[Minsc]

Dear everyone,

I recently took an online test on what kind of career would best fit my personality. In general terms, I fit the Investigative - Artistic - Social type (in that order). More specifically, my top results were Anthropologist, Political Scientist, Sociologist, Astronomer, etc...

Now, the test said one should answer the questions based on what they would feel most comfortable doing, ignoring money and status (the Enterprising type - which I scored dead last - is the one most fitted for pursuits most likely to get one money and power). But the thing is, I *do* care about money and status. So I asked the people in charge about what their advice is. Here is the response:

“Hi, anyone can do jobs that do not fit their personality, they just will perform worse and it will be more tiring, even exhausting… it’s like marrying someone you do not love, possible, but not something I would recommend. The alternative is to seek status / money through other ways, ….”

1. Is this true? If I become, for example, an entrepreneur of some sort, will I be miserable?

2. What other ways?

Am I doomed to either spend my life either doing something that doesn’t fit my personality or not getting anywhere near the money and power I desire, remaining the insignificant worm that I am?

Thank you in advance for any answers.

[kumy]

I don't think that question can be answered in terms of black or white. I think that we can learn to love (or, at least, like) what we do, even if it isn't our first choice. For example, I studied the career that my parents wanted because I was afraid to put my foot down and do what I wanted (specifically, I wanted to be an accountant but they wanted me to be a translator). To make the story short, I made a great effort to enjoy it (even forcing myself at the beginning) and now I like this profession.
Maybe you can combine what you want with one of those options, right? Like creating an enterprise focused on marketing research or on helping people or on bringing people closer to art. I don't know. I think that you can get both things: working on what fits you (that, anyway, you know yourself more than any test) and getting the results that you want.
Think about it and surely you will come with a solution.

[CoachGHV]

How about this: sit down and write everything you were good at in school and everything you have been and are good at today...whether it's professional or not. It can be as simple as "I'm a good listener" or "I'm good with people" or "I'm organized". Make your list as long as you want. Ask your friends and family to describe you. Make a note of the words most often used to describe you. Add things that you do that you enjoy doing.
Take a few days.
Now go online and find jobs careers/jobs that require the skills and traits you excel at.
Let me know if you need more guidance.

Originally Posted by Minsc

Dear everyone,

I recently took an online test on what kind of career would best fit my personality. In general terms, I fit the Investigative - Artistic - Social type (in that order). More specifically, my top results were Anthropologist, Political Scientist, Sociologist, Astronomer, etc...

Now, the test said one should answer the questions based on what they would feel most comfortable doing, ignoring money and status (the Enterprising type - which I scored dead last - is the one most fitted for pursuits most likely to get one money and power). But the thing is, I *do* care about money and status. So I asked the people in charge about what their advice is. Here is the response:

“Hi, anyone can do jobs that do not fit their personality, they just will perform worse and it will be more tiring, even exhausting… it’s like marrying someone you do not love, possible, but not something I would recommend. The alternative is to seek status / money through other ways, ….”

1. Is this true? If I become, for example, an entrepreneur of some sort, will I be miserable?

2. What other ways?

Am I doomed to either spend my life either doing something that doesn’t fit my personality or not getting anywhere near the money and power I desire, remaining the insignificant worm that I am?

Thank you in advance for any answers.

[WastingAsparagus]

To answer question 1, I would say that you won't find out if you're miserable being an entrepreneur until you've tried being an entrepreneur.

I have recently had the good fortune of being able to try different things out in terms of job types and what I like doing versus what I don't like doing.

Question 2 is maybe a little beside the point, but still; if I were you, I wouldn't take the advice literally.

Some in-depth career test that I took said I should be a librarian. Nothing against librarians, but I would think that would be boring (for me).

The second option was lawyer. (Honestly I'm not even sure what lawyers do on a day-to-day basis even though my dad is one).

So, as you can see, I have not taken those suggestions to heart. You are not reducible to people's advice nor are you reducible to one strict "career path" that you must follow rigidly.

My best advice to you would be to try things you're interested in, and to keep your options open. If something fails, then you'll know that you don't want to do said thing anymore. Or you'll know what to do differently next time.

[CoachGHV]

Why don't you try doing this instead, which is much more personalized to YOU:
Write a list of:
All the subjects you enjoyed in School throughout your life.
Add all the things you were good at in school all your life.
Now ask friends and family to describe you. From here, extract all the words they use to describe you.
Now take a step back and look at your lists and go online and see what jobs require your skills. They don't have to be formal hard skills, they can be soft skills like "good with people" "patient" "creative"...it all counts!
Come back to me and we will discuss your results.

Originally Posted by Minsc

Dear everyone,

I recently took an online test on what kind of career would best fit my personality. In general terms, I fit the Investigative - Artistic - Social type (in that order). More specifically, my top results were Anthropologist, Political Scientist, Sociologist, Astronomer, etc...

Now, the test said one should answer the questions based on what they would feel most comfortable doing, ignoring money and status (the Enterprising type - which I scored dead last - is the one most fitted for pursuits most likely to get one money and power). But the thing is, I *do* care about money and status. So I asked the people in charge about what their advice is. Here is the response:

“Hi, anyone can do jobs that do not fit their personality, they just will perform worse and it will be more tiring, even exhausting… it’s like marrying someone you do not love, possible, but not something I would recommend. The alternative is to seek status / money through other ways, ….”

1. Is this true? If I become, for example, an entrepreneur of some sort, will I be miserable?

2. What other ways?

Am I doomed to either spend my life either doing something that doesn’t fit my personality or not getting anywhere near the money and power I desire, remaining the insignificant worm that I am?

Thank you in advance for any answers.

[LilyMop]

What happens if your interests change over the years though? You might not reach your full potential if you limit yourself to what you think you like or want. Your personality can grow and your skills can develop.