Ne and the thought of having to pick ONE career for the next 99999999 years!

[Babylon Candle]

So im an ENFP. Ive already changed majors once while at school. i went from business to biology. and i thought i was excited about being possibly pre med.

however. im not even to the heavy upper level courses and im kind of having second thoughts.

i think part of it is:
- i got terrible grades in chem 2 and calculus (math based courses destroy me)
- i got average grades in chem1 and bio2
- i got an A in bio 1!

which basically means that to go to medschool id have to go through the Caribbean. Which i COULD do, if i REALLY felt strong enough about doing this medical thing. but the thought of investing this much start up energy into ONE career path has me a little nervous based on how much i change my mind.


cliff notes:
1. im thinking about changing majors for the second time and im going to be a junior!
2. my grades arent that great so that doesnt help (gpa 3.39)
3. not sure if im focused enough for ANY sort of specifics of focus "career" :(

i like the mid level psych class i took last year (health psyhc) but im worried the same thing will happen there if i were to switch to psych: ill like it in the beginning and then freak out when it gets too ****ing weird (like what happened to me in my chem class).

[Little Linguist]

Hiya, I am an ENFP, and I have graduated with a four-year university degree (WOO HOO, I stuck with something!!!). I also declared a major, after which I sprang from one interest to the next. How did I manage it?

Well, I got an e-mail from a professor, in which he catagorically stated that I would ruin my intelligence if I didn't reign in my Ne. Well, he did not explain it like that, but that is what he said, essentially. And he said it so directly that I could not ignore it anymore because he said that in spite of my ability he would not be willing to write a recommendation letter because my interests were so sporadic that he was afraid it would fall back on him and ruin his reputation :doh:.

After that rude awakening, I managed to stick to one major. And he did eventually write that recommendation letter, which led to a Fulbright fellowship. Thankfully, I got my ass in gear at the last, critical second.

Here's a helpful hint: Remember that you can change your career, especially in the States, if you do not want to do it anymore. It is much easier there than here. So if you think you are not stuck with being a biologist your whole life, it is easier to stick with it, because options are still open. :yes:

So do what you love. If you decide after five or seven years that you want to change, no big deal. You can do what I am doing: continuing education. Right now, I am just starting a distance-learning program to become a business translator. In the States, there are even more opportunities for you. :nice:

By the way, learn from my experience: You do not have to get perfect grades in school. You need GOOD grades, but there's no need to get a heart attack and change majors if you get a B. It's really no big deal.

[Xander]

I've been reading a book on careers and the major thing I found was the advice to NOT try and choose a career but rather just pick the next job you want to do and let the career be your own path through all the jobs you've done. That sounded a whole lot more flexible and relaxing to me... mind you I've been in one job for like forever... sooo need a change :(

[Little Linguist]

I've been reading a book on careers and the major thing I found was the advice to NOT try and choose a career but rather just pick the next job you want to do and let the career be your own path through all the jobs you've done. That sounded a whole lot more flexible and relaxing to me... mind you I've been in one job for like forever... sooo need a change :(

Good point. Most changes in your career happen, and they are not planned. If you told me four years ago that I would be teaching English now, I would have told you that you were crazy!!! Just keep your opportunities open, and you will find the change you seek.

[Babylon Candle]

Hiya, I am an ENFP, and I have graduated with a four-year university degree (WOO HOO, I stuck with something!!!). I also declared a major, after which I sprang from one interest to the next. How did I manage it?

Well, I got an e-mail from a professor, in which he catagorically stated that I would ruin my intelligence if I didn't reign in my Ne. Well, he did not explain it like that, but that is what he said, essentially. And he said it so directly that I could not ignore it anymore because he said that in spite of my ability he would not be willing to write a recommendation letter because my interests were so sporadic that he was afraid it would fall back on him and ruin his reputation :doh:.

After that rude awakening, I managed to stick to one major. And he did eventually write that recommendation letter, which led to a Fulbright fellowship. Thankfully, I got my ass in gear at the last, critical second.

Here's a helpful hint: Remember that you can change your career, especially in the States, if you do not want to do it anymore. It is much easier there than here. So if you think you are not stuck with being a biologist your whole life, it is easier to stick with it, because options are still open. :yes:

So do what you love. If you decide after five or seven years that you want to change, no big deal. You can do what I am doing: continuing education. Right now, I am just starting a distance-learning program to become a business translator. In the States, there are even more opportunities for you. :nice:

By the way, learn from my experience: You do not have to get perfect grades in school. You need GOOD grades, but there's no need to get a heart attack and change majors if you get a B. It's really no big deal.

thanks so much! im going to comment more late, im off to class right now.

generally yes, a B is no big deal. but for medschool apps here, you are basically "screwed" if you get 2 C's and 2 B's within the premed courses. thats exactly what ive done. theres are about 17000 spots in the medschools US and 20000 perfect applicants (3.7GPA 30 MCAT and higher) and then 20,000 more people with at least descent applications....

so i just kinda feel like:
1. if i REALLY feel strongly about the medicine. then i could still do it, but it would be a harder path...id have to go outside the US.
1a not sure if i like it THAT much...or worried that eventually all that work wont be appreciated by my changing interests
2. so im thinking of changing majors all together... but doing that as a junior just makes me feel like a shit head. but then again, a psych major here is only 10 classes, so i could easily do that in the next two years (im going to be junior) but im also worried about just giving up in that major too once i get deeper into it. :(

[Oberon]

One career? Forever?

I'm sorry, can I get off this ride please?

[Little Linguist]

thanks so much! im going to comment more late, im off to class right now.

generally yes, a B is no big deal. but for medschool apps here, you are basically "screwed" if you get 2 C's and 2 B's within the premed courses. thats exactly what ive done. theres are about 17000 spots in the medschools US and 20000 perfect applicants (3.7GPA 30 MCAT and higher) and then 20,000 more people with at least descent applications....

so i just kinda feel like:
1. if i REALLY feel strongly about the medicine. then i could still do it, but it would be a harder path...id have to go outside the US.
1a not sure if i like it THAT much...or worried that eventually all that work wont be appreciated by my changing interests
2. so im thinking of changing majors all together... but doing that as a junior just makes me feel like a shit head. but then again, a psych major here is only 10 classes, so i could easily do that in the next two years (im going to be junior) but im also worried about just giving up in that major too once i get deeper into it. :(

Oh, sorry, hon. :hug: My comments must have sounded patronizing, but I surely did not mean it that way: I honestly did not know that the requirements were THAT strict. :blush:

That being said, I suppose you have a lot of thinking to do. However, if you really feel that passionately about it, you should stick with it. If that means going to another country, and you are willing to do it, then you should try it. But only if you are really serious. Only you can decide.

[Little Linguist]

One career? Forever?

I'm sorry, can I get off this ride please?

SERIOUSLY!!! I would flip out if I had to do one career forever!!!!!!!!!!! :shock:

[edcoaching]

Okay...

Most people have 5-7 careers in a lifetime.

A ton of Ns who change careers go from one thing to something unrelated. Instead of thinking about what their experience/education qualifies them for, they leap to the next most interesting thing.

On my block, half (half!) the women retooled in their 40's to something totally different--math teacher to social worker, actuary to U professor, controller to ed consultant, HR manager to nurse...

Don't think of finishing a degree as the end and your lock/loaded but of something that gets you to the starting line of a race where you set the course. Sorry if that's too sappy--I do a lot of career seminars and the one career forever is usually escaped by NPs :yes:

[Cindy]

The problem is how you find studying for a job and how you find the job in reality is a totally different thing.
I'm thinking maybe some work experience in the various areas you are curious about could help.

[Little Linguist]

The problem is how you find studying for a job and how you find the job in reality is a totally different thing.
I'm thinking maybe some work experience in the various areas you are curious about could help.

This is good advice. Your ideas about the job may be TOTALLY different than the job itself. Getting some internships might be really helpful in terms of discovering if you really love the job.

Example 1: Say you love animals - and you decide you want to become a vet. That takes a LOT OF TIME, MONEY AND COMMITMENT!!! Then, you finally finish school, 250,000 dollars in debt, and realize you cannot bring yourself to give an animal a shot or perform even minor surgery. :doh:

Example 2: You love languages. You decide you want to be a foreign language assistant. That sounds great - like it might involve travel, fascinating meetings, hell you might even be able to interpret cool-ass, confidential things. Then you realize you basically just answer phones and write e-mails all day, and the most common question you get is: "WHY AREN'T MY GOODS HERE YET!!!???!!!"

Example 3: You want to become a doctor because you want to help people and you happen to love biology, chemistry, physics, and math. You are a genius when it comes to theory, getting all As in your classes. Looks like Pre-Med is a shoe-in for you; only to realize you cannot stand the sight of blood, urine, pus and feces. Hmm, that might be a problem.

Example 4: You want to earn a hell of a lot of money in a short amount of time; you are a genius in figures; you are intuitive; you can sense market trends before they become true, so you become a stock market trader. Only to find out that you have 80-100 hour weeks and do not earn nearly as much as you thought for this cutthroat, STRESSFUL AS HELL job.

Etc., etc., etc. Of course, these examples are extreme and highly exaggerated to prove a point. But you get what I mean, right?

Excellent advice, Cindy.

[Xander]

Finding out that the job you went into isn't what you thought it was is the entire point of not focusing your career around anything but yourself. Your wants change when your illusions get shattered, your direction is changed... your career as a person working through their lives continues on.

The whole idea is that your guiding light in terms of jobs and careers shouldn't be focused on "I want to be an X when I grow up". Your career should be just focusing on what you want to do next.... not forever.

[Little Linguist]

Finding out that the job you went into isn't what you thought it was is the entire point of not focusing your career around anything but yourself. Your wants change when your illusions get shattered, your direction is changed... your career as a person working through their lives continues on.

The whole idea is that your guiding light in terms of jobs and careers shouldn't be focused on "I want to be an X when I grow up". Your career should be just focusing on what you want to do next.... not forever.

This is also a good point. I mean, I surely would not want to do one thing forever, and I have changed. No big deal. So :chillpill: don't worry hon! :hug:

[Xander]

This is also a good point. I mean, I surely would not want to do one thing forever, and I have changed. No big deal. So :chillpill: don't worry hon! :hug:
Oh I'm chilled.... more happy that I've found out this revelation at the point in my life when I want to change jobs and I'm looking at "careers". It's probably coming out as all forceful and stuff cause I think it's a good yardstick.

[prplchknz]

This is good advice. Your ideas about the job may be TOTALLY different than the job itself. Getting some internships might be really helpful in terms of discovering if you really love the job.


Example 3: You want to become a doctor because you want to help people and you happen to love biology, chemistry, physics, and math. You are a genius when it comes to theory, getting all As in your classes. Looks like Pre-Med is a shoe-in for you; only to realize you cannot stand the sight of blood, urine, pus and feces. Hmm, that might be a problem.


Wait? I'd think that before you got through medical school you'd know if you could stand sight of bodily fluids. I think most people figure that out when they're still kids. I did I can stand blood and urine, but can't stand pus and feces.

[arcticangel02]

Ne and the thought of having to pick ONE career for the next 99999999 years!

Eeeeeek! :9436:


Although, that being said, I'm currently three years into a five-year degree (although it's going to take me six to finish, since I'm doing things in pieces). I'm really worried I'm gonna get to the end of the degree and go, oh, I don't want to do this anymore!

I think the main thing that comforts me and keeps me on track is the knowledge that even though I may not (ever?) be totally-fascinated-omg-must-learn-everything-i-can-about-it-this-instant, I still enjoy it (and realise I enjoy it, which is important) enough to keep going. I can always get fascinated-obsessed with other things in the meantime, and discard them later without any big issue. It would probably be worse if I did get fascinated with the degree, because then sooner or later I'd get bored and move on, and then I'd have no interest in it whatsoever. Chugging along moderately is better than a rollercoaster ride of interest. :)

The main obstacle you're facing, I think, Babylon, is that ENFPs can't get themselves moving very well unless they're totally inspired. It would be all well and good if you could just continue as you are and keep studying, right? But for you to continue doing med, you have to instigate this whole organisation of continuing your degree somewhere else... it's a pretty massive thing to do and prepare for and everything, and since you're not totally 100% inspired by your degree, it's really really tough.

You sort of have to ask yourself, do I enjoy what I do? Would I really rather be doing something else? If I could just continue as is, would I? Is it this massive move that's got you doubting, or is it actually continuing the course?

If you're relatively happy with your degree, and you mostly enjoy what you're doing, (even if it may not be great all the time) then I'd say stick with it. The energy expenditure is worth it.

Hell, half the reason I'm still doing my degree is because I've put a damn lot of work in so far, and I'm too lazy to do that much work for nothing!

Who knows? Maybe the extra effort you have to do to organise this for yourself will just help you find the focus to complete it!

[substitute]

can't be done. Just can't be done. i've switched fields about six times so far and I'm only 31.

It's a question of asking what's important: the security of knowing you can change when you want to and not be stuck in one field, or the mega success/money that comes from staying in one field and climbing to the top?

I know what I'd choose. Money can kiss my butt.

It helps though, to choose things that are very varied within themselves. Jobs where you're not doing the same thing every day, where you can feel like you don't know what'll happen when you come in, what you'll have to do, it could be any number of things. that makes me get bored of it less quickly.

[Little Linguist]

Oh I'm chilled.... more happy that I've found out this revelation at the point in my life when I want to change jobs and I'm looking at "careers". It's probably coming out as all forceful and stuff cause I think it's a good yardstick.

I didn't mean you, hon, I meant poor Babylon, who sounds like he/she is really going through a rough time even though he/she does not have to worry so much.

It's good to be forceful!!! I am, too! :hug: No worries!

[Little Linguist]

can't be done. Just can't be done. i've switched fields about six times so far and I'm only 31.

It's a question of asking what's important: the security of knowing you can change when you want to and not be stuck in one field, or the mega success/money that comes from staying in one field and climbing to the top?

I know what I'd choose. Money can kiss my butt.

It helps though, to choose things that are very varied within themselves. Jobs where you're not doing the same thing every day, where you can feel like you don't know what'll happen when you come in, what you'll have to do, it could be any number of things. that makes me get bored of it less quickly.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!

[Little Linguist]

Wait? I'd think that before you got through medical school you'd know if you could stand sight of bodily fluids. I think most people figure that out when they're still kids. I did I can stand blood and urine, but can't stand pus and feces.

Okay, it was a bad example - but still!

[substitute]

I have an ENFP brother who has had similar troubles with finding a career, but finally in his mid-30's (edging towards late 30's actually!) he's finally found one that he can get his teeth into: driving instructor.

He says it's perfect for him because:

a) it uses his natural aptitude for driving
b) it uses his natural affinity with people
c) every hour is a different pupil, every pupil is a different kettle of fish
d) constantly adjusting his method, his lessons etc for each pupil makes him excel as a teacher and get great results from his pupils
e) he's self-employed and therefore is free to take a bit of time out if he gets a bit bored, without fearing losing the job.
f) it's a 'region free' job - he can satisfy his need for changes of scene by moving to new towns etc, but never has trouble finding students.

Of course, this might work better in my part of Europe, where driving isn't taught as a lesson at school and adults have to pay out a LOT of money to learn to drive (hence why many have no licence well into 40's and beyond). I'm not sure how it works where you are though.

[Mondo]

2. my grades arent that great so that doesnt help (gpa 3.39)
Lol, only for medical school.. only for med school.

[Babylon Candle]

Lol, only for medical school.. only for med school.

are you implying that my 3.4 aint that low? :shock::hug:

[entropie]

Guess, when picking your profession you have to find whatever you liked most and then stick to it. There then will be sometimes you hate it and do it for a job and sometimes you thrive on it.

I choosed in school four major topics I specialized in. That was german and english language, biology and evangelism.

Today I have a B.Sc. and study engineering. I knew from the beginning I will fail in math and I will badly fail in physics. With physics, I was right, I managed it somehow, though but concerning math, I am on of the best in my class. Though I never scored better than a D or E in school