Tapping into the network

[resonant]

Or: Who wants to help the Res decide what she wants to be when/if she grows up? (Not cutting because I want maximum input, but I'll try to keep it brief.)

I've been doing the exercises in What Color Is Your Parachute, and have ended up with a list of transferable skills and a list of interests.

Skills:

Analyze
Solve problems/see patterns
Evaluate
Imagine/invent
Classify/organize
Plan

Interests:

Social sciences
Design of spaces
Communication studies
Folklore
Speculative fiction
Libraries

The next step is to ask everyone I know: Do these suggest any job titles to you? Do they suggest any job fields to you?

The best job I ever had was one that I didn't know such a thing existed until I found myself interviewing for it, so I'm very open to unexpected suggestions from you brainy and extremely diverse people. (Please feel free to share this post; I'm very interested in advice from everyone, whether I know them or not.)

Comments

[anatsuno.livejournal.com]

very quickly because it's 6am and I am beat:
museography.
that job where you make up the design scheme for navigation through a space - linked to sign-making, like, but not - I forget the fancy word dammit!
information architect (websites and applications as virtual spaces)


might be back with more later... Gd'luck!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Taking note -- interesting ideas. The trouble is, I have no idea what are the names of these jobs, or who might employ people to do them!

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

I am an information architect, and it's a well-paid field with some very interesting work in it. (I say this, despite wanting a career change myself!)

Usually, for employment in this field, people are looking for experience with either the human-computer side of it, or the library science side of it, so there might be some additional education you'd need to get.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Once I've done a little research, could I e-mail you with some questions about what it's like to work in the field, and what you like and dislike about it?

I don't mind getting more information -- I've always had a vague, wistful desire to be in an MLS program -- but I can't have a career plan that doesn't start until I've spent two years and sixty thousand dollars, so I'll have to be looking for some interim plan that gets me a step in the right direction before I enroll in anything.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

feel free!

[(Anonymous)]

Have you considered something like urban planning ? I have friends in the field; they've done interesting things like wetlands preservation, working for the coastal commission, working on airport use patterns and environmental impact, creating attractive low-income housing, historical preservation, etc.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Oh, how interesting -- my father was a city planner early in his career!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Oh -- if you visit again, anonymous, do you have any friends who might be willing to to speak with me briefly by phone or e-mail so I can learn more about the field?