Your career (job) and the real reasons why you chose it

I am INFP (small j i think). I became an instructor by default actually. I always wanted to be in academia. I loved "the idea" of engaging in academic research and thought I'd be good at it. In the process of getting my M.A., i had a teaching assistantship for a few years while i completed the program, and realized that this would allow me to get a job teaching at the college level after i graduate. Thing is teaching has not fulfilled my desire for knowledge. It's not as intellectually challenging as i believed it would be. i'm analytical and if i find that when i am required to think too simplistically, it lesses any interest or motivation i have in what i'm teaching. As i've learned more about myself and my type or the types i most commonly identify with, i realize that i'm more comfortable and do better working in small groups or one-on-one vs. large groups or crowds. I'm not that comfortable in positions of authority (anymore). I'd probably do better as a counselor (if i could guarantee that i wouldn't allow too much empathy to affect the healing/therapeutic process of the patient/client). So, there it is.

 

INFJ/INFP/INTJ/ISTJ (INFJ most days)

I work in Information Technology.

Sorry, I didn't expect to write this much.

I used to be BIG into computer games when I was younger. Eventually, as a gamer, you have to upgrade your computer to keep up with the new games coming out. So over time I built up my knowledge in how to build and tweak PC's.

For education, I mainly sought an A+ type certification, something basic that would give me credibility to work on computers. The only course our community college had here was Computer Networking Technologies. It sounded pretty boring, but it had some classes I was looking for so I decided I would give it a go.

This was the first time I had done any education in 3 years since my shaky graduation from High School. However, I quickly fell into quite a few friendships with people in class and had a great time. The more I learned, the more interested I became. I just couldn't get enough! From operating systems, to server infrastructure, two networking, and everything in between.

Even though I was so interested in the course, I had a lot of financial concerns and I wasn't going to finish my 2nd year. I was preparing myself every day for basic training and was going to join the Air Force. Strangely enough, I had my motorcycle accident RIGHT before the 2nd year started and that kept me from joining. I decided to stick with it and graduate.

The course was VERY hands on and was perfect for my learning style. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I moved to Iowa City shortly after graduation figuring there would be a lot more tech jobs there for me. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find anything, I was seriously struggling for money and I ended up taking a supervisor job at Staples.

One of my good friends from college ended up having to go to the Iowa City hospital (Renowned for their work) for pancreatic problems. I was spending time with him in the hospital daily, and one day I got a call asking if I would like to take a contracted position at Fort Dodge Animal Health. I asked what kind of job it was and they said helpdesk. I told them no, I was just 3 months into a 1 year lease and I couldn't afford to move back to Fort Dodge. Then they told me I would be making $17 an hour which was nearly double what I was making at Staples, I decided to at least go in for an interview.

The guys that I interviewed with were awesome and I actually became quite excited about the idea of working there. I decided to ditch Iowa City, move in with the padres, and pay rent to my roommates in IA city until my lease was through, they weren't interested in finding a different roommate.

I was VERY ambitious and let my managers know constantly that I wanted to move from helpdesk to Infrastructure, so I could play with the cool stuff. I was already doing a lot of the Infrastructure role simply because they knew I was competent enough, but I was officially switched to that department at the end of 2008.

I have a very logical/mathematical style of thinking, my role really matches me perfectly because I get to work on technical projects, I get to help people with elevated issues, but they aren't so often that I get burnt out. I get to work with a GREAT team of people, and there is plenty of room for advancement. I mean, I don't think it gets much better than that, as long as I agree with the mission of the company and the direction it is taking anyway.

The company I got hired onto was Fort Dodge Animal Health, which was acquired by American Home Products, a holding company, in 1945 if I remember correctly. In 2000, American Home Products dissolved and became Wyeth (Advil, Centrum, Chapstick, Thermacare, etc.), one of the largest subsidiaries of the company. Fort Dodge Animal Health became a division of Wyeth. There was some bureaucracy in Wyeth, but it was certainly livable.

Now I work for Pfizer, which bought Wyeth, which is the largest bio-pharmaceutical company in the world. While that is a neat notion, they have done some questionable things in Nigeria (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/30/AR2009013003432.html) and recently they had the largest fine EVER levied for suggesting uses of their drugs that they were not intended for. (http://www.dealookup.com/news/2009/09/pfizer-settlement-largest-ever.asp) There is a rumor they had budgeted for the fine beforehand.

THIS does not make me comfortable. But, with the economy how it is, I will hold on to my job until something better comes along.

 

I'm currently starting a career in cognitive science and am studying to become a researcher. I will most likely choose an engineering lean with my knowledge and apply cognitive science to artificial intelligence. It is possible I might choose pure research as well.

My current position is knowledge/experience building as well as attempting to gain credentials. At present I am building a resume that will look most attractive to getting into the university of my choice. My top choice at this time is MIT, and so I am focusing a resume on "getting involved," "showing passion for your field," and building academic credentials such as retaking standardized tests. The last of these three goals is the easiest to pursue. I have yet to figure out a good way to get involved in science without already having credentials, but I have a few creative ideas...mostly involving ingratiating myself to the right people.

I have chosen MIT as I feel it will provide me with the greatest "getting involved" experience. Learning the facts/book knowledge is very easy for me, but I need experience in the field itself to truly become great at it. The opportunity for undergraduate research also appeals highly to me and MIT offers this.

I have chosen cognitive science w/ a minor in computer science because these offer practice in the greatest variety of my interests...I've had a hard time choosing what I want to get involved in. My interests include (in no particular order) formal logic, philosophy (especially epistemology), psychology (especially cognitive and organizational), discrete mathematics and varieties of pure mathematics, astronomy, and neuroscience (especially neuroplasticity). All except astronomy are represented in my choice of major.

I have also chosen cognitive as my major (instead of computer science) because of the incredible complexity of the brain. Its intricacy is especially fascinating, and is a key force of maintaining my sustained interest in the subject.

Further, I'm extremely interested in personal development. Understanding neuroplasticity has, in some ways, developed me as a person further then I would have ever dreamed. Understanding how and why the brain rearranges itself in order to make the most sense out of reality has given me forms of endurance and patience that most people wouldn't dream of.

A career goal of mine is to bring some of the basic principles of cognitive science (especially neuroplasticity) to younger people. I find it incredibly negligent and despairing that the most basic understandings of how your brain...your information/emotional/sensation/etc center...is not taught to children. Giving young people the information needed to understand themselves and how to become what they want to be would produce a more thoughtful and successful society.


So what I have at present is a lot of ambition but little experience. Understanding the brain, imo, should be a key interest human progression in the next century and I want to play a part in it.

 

I was very early aware that i don't want to work too close with people, so professions such as MD, social worker, teacher in lower education and such was not for me. Briefly I wanted to study world literature but after reviewing some of the required literature it got me thinking that I would probably hate reading afterward and anyways I tend to be strongly individual and have certain needs that couldn't be fulfilled with practicing that in any possible way. Another brief period of time I was considering to become veterinarian but I'm too sensitive when it comes to animal cruelty cases and too passionate about what I feel when it comes to animal care, and although I would be extremely good with animal care I probably would be filled with anger for their suffering.

I was always strong in math so I started thinking about electrical engineering, and first took the field of Nano-engineering and quantum mechanics but after seeing that profs in that department are not that good as I thought at first and that I couldn't get what I wanted of it, I transferred to Control engineering (which wasn't easy at all), and finished my BS there. What I like about that field is that it is great for conceptual learners, it offers greater picture about how things work, and it's quite intuitive to grasp. What was even better I had a prof who recognized my intuitive tendencies and gave me graduation thesis which involved implementing those intuitive principles on a real process and getting even stronger sense of how real things work. So far, when it comes to things I get to practice and learn this was the best choice for me.

 

well I'm closing up my freshmen year at Florida Christian College. So I guess I fall under the student section of the drop down list. As for my plans after college, ministry either a preaching ministry or a youth ministry.

If you want to know why, well God told me to.

 

I learned how to set goals just before few months ago. Honestly, now i know how to use right tool to decorate your goal. Actually goal means a lot to me. Because it is my life's aim. Makes my life more aimful. Goal is to change life or achieve success in life.

Mine goals,

Achieve self discipline. I feel excited, motivated and always willing to hard work to make huge difference in my life.

Run successful business in india. My beloved dream.

Share ideas with people which i am doing on this site.