodes/about.asp

 

It is true that people often enjoy the things they are good at, but that is not always the case. Have you had a chance to figure out anything that you enjoy doing for the sake of it? What is your happiest memory in your life? What makes you happiest and what kinds of things do you enjoy? It is good to answer even if it doesn't seem like it could be related to a job because there might be a way to find a connection.

I find one difficulty for me as an introvert and a feeler is that I enjoy doing work that is helpful to people, but any job that works with people is inherently laden with conflicts and negativity. Most service jobs require ability as a disciplinarian and to push back with people which is hard for me. It has generally helped me to go into areas in which I work one-on-one with people, but the issues still come up.

 

I'm going through this right now. I find it easier to interact one-on-one.

 

The Holland Work types are awesome for sure. Your "type" is composed of the three letters, in order, which most suit you. I, for instance, would be IAS...which is investigative, artistic, social (I might be IAE too, it's really close between S and E).

This three letter code is then matched up against careers you would possibly really like. IAS/ISA types usually do well as psychologists, economists, and some medical careers.

It is often suggested that you identify yourself as one of the six types, and then see which of the neighbors to that type you lean more toward. In order, the types are Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional, Realistic. The two types next to your type are the neighbors. In my example, I lean much more toward Investigative-Artistic then I do Investigative-Realistic (and in fact realistic is my least favorite job type). Unfortunately for me IR jobs are 100 times more common then are IA jobs (and probably a big reason I have yet to really find a career I like).

Most INFJs I would wager to be Artistic or Social, with a few Investigatives hanging around. Social types will probably lean toward artistic, as will the investigatives. The artistic types could lean either way, but I would wager more leaning toward social then investigative.