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

[cathalin.livejournal.com]

Well, you wanted us to think outside the box, so I'll admit that when I read List 1, I thought, hmm, sounds a lot like what a lawyer (some types) does. Though law appears linear, and some aspects of it totally are, in reality there's a lot of problem-solving, creativity, and making connections between disparate things involved in many types of law.

Also, that list sounds like some jobs working for local, state or federal government, where you're dealing with policy choices or coming up with solutions to things. You can work for an official or a legislator, or for a department that oversees a certain aspect of government - e.g. environment, human servies, communications, justice, transportation, etc.

Finally, the top list also sounds like what a teacher does when planning out what and how she's going to teach something. So, teaching one of the things on your "interests" lists could work - e.g. social studies or literature.

And yes, frighteningly, I have personal experience with all of these. *g* (If for some reason you want info on any of these, just say the word).

(p.s. You should *so* write novels for a living, omg!)

[indywind]

1+1=eleventy!

you could analyze/classify and design a space to teach folklore & speculative fiction in a library on behalf of a social-science organization! With a cherry on top!

Hello, it's Friday and I'm silly.

But my good wishes are for serious.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

With a cherry on top!

And a pony!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

People have been telling me for years that I should be a lawyer -- mostly when I'm arguing with them, which I do rather a lot of.

I certainly plan to write novels, but (1) I really need an income, and (2) I"m discovering that I get a lot more writing done when I have other tasks that use other parts of my brain.

Teaching scares me -- too extroverted. But I wonder if there are people who consult with teachers and develop curriculums? That might be interesting.

I would definitely like to talk to you about all of these things once I've done a little research. Can I e-mail you?

[cathalin.livejournal.com]

Haha, well, then number 1 is doubly true, because I already know just from your lj and writings that you have the intellectual and writing skills for it. However, lawyer requires a warning, imo: many(maybe even most) lawyers are unhappy with the reality of practicing law (as I was). So yeah, we could talk about that.

Income is important.*g* Also, I hear you on the "needing a certain level/type of busy/brain use to be most writing-productive."

It's funny - a lot of teachers are very introverted with adults, but able to deal just fine with a room full of kids or teenagers, so you could think about whether that might be true for you. Yes, there are people who develop curriculum. Often they are people who are at least trained as teachers, but there are related separate master's level degrees in curriculum. Book publishers hire these people, and educational materials creators, as do school districts and private schools/companies.

You bet. cathalinss@gmail.com -- any time.:)

[evalinece.livejournal.com]

Hi, i'm so sorry to randomly barge into the conversation, but I was linked here from somewhere or other and happened to see your post. Would you be willing to elaborate a little more on why so many lawyers are unhappy, and what the reality of practicing law is? Here or through email would be wonderful. I'm a student considering law school, so i'm trying to gather as much information as possible.