Finding the right career.

**Kris** · 07-19-2009, 08:08 AM

My background - I finished high school in 2002 and went straight to uni, completing my BEng(Software) with hons in 2006. I have worked full time since for private software companies until very recently when I started working as a freelancer.

When it came to picking my field I actually was really unsure of what I wanted to do. I'd thought about psychology but had a career adviser tell me the job prospects weren't great here as it is such a popular field of study. Then I picked Law and Engineering as my 1st and 2nd preferences. Due to my slacking through school I didn't get into Law and then kind of picked my software major randomly because I enjoyed programming in high school. I thought about changing degrees in uni but didn't know what to do so I just sucked it up and got through it.

Now I just don't know how much longer I am going to last in this field. I feel like my personality is not at all suited to this type of work full time. As silly as it sounds I really want more adventure & excitement, or at the very least some more diversity.

As it stands I don't know what else I'd choose to do, and I'm not ready to go making a huge change just yet given I've spent less time working so far than I have studying. Since I'm freelancing and have quite flexible working hours I've come to the decision I should do some part time work doing something very different. Looking around there's really not many interesting opportunities without some relevant formal education. However, there are two options I'm currently considering:
- Becoming a reservist in the defence forces. I think the minimum time spent working is around 30 days per year. Seems like there are a lot of different and interesting opportunities, however I worry my eyesight will heavily restrict what I can apply for. Here the defence forces will pay for your uni expenses and pay you a salary while studying and you will enter directly into an officer position when you graduate. Starting out as a reservist could allow me to test the waters and maybe look at doing this for a career change in the future.
- Getting a security license and working as a bouncer/doorman. This would be a more short-term prospect. I know it doesn't seem like a particular interesting thing to do but I've always been interested in doing it and figure it would be alright to do it part-time while I have a think about what I really want to be doing.

Ultimately, I'd be open to anything that I can squeeze in to an almost full-time but flexible work schedule. I don't mind working the long weeks and I wouldn't mind saving a bit of extra money. I really would like to try something different but start off in a sensible fashion and see how I feel about things from there.

Any advice/opinions/anecdotes/etc even remotely relevant to this would be appreciated.

Also I'd appreciate input on how people came to find their actual careers (only if you actually like your career!), especially from those for whom it wasn't just an obvious choice. I feel like I'm capable of being good at anything but I sometimes think I'll never find anything I truly enjoy.

**khadi** · 07-19-2009, 12:22 PM

I am not older than you and I don't have a "career". But for what it's worth,

-I would never suggest that anyone join or support the military.
-"Fireman" was the first thing I thought of upon reading your post.

**PLC** · 07-19-2009, 05:44 PM

I'm pretty sure you already considered the pros/cons of all jobs so we'll skip that part.

If you always really wanted to try out being a bouncer, I say try it. It's not a high profile job and it probably doesn't pay as much as your current job but if you don't try it you might regret never giving it a shot when you could have. While you're a bouncer you can join the reserve and test the waters, like you said. The way I see it is if you really don't like your job you have nothing to lose. It's a good job but ask yourself if you will wake up in 20 years thinking you've wasted too many opportunities for a job you never liked.

I'm in the same boat. Finished highschool in 2002, wandered in a few fields. Ended up picking up the welding trade. I like it but I'm looking for more adventure and bigger thrills. I filled the papers for the canadian forces but i'm still very unsure of if I really want to do it. I fear having regrets of not doing it when I could If I don't try it now. It's seems like an excellent job (adventure, benefits, constantly learning, having an impact on things) but it does have it's downsides.

Some people suggested that I keep my current job and pursue "fulfilment" in my spare time. It's a reasonable option but I don't think I could live with "reaching fulfilment" as a part time activity.

I'm very curious to see which path you will chose. Tell me if you set your mind on something.

**Mader** · 07-19-2009, 08:51 PM

I know you will hate the next sentence. You are young, you do not have to make a permanent decision today.

It is good you have the degree. It is good you can earn a living. Wise choices. Now, if you want, you can experiment. Go ahead and be a bouncer, it is not nearly as much fun as it looks but you will have some good stories to tell.

Reserves, if in the US, do not go in thinking the 30 days per year. Elsewhere, I say go for it - it may be interesting, it may be fun, you may learn new things and meet new people. It is not a permanent commitment, so why not? Plus, extra income and school, sounds like a good deal to me.

Lets say you are now 25 years old. You will be working for 40 - 50 years. You have plenty of time to sit at a desk. As long as the bills are paid (and you do not have family responsibilities) then go ahead. You don't have to get rich this year, have fun, try something different.

**MyWingHK** · 07-20-2009, 06:51 AM

please help me as well,

My Background
I am approaching to 30, I have a CA(SA) - (CPA in US), B.Sc (Computer Science) and CISA. I have an accounting career, with a mix of IT auditing and Auditing. (7 years), currently moving to UK from South Africa.

Am I an INTJ
Firstly a lot of the test that I did, shows that I am a INTJ, however some test suggested that I am a ISTJ. I am really was surprised that tests shows I am a (I)ntrovert, the first time because to 99.9% of the people I am totally a (E)xtrovert. But when I read on, as I have a very eternal child personality and enjoy my time listening to my music alone. I am trying to convince that I am one. Also the fact after 2 weeks of intensive googling, I am still asking am I a INTJ, this also make me feels that I am a INTJ.

What I like
I really like sitting at the back of my computer, doing C/C++ programming at free time. Of course I work as an accountant, I really feels that accounting is very boring, I am glad that the study is over and I start to find accounting interesting because I start to understand "WHY" accounting statements i.e. IFRS (I like to call it accounting law) are written this way. I am in the middle of a career choice, I still want to study some more, either a MBA in one of the top MBA school or becoming Actuary. As I had Major in AI, I think become an Actuary can make me happy because I have too little Maths background to properly "understand" AI. Of course with all the help of my friends, I managed a basic level of Maths and I pass AI as a subject. Some one suggested if I am going to study actuary I will be crazy.

Reason I choice Accounting as a career
I came from a very poor family where parents tells me that it could be impossible for them to put food on the table tomorrow. I think accounting is a very stable career, compares to IT, even Computer Science is my passion I choice to become an accountant (in 1997/8 - even before the dot.com bubble). Today however I read that INTJ is not that suitable as an accountant. As my move to UK, I want to use this opportunity to switch career.

Please help me as well on my career choice. I need some help, should I carry on as an accountant, because I really learned to adapted to this boring environment and the fact that I understand the "WHY" in IFRS really help me to keep accounting more interesting. Or I should change in Programming or Network security. Or I should go for actuary and link up with my AI studies.

Thank you very much you all

**AaronSheffield** · 07-20-2009, 07:04 AM

One thing I will say from experience is not to take a career simply for expedience. It's all too easy to get "stuck" on a career path that you don't want simply because you have started building a life and suddenly have obligations. It can be difficult to pare down your life again and go back to school once you have begun to establish yourself.

By no means is it impossible to simplify and start over; I do not mean to imply that. But it is certainly more difficult than taking a little extra time to get started before choosing a career.

**MyWingHK** · 07-20-2009, 11:09 PM

Sorry tab browsing therefore post this incorrectly.

**Kris** · 07-21-2009, 05:33 AM

Thanks for the advice and comments so far, very much appreciated. I'm going to continue to investigate different options and just take some time to consider things whilst continuing with my current work. I'm going to also see if I can get involved in other things through conferences, volunteering, etc to try and establish some fields that I could build a genuine interest in.

**shetland09** · 07-21-2009, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by MyWingHK
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please help me as well,

My Background
I am approaching to 30, I have a CA(SA) - (CPA in US), B.Sc (Computer Science) and CISA. I have an accounting career, with a mix of IT auditing and Auditing. (7 years), currently moving to UK from South Africa.

Am I an INTJ
Firstly a lot of the test that I did, shows that I am a INTJ, however some test suggested that I am a ISTJ. I am really was surprised that tests shows I am a (I)ntrovert, the first time because to 99.9% of the people I am totally a (E)xtrovert. But when I read on, as I have a very eternal child personality and enjoy my time listening to my music alone. I am trying to convince that I am one. Also the fact after 2 weeks of intensive googling, I am still asking am I a INTJ, this also make me feels that I am a INTJ.

What I like
I really like sitting at the back of my computer, doing C/C++ programming at free time. Of course I work as an accountant, I really feels that accounting is very boring, I am glad that the study is over and I start to find accounting interesting because I start to understand "WHY" accounting statements i.e. IFRS (I like to call it accounting law) are written this way. I am in the middle of a career choice, I still want to study some more, either a MBA in one of the top MBA school or becoming Actuary. As I had Major in AI, I think become an Actuary can make me happy because I have too little Maths background to properly "understand" AI. Of course with all the help of my friends, I managed a basic level of Maths and I pass AI as a subject. Some one suggested if I am going to study actuary I will be crazy.

Reason I choice Accounting as a career
I came from a very poor family where parents tells me that it could be impossible for them to put food on the table tomorrow. I think accounting is a very stable career, compares to IT, even Computer Science is my passion I choice to become an accountant (in 1997/8 - even before the dot.com bubble). Today however I read that INTJ is not that suitable as an accountant. As my move to UK, I want to use this opportunity to switch career.

Please help me as well on my career choice. I need some help, should I carry on as an accountant, because I really learned to adapted to this boring environment and the fact that I understand the "WHY" in IFRS really help me to keep accounting more interesting. Or I should change in Programming or Network security. Or I should go for actuary and link up with my AI studies.

Thank you very much you all

shetland09 added to this post, 10 minutes and 39 seconds later...

My career path was very similar to yours. In fact, I chose Accounting as a career for the very same reasons (grew up in family with very little money...desire for stability and freedom from financial worries). I was quite successful in my accounting roles, and achieved several management roles within the field over the course of 10 year. However, I was never satisfied. Upon receiving my MBA, I discovered that I had an interest and an aptitude for the mathematical aspects of derivatives. I joined a trading organization doing middle office work, and have been quite content ever since. I have stayed in the field and have had a number of roles in this area. The field requires aptitude in the areas that you have expressed strength in: it requires mathematical acumen, analytical ability, IT skills and Financial knowledge. Additionally, you are tied to the markets and must utilize both analytical and intuitive skills as you get closer to the trading activities. And once you get into management roles, you also are called upon to draw upon the natural INFJ skills of understanding people and motivating them. You may not have interest in trading, but the field worked for me.

**chipdouglas** · 07-22-2009, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Kris
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There are two options I'm currently considering:
- Becoming a reservist in the defence forces. I think the minimum time spent working is around 30 days per year. Seems like there are a lot of different and interesting opportunities, however I worry my eyesight will heavily restrict what I can apply for. Here the defence forces will pay for your uni expenses and pay you a salary while studying and you will enter directly into an officer position when you graduate. Starting out as a reservist could allow me to test the waters and maybe look at doing this for a career change in the future.
- Getting a security license and working as a bouncer/doorman. This would be a more short-term prospect. I know it doesn't seem like a particular interesting thing to do but I've always been interested in doing it and figure it would be alright to do it part-time while I have a think about what I really want to be doing.

I was a reservist in the US Marine Corps. DON'T DO IT. I can't imagine a career less suited to the INTJ personality. I think you're in the UK so your Royal Marines' boot camp is similar to ours. INTJs like to be independent, productive, and have variety of work. I enlisted and drove an Abrams tank and let me tell you: for every 15 minutes of "cool" (like you see on the commercials) there are 48 hours of stupefying mundanity: waiting around, performing repetitive tasks to look busy, getting your *ss chewed and hazed by lazy NCOs with single-digit IQs. I cannot stress how much inactivity there is. There is NO AUTONOMY, NO INDEPENDENCE, and 99% of the time I was TOTALLY UNPRODUCTIVE. Plus, as the hardest service, the Marines pride themselves on making life as miserable as possible for junior personnel. Yeah it sounds cool in theory, but it's your worst nightmare in reality. Your "pump" will fade 24 hours into boot camp, believe me. And boot camp is a mindf*ck for INTJs more than others. It was for me psychologically for reasons I don't even care to dwell on.

As for the bouncer thing, I haven't done it professionally but I don't think you'll like it either. In the Marines I had to do security several times for local events and it is MIND-NUMBING to stay in one place for hours on end, doing the same thing. I think both routes are HUGE mistakes for an INTJ. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

EDIT: I see you're in Oz. Same thing applies; just different degrees of bad.

**Aristocrat Porn** · 07-22-2009, 02:21 PM

	Originally Posted by chipdouglas To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	And boot camp is a mindf*ck for INTJs more than others. It was for me psychologically for reasons I don't even care to dwell on.

Can you please talk more about this reasons?

**chipdouglas** · 07-27-2009, 12:15 PM

	Originally Posted by Aristocrat Porn To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Can you please talk more about this reasons?

A few of many reasons:

The "Mastermind" is always trying to figure out how to manipulate his way to the top of a situation. Once you discover there is no behavioral pattern that will take you out of the violent crosshairs of a drill instructor, and with any analytic savvy you will discover it near the beginning, it is impossible not to despair at what awaits you over the next 3 months.

There is also the feeling of being utterly trapped. INTJs have confidence in their abilities and are control freaks in the sense that they need a high degree of control over the what, when, how, where, why, and how long. When you realize at the beginning that your schedule will be regimented and micromanaged by violent administrators for months to come, it is again impossible not to despair.

My experience was also unique because my initial instructors were relieved of duty on account of beating the hell out of recruits. They were replaced by those with a similar intensity level that was less physical this time. I was among those singled out by the initial drill instructors. This is just a guess but, being alone in intimately knowing many of their tactics going in, I probably exuded a calmness that infuriated the DIs. I was thus singled out for an unusual degree of abuse, physical and otherwise. With the later instructors, I learned to be "invisible," and to act frantic and terrified at all times to make them believe their tactics were working as with everyone else.

**Kris** · 07-27-2009, 01:48 PM

Hmm...you've raised a few good points that I didn't really pay much thought to previously.

Also, the hazing/harassment thing is a worry for me. I have a habit of getting myself in big trouble in these situations, because like many other INTJs I don't have any inherent respect for authority figures. I can picture myself punching someone in the face in this situation and ending up in some real deep shit...

**Seducer** · 07-27-2009, 02:13 PM

Do whatever you enjoy the most and have the most natural talent for.
It's the only way to go.
Brian Tracy says that's what you should do, and he's the best success guru.
So you can't go wrong with that.

**Mader** · 07-27-2009, 03:46 PM

The military requires you to think like they think.
Boot camp is designed to teach you to stop thinking and accept commands without question. The reason, when the bad guys are shooting at you, following orders without question speeds up saving your life. Another way of looking at this is that they are training you to think like they think, which will, hopefully, save your life.

I find the military thinking to be logical, all things being equal, x + y = z. I find the bureaucratic crap to be mind-numbingly illogical. You will not find a great deal of room for independent thinking, but not all military jobs involve guns and bullets. Lots of cool computer work being done, super-duper secret stuff!

As far as the question of what to do after earning a CPA... be proud and grateful that you have the training and skills to pay your bills - you and your family will always have food and shelter (don't minimize the importance of this). Software plus accounting is always necessary. My company uses industry software that ties warehouse to the accounting office, etc. This software needs to be updated regularly due to changes in the industry. Tax laws change every year, so new software is needed. And, I am not a software genius, I need someone to call when the software doesn't work right (usually the problem is me). In my town various accounting firms sell training for software. Other firms will tweak software for a particular industry. Some of my suppliers develop their own software that we use with them. Your CPA knowledge may be an asset for software development. I have a family member who travels around the state fixing software that others mess up. How do you start this? I don't know. Maybe start by researching the various accounting softwares, looking at the needs of your firms' clients, being available to help a client when the firm gets that call for help. Even if you want to do something completely different, volunteering in Africa, for example, a CPA is an asset since you understand the needed checks and balances in the system. These checks and balances can be applied in many areas and are often missed by small businesses and charities.

**PLC** · 07-27-2009, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by chipdouglas
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I enlisted and drove an Abrams tank and let me tell you: for every 15 minutes of "cool" (like you see on the commercials) there are 48 hours of stupefying mundanity: waiting around, performing repetitive tasks to look busy, getting your *ss chewed and hazed by lazy NCOs with single-digit IQs. I cannot stress how much inactivity there is. There is NO AUTONOMY, NO INDEPENDENCE, and 99% of the time I was TOTALLY UNPRODUCTIVE.

I was thinking of enlisting too, like I said in my other post. Still thinking about it and knowing myself, this is exactly what I feared. Looks like a great initial challenge but after that there seems to be a void that cannot be filled.

Thanks for the feedback.

**MyWingHK** · 07-28-2009, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by shetland09
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shetland09 added to this post, 10 minutes and 39 seconds later...

My career path was very similar to yours. In fact, I chose Accounting as a career for the very same reasons (grew up in family with very little money...desire for stability and freedom from financial worries). I was quite successful in my accounting roles, and achieved several management roles within the field over the course of 10 year. However, I was never satisfied. Upon receiving my MBA, I discovered that I had an interest and an aptitude for the mathematical aspects of derivatives. I joined a trading organization doing middle office work, and have been quite content ever since. I have stayed in the field and have had a number of roles in this area. The field requires aptitude in the areas that you have expressed strength in: it requires mathematical acumen, analytical ability, IT skills and Financial knowledge. Additionally, you are tied to the markets and must utilize both analytical and intuitive skills as you get closer to the trading activities. And once you get into management roles, you also are called upon to draw upon the natural INFJ skills of understanding people and motivating them. You may not have interest in trading, but the field worked for me.

Thank you for your help, I decided to register through SOA in US. Because I am really similar to you, I enjoy working with stock and derivatives. Like I am the crazy people that if I am not in "AFRICA" will buy Citi-bank at $1 and will sell it may be at $2 - $3 (not when it was $4), which is a 100% return in 1 - 3 weeks. I am not happy, because I think I did not do proper Maths and obtain a programming degree, I feel I cheat the system. I chosen SOA because they have a special program for South African to register and obtain study material for free online and have discount for exams. I may not be as far as to FSA but something interesting like CERA - Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst, I think will add a lot of value and it is also more flexible than CFA. And their program don't required me to go back to university, I have family responsibility, as Mader said keeping my family running is important, I totally with you therefore the move to UK is carefully planned. The only problem is that I can't control when Financial Crisis will come. Therefore I am still in Africa as I have a very stable government work there, and take the risk in Q4 09 to try my luck in UK.

Originally Posted by Mader
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As far as the question of what to do after earning a CPA... be proud and grateful that you have the training and skills to pay your bills - you and your family will always have food and shelter (don't minimize the importance of this). Software plus accounting is always necessary. My company uses industry software that ties warehouse to the accounting office, etc. This software needs to be updated regularly due to changes in the industry. Tax laws change every year, so new software is needed. And, I am not a software genius, I need someone to call when the software doesn't work right (usually the problem is me). In my town various accounting firms sell training for software. Other firms will tweak software for a particular industry. Some of my suppliers develop their own software that we use with them. Your CPA knowledge may be an asset for software development. I have a family member who travels around the state fixing software that others mess up. How do you start this? I don't know. Maybe start by researching the various accounting softwares, looking at the needs of your firms' clients, being available to help a client when the firm gets that call for help. Even if you want to do something completely different, volunteering in Africa, for example, a CPA is an asset since you understand the needed checks and balances in the system. These checks and balances can be applied in many areas and are often missed by small businesses and charities.

"Yes" I know, IT and Finance match, people told me so, but I am in "AFRICA" and it is very bad that I can't get this type of job you mentioned in US. I really look for those things, therefore I will move to UK and see what can they offer me.

**jonnyb** · 07-28-2009, 09:45 PM


	Now I just don't know how much longer I am going to last in this field. I feel like my personality is not at all suited to this type of work full time. As silly as it sounds I really want more adventure & excitement, or at the very least some more diversity.

Dude, you have a job right now that I assume makes quite a bit better than flipping burgers. I am also in a similar per-dick-erment. I work doing CT at a hospital. It is high public exposure for me and not something that I like. Unlike you though, I feel my personality is getting sucked right out my arss.


	Since I'm freelancing and have quite flexible working hours I've come to the decision I should do some part time work doing something very different. Looking around there's really not many interesting opportunities without some relevant formal education.

Good call. Keep the bread and butter job and hunt around till you find something appealing. Don't sweat the formal education bit too much. I find a place that has a job I want to try doing and either talk directly to the manager about the possibilities of working that job or another for a time with the ambitions to begin training for the desired position. Hope I didn't loose you. I find just being around and getting exposure is well enough to get my mind to start thinking and figuring out the ins and outs of desired job.

-


	Becoming a reservist in the defence forces. I think the minimum time spent working is around 30 days per year. Seems like there are a lot of different and interesting opportunities

Dito, I have 2 years left to even think about applying due to age. I am waiting for a recruiter to talk to me about possibilities to flying helicopters (that will be full-time Army instead of reserves though).


	Getting a security license and working as a bouncer/doorman. This would be a more short-term prospect. I know it doesn't seem like a particular interesting thing to do but I've always been interested in doing it

Always worth doing stuff one has interest in.


	I feel like I'm capable of being good at anything

A true INTJ speaking here.
Good luck

**2obvious** · 08-02-2009, 07:07 PM

For me, finding happiness in my current work was a matter of articulating the aspects of my job I didn't (and did) like in my earlier positions and making incremental changes.

Basing future career choices on the flexibility of your current schedule *seems* like a practical strategy. But it bears no relation to your ultimate dissatisfaction, and limits your options to the whim of the position you don't like.

**Doppelbock** · 08-02-2009, 07:11 PM

I'm curious why you don't like software - could it be that you haven't gotten to write software in any problem domains that interest you?

**Kris** · 08-02-2009, 10:05 PM

	Originally Posted by Doppelbock To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I'm curious why you don't like software - could it be that you haven't gotten to write software in any problem domains that interest you?

The thing is I never really had a draw to anything. I was good at programming in high school so I ended up in software. Most other people I know in this industry spend their spare time on personal projects and on software forums and reading the latest news, etc. I can't think of anything more boring. Admittedly I have worked on a few challenging & interesting projects but if there's anything I do know its that this career is not the right one for me.

Actually I'm not sure that any job that has me sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours a day is right for me...

I think I would have been a lot better off picking a different major in engineering, maybe chemical or mechanical. Now my only option to do something like that would be to spend another 4 years of my life at uni and get a second engineering degree, haha.

**MyWingHK** · 08-02-2009, 11:31 PM

	Originally Posted by Kris To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	The thing is I never really had a draw to anything...

My cousin in Toronto is working at ATI-AMD and is finishing its Computer Engineering degree there, last time I saw him, he shows me the board that he help to design to connect the Chip to the GDDR. I only saw drawing drawing and drawing, maybe you should goes to AMD, Intel or Texas Instruments and find works there.

**Iggy Hazard** · 08-03-2009, 12:27 PM

	Originally Posted by Kris To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Law and Engineering as my 1st and 2nd preferences. Due to my slacking through school I didn't get into Law

The world has too many lawyers anyway. The world does not need more lawyers.


	Also I'd appreciate input on how people came to find their actual careers

I had a career for about one year (plus four months or so) after college. After that, my education (and my self) had become obsolete and I just took whatever job I could find out of desperation. I graduated high school in 1998 and went right to a tech/business college. Year-round course in graphic design. Earned an Associate's. Graduated in December, 1999 (year-round counts as two years). Got a job the next month making ads for a catalog. Got fired after approximately 1.32 years due to personality conflict with someone on a different shift who didn't like that I was so personable (oh, the irony!). Found another job within a month. Moved to apartment not far from work. Perfect set-up. During the winter of 2002, I walked to work one day due to heavy snow. People always appreciated my reliability and dedication. But over the course of a year, they just kept making their standards harder and harder to keep up with. Plus, some of my co-workers (many of which I'd gone to college with) didn't like me. Even people who used to be my friends back in college had grown to despise me. Never fully understood why. Quit that job about about a year. Would have gotten fired anyway due to my proofreading accuracy being merely 98.1% and the requirement was something like 98.5%. Decided to pull a Nixon and resign with honor. Bad choice. Screwed myself out of receiving unemployment. Remained jobless for three years. No one would hire me. Had to mooch off family members. They made sure to let me know how much of a disappointment I was. So did my friends. I looked for work, but it seemed that there was always someone else better than me who'd get whatever job I was applying for. Or maybe their resume just looked better than mine. It wasn't until I went to a temp agency that I found work. Out of desperation, I stuck with the first thing they found for me -- a factory job operating machines that make the stuff that goes in futons and other bedding products. Hazardous environment. Cotton dust in the air all the time. Lung capacity reduced to 78%. Anything below 80% is considered severe. Not sure if I have asthma or brown lung (brown lung mimics asthma). Different doctors have told me different things. No matter how much I give, no matter how much I sacrifice, the company and my co-workers always demand more. People take advantage of me. For example, when a forklift battery needs changed, I'm the one who does it even if someone was on the forklift when the battery went red. Meanwhile, the guy who was supposed to change the battery lets my blenders (don't ask) run empty.

Used to be I always knew what I was supposed to do. Now it seems they expect me to do everything. No matter how much work I do, I still get paid the same. No matter how many different tasks I know how to perform, I still get paid the same. People give me contradicting instructions. Sometimes two different people will give me instructions that conflict, other times one person will contradict themself without realizing it, leaving me confused and disoriented. Then they get pissed off when I can't function properly.

I can't remember the last time I went to sleep at night or woke up in the morning and didn't regret being born. If life's a gift, return to sender.


	only if you actually like your career!

I'm disqualified.
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It doesn't count as a career anyway since I rank amongst the working poor (and probably always will).


	I sometimes think I'll never find anything I truly enjoy.

You're probably right. There's nothing out that we'd call a "job" that you'll ever find the least bit enjoyable or satisfying. As far as the system's concerned, we're all cogs in the machine. Bricks in the wall. Human life only has value as chattel.

The end is nigh. Rejoice.

07-19-2009, 08:08 AM	#1
Kris Member [27%] MBTI: ENTP Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,116	My background - I finished high school in 2002 and went straight to uni, completing my BEng(Software) with hons in 2006. I have worked full time since for private software companies until very recently when I started working as a freelancer. When it came to picking my field I actually was really unsure of what I wanted to do. I'd thought about psychology but had a career adviser tell me the job prospects weren't great here as it is such a popular field of study. Then I picked Law and Engineering as my 1st and 2nd preferences. Due to my slacking through school I didn't get into Law and then kind of picked my software major randomly because I enjoyed programming in high school. I thought about changing degrees in uni but didn't know what to do so I just sucked it up and got through it. Now I just don't know how much longer I am going to last in this field. I feel like my personality is not at all suited to this type of work full time. As silly as it sounds I really want more adventure & excitement, or at the very least some more diversity. As it stands I don't know what else I'd choose to do, and I'm not ready to go making a huge change just yet given I've spent less time working so far than I have studying. Since I'm freelancing and have quite flexible working hours I've come to the decision I should do some part time work doing something very different. Looking around there's really not many interesting opportunities without some relevant formal education. However, there are two options I'm currently considering: - Becoming a reservist in the defence forces. I think the minimum time spent working is around 30 days per year. Seems like there are a lot of different and interesting opportunities, however I worry my eyesight will heavily restrict what I can apply for. Here the defence forces will pay for your uni expenses and pay you a salary while studying and you will enter directly into an officer position when you graduate. Starting out as a reservist could allow me to test the waters and maybe look at doing this for a career change in the future. - Getting a security license and working as a bouncer/doorman. This would be a more short-term prospect. I know it doesn't seem like a particular interesting thing to do but I've always been interested in doing it and figure it would be alright to do it part-time while I have a think about what I really want to be doing. Ultimately, I'd be open to anything that I can squeeze in to an almost full-time but flexible work schedule. I don't mind working the long weeks and I wouldn't mind saving a bit of extra money. I really would like to try something different but start off in a sensible fashion and see how I feel about things from there. Any advice/opinions/anecdotes/etc even remotely relevant to this would be appreciated. Also I'd appreciate input on how people came to find their actual careers (only if you actually like your career!), especially from those for whom it wasn't just an obvious choice. I feel like I'm capable of being good at anything but I sometimes think I'll never find anything I truly enjoy.
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07-19-2009, 12:22 PM	#2
khadi Member [31%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,257	I am not older than you and I don't have a "career". But for what it's worth, -I would never suggest that anyone join or support the military. -"Fireman" was the first thing I thought of upon reading your post.
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07-19-2009, 05:44 PM	#3
PLC Member [02%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 111	I'm pretty sure you already considered the pros/cons of all jobs so we'll skip that part. If you always really wanted to try out being a bouncer, I say try it. It's not a high profile job and it probably doesn't pay as much as your current job but if you don't try it you might regret never giving it a shot when you could have. While you're a bouncer you can join the reserve and test the waters, like you said. The way I see it is if you really don't like your job you have nothing to lose. It's a good job but ask yourself if you will wake up in 20 years thinking you've wasted too many opportunities for a job you never liked. I'm in the same boat. Finished highschool in 2002, wandered in a few fields. Ended up picking up the welding trade. I like it but I'm looking for more adventure and bigger thrills. I filled the papers for the canadian forces but i'm still very unsure of if I really want to do it. I fear having regrets of not doing it when I could If I don't try it now. It's seems like an excellent job (adventure, benefits, constantly learning, having an impact on things) but it does have it's downsides. Some people suggested that I keep my current job and pursue "fulfilment" in my spare time. It's a reasonable option but I don't think I could live with "reaching fulfilment" as a part time activity. I'm very curious to see which path you will chose. Tell me if you set your mind on something.
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07-19-2009, 08:51 PM	#4
Mader Member [36%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,475	I know you will hate the next sentence. You are young, you do not have to make a permanent decision today. It is good you have the degree. It is good you can earn a living. Wise choices. Now, if you want, you can experiment. Go ahead and be a bouncer, it is not nearly as much fun as it looks but you will have some good stories to tell. Reserves, if in the US, do not go in thinking the 30 days per year. Elsewhere, I say go for it - it may be interesting, it may be fun, you may learn new things and meet new people. It is not a permanent commitment, so why not? Plus, extra income and school, sounds like a good deal to me. Lets say you are now 25 years old. You will be working for 40 - 50 years. You have plenty of time to sit at a desk. As long as the bills are paid (and you do not have family responsibilities) then go ahead. You don't have to get rich this year, have fun, try something different.
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07-20-2009, 06:51 AM	#5
MyWingHK New Member [01%] MBTI: IntJ Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 28	please help me as well, My Background I am approaching to 30, I have a CA(SA) - (CPA in US), B.Sc (Computer Science) and CISA. I have an accounting career, with a mix of IT auditing and Auditing. (7 years), currently moving to UK from South Africa. Am I an INTJ Firstly a lot of the test that I did, shows that I am a INTJ, however some test suggested that I am a ISTJ. I am really was surprised that tests shows I am a (I)ntrovert, the first time because to 99.9% of the people I am totally a (E)xtrovert. But when I read on, as I have a very eternal child personality and enjoy my time listening to my music alone. I am trying to convince that I am one. Also the fact after 2 weeks of intensive googling, I am still asking am I a INTJ, this also make me feels that I am a INTJ. What I like I really like sitting at the back of my computer, doing C/C++ programming at free time. Of course I work as an accountant, I really feels that accounting is very boring, I am glad that the study is over and I start to find accounting interesting because I start to understand "WHY" accounting statements i.e. IFRS (I like to call it accounting law) are written this way. I am in the middle of a career choice, I still want to study some more, either a MBA in one of the top MBA school or becoming Actuary. As I had Major in AI, I think become an Actuary can make me happy because I have too little Maths background to properly "understand" AI. Of course with all the help of my friends, I managed a basic level of Maths and I pass AI as a subject. Some one suggested if I am going to study actuary I will be crazy. Reason I choice Accounting as a career I came from a very poor family where parents tells me that it could be impossible for them to put food on the table tomorrow. I think accounting is a very stable career, compares to IT, even Computer Science is my passion I choice to become an accountant (in 1997/8 - even before the dot.com bubble). Today however I read that INTJ is not that suitable as an accountant. As my move to UK, I want to use this opportunity to switch career. Please help me as well on my career choice. I need some help, should I carry on as an accountant, because I really learned to adapted to this boring environment and the fact that I understand the "WHY" in IFRS really help me to keep accounting more interesting. Or I should change in Programming or Network security. Or I should go for actuary and link up with my AI studies. Thank you very much you all
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07-20-2009, 07:04 AM	#6
AaronSheffield Core Member [113%] MBTI: InTj Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4,531	One thing I will say from experience is not to take a career simply for expedience. It's all too easy to get "stuck" on a career path that you don't want simply because you have started building a life and suddenly have obligations. It can be difficult to pare down your life again and go back to school once you have begun to establish yourself. By no means is it impossible to simplify and start over; I do not mean to imply that. But it is certainly more difficult than taking a little extra time to get started before choosing a career.
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07-20-2009, 11:09 PM	#7
MyWingHK New Member [01%] MBTI: IntJ Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 28	Sorry tab browsing therefore post this incorrectly.
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07-21-2009, 05:33 AM	#8
Kris Member [27%] MBTI: ENTP Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,116	Thanks for the advice and comments so far, very much appreciated. I'm going to continue to investigate different options and just take some time to consider things whilst continuing with my current work. I'm going to also see if I can get involved in other things through conferences, volunteering, etc to try and establish some fields that I could build a genuine interest in.
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07-27-2009, 01:48 PM	#13
Kris Member [27%] MBTI: ENTP Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,116	Hmm...you've raised a few good points that I didn't really pay much thought to previously. Also, the hazing/harassment thing is a worry for me. I have a habit of getting myself in big trouble in these situations, because like many other INTJs I don't have any inherent respect for authority figures. I can picture myself punching someone in the face in this situation and ending up in some real deep shit...
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07-27-2009, 02:13 PM	#14
Seducer Banned MBTI: xxxx Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 768	Do whatever you enjoy the most and have the most natural talent for. It's the only way to go. Brian Tracy says that's what you should do, and he's the best success guru. So you can't go wrong with that.
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07-27-2009, 03:46 PM	#15
Mader Member [36%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,475	The military requires you to think like they think. Boot camp is designed to teach you to stop thinking and accept commands without question. The reason, when the bad guys are shooting at you, following orders without question speeds up saving your life. Another way of looking at this is that they are training you to think like they think, which will, hopefully, save your life. I find the military thinking to be logical, all things being equal, x + y = z. I find the bureaucratic crap to be mind-numbingly illogical. You will not find a great deal of room for independent thinking, but not all military jobs involve guns and bullets. Lots of cool computer work being done, super-duper secret stuff! As far as the question of what to do after earning a CPA... be proud and grateful that you have the training and skills to pay your bills - you and your family will always have food and shelter (don't minimize the importance of this). Software plus accounting is always necessary. My company uses industry software that ties warehouse to the accounting office, etc. This software needs to be updated regularly due to changes in the industry. Tax laws change every year, so new software is needed. And, I am not a software genius, I need someone to call when the software doesn't work right (usually the problem is me). In my town various accounting firms sell training for software. Other firms will tweak software for a particular industry. Some of my suppliers develop their own software that we use with them. Your CPA knowledge may be an asset for software development. I have a family member who travels around the state fixing software that others mess up. How do you start this? I don't know. Maybe start by researching the various accounting softwares, looking at the needs of your firms' clients, being available to help a client when the firm gets that call for help. Even if you want to do something completely different, volunteering in Africa, for example, a CPA is an asset since you understand the needed checks and balances in the system. These checks and balances can be applied in many areas and are often missed by small businesses and charities.
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08-02-2009, 07:07 PM	#19
2obvious Member [10%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 419	For me, finding happiness in my current work was a matter of articulating the aspects of my job I didn't (and did) like in my earlier positions and making incremental changes. Basing future career choices on the flexibility of your current schedule seems like a practical strategy. But it bears no relation to your ultimate dissatisfaction, and limits your options to the whim of the position you don't like.
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08-02-2009, 07:11 PM	#20
Doppelbock Member [30%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,211	I'm curious why you don't like software - could it be that you haven't gotten to write software in any problem domains that interest you?
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