INFJ degrees

[Sensiko]

hi guys~
so i’m thinking about *possibly* going back to school and wondered what kind of degrees everyone around here has.... or training/certification/etc... and how that’s working out for you... positives and negatives... did your degree pan out or not... and how it jives with your introversion...

i’m also interested in hearing from people (like me) who are getting degrees at an *ahem* later stage in life... like a "take two”...

also any thoughts you have on job satisfaction ... are you happy with your job and with what you do... if you could do it all over again would you do something different or keep everything the same?

this post is kinda geared more towards INFJs, but i’d love to hear from everyone... but if it’s not specified in your profile could you please let me know if you’re of the introvert/extrovert persuasion... thanks!!

 

[floatingbridge]

I suggest aiming for something where introversion shines, like counselling or therapy or being someone important behind someone else who is "leader" i.e. working behind-the-scenes. I have had the taste of studying or working three different fields of work... in my experience I should choose something not that I am "good at", or "interested in", but something that I can "handle". A bit of the same though. ~fb.

 

[Sriracha]

My question to you, is what would make you happy? Would you rather fine tune an existing craft or would you like to do something totally new?

I ask you this b/c I'm aware you are highly musically inclined. One thing you may or may not know is how music programs are being cut from education, and even though this happens there are still parents out there who look to have their children learn to play an instrument. You just have to tap into the right demographic if you want to make a living from your skill.

 

[Sensiko]

[MENTION=9054]BrightWhiteHeart[/MENTION] thanks for doing what you do and that glimpse into nursing... i love to hear about when people do what they love... it’s very inspiring

not to be a downer, but for me, i feel that i am just one of those people who will never be *happy* with what they do for a living... therein lies my problem... believe me, i’ve tried and just don’t think it’s possible for me in the long run...

anyhow, gather round children while i tell you the story of sensiko’s sordid career history if you’d like to hear why...

i have a natural aptitude for music and have loved and excelled at it from an early age... so i got my in a BA in music... that was the natural progression... i loved the 6(!) years i spent in music school... but when i started working in the industry it rather quickly became “work” and i started looking at my instrument as “work” and resented it... i hated sitting at the bench to practice... so i stopped playing and doorslammed my music career like only an INFJ could... lol... it took some time in therapy to work back up to playing... no joke

so i went into teaching... i got a master’s degree and credential rather hastily in hindsight... partially because i was freaking out about the above, partially because i was feeling pressure to get a job and make my own money... and partially because i convinced myself that that was what i wanted to do without doing enough research... so i taught grade school for 8 years... i don’t regret any part of it.... i was a damn good teacher... but for me, i put so much of ‘myself' in that it was starting to take bits of my soul... also during this time i had a small teaching studio where i taught a handful of students after class...

then i took a year off teaching and worked a fun job at a music store... i pretty much blew my dinky paychecks on stuff in the store... but after a year i got bored with it and quit... plus i needed to make some substantial $ so i picked up a a part-time teaching assignment and i was managing a tutoring center part-time...

during this time i came up with an invention... a different style of music stand... and my ex-husband and i marketed it and were getting a nice bit of profit... i’ve since given the rights to him...

my then-father-in-law asked me to sell printing and packaging for his company... i got really into this and did extremely well... i was selling hundreds of thousands of dollars of print by the end of my first year... but the ‘extrovert’ mentality and high pressure atmosphere did take a toll on my physical well-being after a couple years... this wasn’t a job... this was a lifestyle... i was *always* working... of all my jobs this was the job i liked the most, not because of the job itself, but because i did well at helping my “family” business to grow and i got to work with my ex-husband... working together had been a goal of ours for years...

but soon after my marriage bit the dust and it’s been almost 2 years since i’ve last worked!

*god bless you if you’re still reading this*

since then i’ve tried to go back into teaching, but i just couldn’t hang... i’m not having luck finding something else to do in the meantime... so right now i have an opportunity to choose a new direction if i want to...
[MENTION=1593]floatingbridge[/MENTION] i have a couple of career ideas in mind, but i can’t seem to make a decision dammit... and you make an interesting point about choosing something i can handle, ty... if i were a guy i swear to god i’d be a garbage man... lol
[MENTION=4423]Sriracha[/MENTION] i could tell you some ideas of what would make me happy, but i’m afraid they won’t make me happy in the long run... there are fields in music that interest me, but i’m not sure if i want to do the extra training to once again get shellshocked like before....

 

[rawr]

probably not INFJ, but IT.

(FWIW I was also considering psych and kinesiology at an early stage. never pursued those obv.)

 

[Sensiko]

probably not INFJ, but IT.

(FWIW I was also considering psych and kinesiology at an early stage. never pursued those obv.)

i wish my brain was wired that way... IT sounds cool

a friend’s husband works in IT and has the personality of rock --scratch that-- a rock that weirds you out... and he fucking loves his job at the hospital... and apparently they love him... i wish i could do that stuff but i’m like kryptonite to anything electronic... which reminds me i still have to bring in my computer

 

[rawr]

i wish my brain was wired that way... IT sounds cool

a friend’s husband works in IT and has the personality of rock --scratch that-- a rock that weirds you out... and he fucking loves his job at the hospital... and apparently they love him... i wish i could do that stuff but i’m like kryptonite to anything electronic... which reminds me i still have to bring in my computer

don't get me wrong - i'm not a genius at it. Just adequate enough.

what is up with that thing anyway?

 

[Sensiko]

don't get me wrong - i'm not a genius at it. Just adequate enough.

what is up with that thing anyway?

well you are still freakin’ awesome

last time i turned on my desktop it was having a hard time starting up... it starts up but is really slooooooow and then freezes... so i want to take it in to get backed up because i don’t want to lose what’s on that computer... the shell of what was my laptop is enjoying a nice retirement in the closet for now

 

[Korg]

I think the natural tendency of most people is to move in and out of multiple careers over the course of their lives. The way it was in the past (people doing the same thing for 35+ years, often at just one or two places) is more the exception than the rule -- but people did it because ancillary benefits made it worthwhile. They sold their souls to corporations and got a very good price for doing so - job security, great perks, almost guaranteed advancement, friendships, a lifetime of employment, etc. It was this way for so long (especially amongst the baby boomer generation), it became an unquestioned precedent for career trajectories.

Even to this day, I hear a lot of people over 50 handing out shitty advice to high school / college aged kids as if adherence to it will land them a secure job with a good company, a salary, a pension (seriously?), advancement opportunities and all that stuff. Those days are long gone and they aren't returning. I mean, yeah, you can have some of those things some of the time but having all of them all of the time for all of your working life? Nah.

The good news is, it's giving people freedom to be more fluid in their careers and interests. They're buying their souls back from corporations. They'll do something for a while, outgrow it and move onto something else. School may or may not be involved in this process. But there's nothing wrong with continued growth and exploration of new interests throughout ones life, IMO. And there's certainly no reason someone over the age of 25 should feel any negative way about going to school or going back to school. There's still the issue of cost and such, but that's a different topic altogether.

Let me give you an example from my industry: Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, two of the founders of BioWare (a very successful and popular video game development company). They were both originally in med school, became friends along the way and decided they didn't want to be doctors afterall. I mean, they stayed in that field (medicine) long enough to fund BioWare during the startup phase and once they'd done that, quit medicine completely. For the twenty or so years following, they made games that were celebrated worldwide. Now in their forties, they've both quit because they're tired of games, no longer have the passion for it, etc. So what are they doing now? Ray Muzyka is mentoring young investors, studying social networks, etc. Greg Zeschuk is now involved with beer - tasting and promoting craft beers and brewers all around the world. A complete 180 from games.

I know scores of people who doing similar things. I'm sure I'll be there myself eventually, though I'm not in a hurry right now.

Anyway, my whole point is that your situation is fast becoming the norm and I wouldn't feel 'bad' about it in any way.

As far as myself, I don't know what my MBTI type is. Bird thinks I'm either an ENTJ or ENTP -- and she's lived with me for over a year, so I'll take her word for it. But, yeah, I love what I do though I don't want to be doing it at age 50. I'm cool with it for now, though.

 

[Nixie]

I work at a university. I am the support staff for the School of Business at an all Native American university. I find my job rewarding in many ways even though I suck at being an Administrative Assistant (official title). However, the ability to talk philosophy with a nationally recognized Native American Scholar in the course of a days work is a considerable perk. The conversation and atmosphere is delightful to say the least. I was a union steward for several years during a contentious time in our history which was absolutely wonderful in terms of how much trouble I could (officially) cause. I find that the best part of my job is feeling that I am making a difference for Native People. The job I had before was as a production lead in a manufacturing plant. The differences could not be further apart. The manufacturing job was fantastic because it was mind-numbing but physically challenging, especially since we did a 12 hour shift (actually 12 hours and 30 minutes because your lunch break wasn't paid). We made the plastic components which were used to manufacture printers. At my current job, we see about 10 to 15% of what are termed "non-traditional" students, or those outside the normal age bracket of 18-25ish range for a four-year degree. They either typically have a blast and engage in the campus life or become ghosts who are only here for classes--not much middle ground that I have noticed. However, I am talking about Native Americans, since non-Natives are not allowed to enroll at our university. I studied business. I keep getting told I should study law and become a lawyer. My normal response is that I have a soul and couldn't be a lawyer. Although the idea of working for workers rights (corrupted by my time as a union steward) appeals to me and I toy with the idea of going back to complete a law degree in employment law. As for type, I normally test as INTJ (always have) but think I am more like an ENTP.

 

[Sensiko]

[MENTION=1425]Korg[/MENTION] thanks for the insight... yes you’re right about the reality of multiple careers... but i have to admit it’s a little intimidating to think of doing an 'about face' in this economy without a tangible prospect in sight... especially when i compare what my financial worth used to be... and where i should be at this point... but that’s my hang-up...

actually what i’ve really been thinking about doing is teaching bikram yoga... a complete 180... i’ve been doing it pretty much daily for a year and a half and am really into it *understatement*... the only cons are that it costs about $10K to get certified and i’d have to go to LA for 2 and a half months... there are new studios opening up where i live and my chances of finding work are better than anything i could hope for with a degree

it wouldn’t necessarily be a means to an end, but it would be a way to get myself back on my feet for now... more of a short term thing that could be long-term... i could see myself opening up a studio down the road...
[MENTION=3096]Nixie[/MENTION] i’ve been throwing out applications for admin positions at local colleges, go figure!
being able to discuss your culture on that level is a definite perk... i’d love that... and i’m glad that you feel that you are able to help make a difference... i can relate to that... in that it makes it all worth it... i could totally see you as a lawyer btw

 

[Sensiko]

[MENTION=5224]Sadie[/MENTION] i totally just lost my entire post to the computer gremlin, so i’ll have to do my best to recap D:

i really admire your attitude to let you degree take you where it does... if i don’t embrace that attitude i’ll be disappointed with whatever i end up doing

if i were to go back to school i’d most likely want to get a degree in library sciences... i almost did a few years ago, but after researching the job prospects i decided against it... i knew a girl who was a catalog librarian for a nice library and she loved it... i was secretly jealous of her nice, quiet office... lol... but the prospects haven’t gotten better and the competition is fierce... i spoke with a recruitment lady about it and she all but talked me out of it... unreal...i also thought about getting a supplemental authorization so i could be a school librarian... opportunities are a bit better, but still scary... i’m applying for library jobs around here so that i can make an educated decision about whether or not to persue this...

another degree i was considering was music therapy... i could tack it onto my music degree but i’m not exactly how i’d use it... but i could see many possibilities... i’d have to do more research... my mother would like to see me take this route

oh [MENTION=2873]Eirene[/MENTION] i read about his guy who you would get a kick out of... he calls himself ‘the sound alchemist’ lololol... that rocks... he does music therapy/sound healing...

yeah i’m very much on shaky legs right now
and as much as it’s been difficult i feel lucky that i get a ‘do-over’ and i don’t want to fuck it up and feel ‘stuck and out of gas' in another 10 years... but that’s something i have to get over...

 

[#@&5&49]

[MENTION=4459]Sensiko[/MENTION],

At one time I considered library sciences too. After I started teaching I soon realized I was more interested in helping students and advocating for their needs as opposed to teaching, hence the change in direction to guidance counseling. My supervisors told me I would be better in this position and they were right. I still teach but it's limited and I only teach in certain settings. I pursued some add ons as well. They've ended up providing me with some different perspectives about all the different student populations. Teaching ended up being the door that opened a different door, interesting how that works. The changes in my career are giving me an opportunity to do some things I really believe in and have a lot of passion for. The changes themselves weren't hard to make, it was my attitudes about where I should be at this stage in my life, perceptions of failure and success, etc, etc, etc. Those were more difficult to deal with then making the career changes. My family is very supportive of me pursuing these degrees now at this stage in my life, which helps tremendously. I told one of my professors that my goal is to graduate before one of us retires. She and I are about the same age. She's been good to me as far as being supportive. Well, thanks for starting this thread, as I'm going through something similar.

 

[rawr]

well you are still freakin’ awesome

last time i turned on my desktop it was having a hard time starting up... it starts up but is really slooooooow and then freezes... so i want to take it in to get backed up because i don’t want to lose what’s on that computer... the shell of what was my laptop is enjoying a nice retirement in the closet for now

don't worry, i'll send my kitteh over there to fix it. He'll know what to do.