# Really indecisive



## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

I need some help choosing what to do for a career. I am in community college. I have completed one semester, two classes being general ed and one class being something that I probably won't do as a career. I have my next semester coming up in a couple of weeks. I still am unsure what I should major in. I struggle with severe anxiety and really want to make sure I do something I enjoy. I have decided on actuary, but I hear mixed things. Some say they love being an actuary and some say they hate it. It seems like a great career besides the exams. I'm looking for something that isn't stressful, pays no less than 75k, and does not require more than a bachelor's degree. I thought actuary would be a good option, but I'm unsure. Lately I've been more concerned about doing something I enjoy. My hobbies are music and archery, but there isn't anything I could do with those hobbies. Making money as a musician just seems too unrealistic and risky. Other than music, there's no job out there that jumps out at me where I think, "this is what I want to do." I'm thinking I may just have to settle with being an actuary and deal with it. Please give some advice


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## iemanja (Feb 5, 2012)

auhsoj said:


> I need some help choosing what to do for a career. I am in community college. I have completed one semester, two classes being general ed and one class being something that I probably won't do as a career. I have my next semester coming up in a couple of weeks. I still am unsure what I should major in. I struggle with severe anxiety and really want to make sure I do something I enjoy. I have decided on actuary, but I hear mixed things. Some say they love being an actuary and some say they hate it. It seems like a great career besides the exams. I'm looking for something that isn't stressful, pays no less than 75k, and does not require more than a bachelor's degree. I thought actuary would be a good option, but I'm unsure. Lately I've been more concerned about doing something I enjoy. My hobbies are music and archery, but there isn't anything I could do with those hobbies. Making money as a musician just seems too unrealistic and risky. Other than music, there's no job out there that jumps out at me where I think, "this is what I want to do." I'm thinking I may just have to settle with being an actuary and deal with it. Please give some advice


I think it's a smart thing to do the "riskier" subjects such as the arts when you're younger. You have no family to care for and it's easier to get back up on your feet if you fail.
My advice would be to do what you love first, unless you have immediate duties - for example if your family's finances aren't doing so well, or you want to move to another country - to address.

On the other hand, you should also take into account that making the money first, then doing what you love is an option many people take. However, you'll need a tremendous amount of self discipline to give up a high paying job to do what you love - in many cases, it's easier to do the hard thing first (start with the arts) and then later in life turn to the high paying thing if the first career doesn't work out. 
But again, it all depends on things like immediate duties vs. taking the riskier path at a time when it's easier to pick yourself up - whichever one you want/need to do.
Hope that helps, good luck!


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

Check out this site. Sokanu


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

iemanja said:


> I think it's a smart thing to do the "riskier" subjects such as the arts when you're younger. You have no family to care for and it's easier to get back up on your feet if you fail.
> My advice would be to do what you love first, unless you have immediate duties - for example if your family's finances aren't doing so well, or you want to move to another country - to address.
> 
> On the other hand, you should also take into account that making the money first, then doing what you love is an option many people take. However, you'll need a tremendous amount of self discipline to give up a high paying job to do what you love - in many cases, it's easier to do the hard thing first (start with the arts) and then later in life turn to the high paying thing if the first career doesn't work out.
> ...


ENFP! <3 I love you people

Thank you. I don't have any immediate duties, but I don't want to get a music major if it doesn't guarantee a stable high paying job. I guess you could say I'm treating college as if I have immediate duties. Before I rule out being an actuary I'm going to try to ask an actuary about his/her job so I can get some detailed information on it. For music I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it as the second option you mentioned it. I'm going to go after a high paying career like an actuary and keep music as a hobby, and if being a musician miraculously works out then I'll consider doing that.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

bluekitdon said:


> Check out this site.


Thanks. I actually came across that site earlier today. It took a long time to finish the test and it ended up telling me that I am a "lover" and it said that my interests are animals, family activity, religion & spirituality, finance, and performing arts. That's actually very accurate, but the only one of those that I'd use to consider a career is finance. It's making me think actuary is a good idea.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

auhsoj said:


> Thanks. I actually came across that site earlier today. It took a long time to finish the test and it ended up telling me that I am a "lover" and it said that my interests are animals, family activity, religion & spirituality, finance, and performing arts. That's actually very accurate, but the only one of those that I'd use to consider a career is finance. It's making me think actuary is a good idea.


Sounds like a good idea. Job outlook is good. Actuaries : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

I would try to talk to someone in that field if you can as you mentioned. Ask what they enjoy and dislike about the job. Or just do an Internet search for positives and negatives of the position. If you have a choice always try to find something you enjoy doing, that pays well, and that you are good at. Hard to figure out what that is sometimes though.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

Also did you look at the careers tab after you finished the test? It lists out recommended career matches with more details on each.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

bluekitdon said:


> Also did you look at the careers tab after you finished the test? It lists out recommended career matches with more details on each.


Nope. Where is the careers tab? The only thing I see on the site about careers is on the homepage. It says "Careers you maybe interested in" but has a spinning loading circle that doesn't finish loading.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

Might need to use a different browser. I get that when I use my phone but when I use Firefox from my pc you have an icon for careers at the top and it lists a bunch of recommendations with percentage compatibility scores and then you can drill down into each one with more info.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

bluekitdon said:


> Might need to use a different browser. I get that when I use my phone but when I use Firefox from my pc you have an icon for careers at the top and it lists a bunch of recommendations with percentage compatibility scores and then you can drill down into each one with more info.


Hmm, it's doing the same thing on Firefox, but a good thing happened. I went to "Matches" and then clicked "Services" and a list of careers came up. I clicked on Actuary and it says my compatibility rating is 84.3%. Except it says that same number on every other career I look at, making it seem unaccurate. Is it supposed to do that?


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## Morpheus83 (Oct 17, 2008)

I've yet to hear of any job that is above criticism. Sure--I've heard overwhelmingly positive responses to some jobs, but I also take into account the context in which I hear any praise e.g. whether or not something is for advertising or promotion; the skills, values and personality traits of people who like or dislike a job, etc... You may like or dislike a job for your own reasons. 

It's one thing to major in something you like or dislike, but it's another to apply the skills you've learned to make a sustainable living that suits your circumstances and lifestyle. If you plan to take a 'practical' major solely for the sake of financial security, it's important to remember that many students have the same idea--but some people are more intrinsically motivated than others. Are employers more likely to hire someone who cares only about the money and does barely enough to get by, or someone who cares to make a positive contribution by using initiative, going above and beyond the call of duty, etc...? Is it always a good idea (or always possible) to "fake it 'til you make it" if financial security or subsistence is your only goal? Some people will tell you to leave some interests as hobbies and/or to pursue something later in life once you've saved up enough money from doing 'secure' professional jobs. Here's the main challenge: not only will you have to complete the 'practical' degree, but professional life is often (and not surprisingly) different from academic life. If you can't stand doing your 'practical' degree, do you think you'll be motivated enough to apply your skills in a workplace to make a living? How long do you think you'll last doing your job (assuming it's financially secure and you're able to land a position in the first place) and do you have an estimated 'end date' in mind if there are other things you want to do? Some people *never* end up returning to pursue their interests, because it's easier to settle into a dreaded 'rut' or 'routine' when more job responsibilities take priority. Other people end up despising or ignoring their interests once job stress takes its toll; it can be hard to love or enjoy doing something else if a despised job is always on your mind (and I can't imagine that being good for overall well-being or personal relationships). 

One challenge of doing so-called impractical degrees is to find a way to translate your knowledge into something 'marketable': that is, something other people are willing to pay for. It's one thing to enjoy what you're studying, but it's another to convince others that what you've learned (in terms of content and/or transferable skills) is something worth paying for. Sure--sometimes the most obvious and direct application of some degrees (such as Music, Fine Arts, etc...) doesn't lend itself to consistent pay, but it might be worth developing other skills and traits e.g. entrepreneurial savvy, knowledge of marketing/advertising principles and practices, etc... to tip things in your professional favour (if you're looking to spend more time doing what you enjoy while making a living). A potential problem here is that some ideals relating to private avocation don't necessarily apply to the realities of a professional career (like how some people who enjoy graphic design as a hobby fail to take into account that a client's needs always come first or that deadlines are common; it's not always possible to create something that you like in your own time and get paid for it).


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

auhsoj said:


> Hmm, it's doing the same thing on Firefox, but a good thing happened. I went to "Matches" and then clicked "Services" and a list of careers came up. I clicked on Actuary and it says my compatibility rating is 84.3%. Except it says that same number on every other career I look at, making it seem unaccurate. Is it supposed to do that?


I just went and verified this today now that I'm back in front of a PC. Clicking matches brings up the list of careers, that was the button I was trying to remember and it looks like you found.

Under discover do you still have any questions left to answer? That could contribute to the issue if you haven't completed all of those. I've got a huge list of careers under mine, it starts off with the highest match and moves down from there. You can click load more to see more careers. See screenshot below (click on it to see a bigger picture). 

The ones that are displaying at the top may just all happen to have an 84.3% accuracy for you. I've stopped clicking load more to see how many careers it shows, but I have a lot displaying.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

bluekitdon said:


> I just went and verified this today now that I'm back in front of a PC. Clicking matches brings up the list of careers, that was the button I was trying to remember and it looks like you found.
> 
> Under discover do you still have any questions left to answer? That could contribute to the issue if you haven't completed all of those. I've got a huge list of careers under mine, it starts off with the highest match and moves down from there. You can click load more to see more careers. See screenshot below (click on it to see a bigger picture).
> 
> ...


No, I answered all of the questions. In my careers tab it doesn't show anything unless I click one of the categories on the left. Is that how it's supposed to work? It's currently sorted by "My Compatibility" with none of the categories above it checked and no results.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

auhsoj said:


> No, I answered all of the questions. In my careers tab it doesn't show anything unless I click one of the categories on the left. Is that how it's supposed to work? It's currently sorted by "My Compatibility" with none of the categories above it checked and no results.


Might make sure there aren't any filters applied. When you select a category it will only show you ones in that category. On my pc when I click on the category it shows filter applied in the upper left hand corner. Clicking clear next to the filter shows me all of my matches in order of compatibility.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

bluekitdon said:


> Might make sure there aren't any filters applied. When you select a category it will only show you ones in that category. On my pc when I click on the category it shows filter applied in the upper left hand corner. Clicking clear next to the filter shows me all of my matches in order of compatibility.


Yeah, in the case where you get your matches coming up, I get nothing but blank screen. It's pretty weird.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

auhsoj said:


> Yeah, in the case where you get your matches coming up, I get nothing but blank screen. It's pretty weird.


Odd. In any case it sounds like your original idea would be a decent match if you think you might like it. Good luck.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

bluekitdon said:


> Odd. In any case it sounds like your original idea would be a decent match if you think you might like it. Good luck.


Thanks for the help  cool signature. How do you get that chart in there from mypersonality.info? (sorry for all of the questions haha)


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

Just took the test then they give you a link you can paste into there in your profile screen.


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## Im FiNe (Oct 17, 2013)

auhsoj said:


> ...I struggle with severe anxiety and really want to make sure I do something I enjoy. I have decided on actuary, but I hear mixed things. Some say they love being an actuary and some say they hate it...


Your profile shows you as an INFP. I test that way, too. Something that would be a concern for me would be whether a job/position would have me set aside my values and accept another's. My impression regarding how some businesses can use actuarial scientists is to determine minimization of profit loss as the primary motivator versus doing what is morally better or socially responsible. I don't know if something like that would be an issue for you. It would kill me.

If your values are very important to you, I would suggest in your informational interviewing of actuaries that you discuss not only the enjoyment of the job but also the impression of the impact of doing the job it has on their personal value structures.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

Im FiNe said:


> Your profile shows you as an INFP. I test that way, too. Something that would be a concern for me would be whether a job/position would have me set aside my values and accept another's. My impression regarding how some businesses can use actuarial scientists is to determine minimization of profit loss as the primary motivator versus doing what is morally better or socially responsible. I don't know if something like that would be an issue for you. It would kill me.
> 
> If your values are very important to you, I would suggest in your informational interviewing of actuaries that you discuss not only the enjoyment of the job but also the impression of the impact of doing the job it has on their personal value structures.


Thank you. I thought I was INFJ but I'm definitely more perceiving and am INFP. That was very true about the moral thing, I want to do something that helps others. I'm currently considering teacher but the salary is so low.


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## tulip (Jan 19, 2014)

Well, this certainly is interesting. My results finally came up. My highest compatibility career, at a whopping 100%, is... umm... d--... dancer. So embarrassing. I'm not at all interested in that. I think I've lost faith in that website. Everything else up there either has a low salary or requires more than a bachelor's or is not interesting. Actuary is 70.9% "you're pretty compatible."

I've decided I want to do something that either helps others or is artistic/creative and has a salary of $70,000 or more and does not require more than 4 years of school... maybe 6 if it's a rare candidate.


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## bluekitdon (Dec 19, 2012)

auhsoj said:


> Well, this certainly is interesting. My results finally came up. My highest compatibility career, at a whopping 100%, is... umm... d--... dancer. So embarrassing. I'm not at all interested in that. I think I've lost faith in that website. Everything else up there either has a low salary or requires more than a bachelor's or is not interesting. Actuary is 70.9% "you're pretty compatible."
> 
> I've decided I want to do something that either helps others or is artistic/creative and has a salary of $70,000 or more and does not require more than 4 years of school... maybe 6 if it's a rare candidate.


Just gives you some ideas, nothing written in stone that you have to do those, just some suggestions of careers that you would be compatible with. Keep in mind there have been many studies showing that money beyond basic needs doesn't make people more happy. Just think of all the famous people in the news that have destroyed their lives with drugs, killed themselves, jump from relationship to relationship, etc yet have millions. Obviously if you can't feed and provide your family shelter and occasionally do some fun stuff you'll be happier with more but otherwise it doesn't make a huge difference.


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## sankgreen70 (Feb 2, 2014)

I think that you could do something that you love


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## SingingStars (Mar 9, 2014)

My advice is not to think so much about what you want to DO, but to think about how you are. What does your personality make you good at?

Are you detail oriented? 
Do you like talking to people? 
Are you nuturing? 
Can you work a crowd?
Are you friendly and good at smoothing things over? 
Are you better at being behind the scenes and holding down the fort? 
Are you good with numbers and data? 
Are you good at planning? 
Are you a natural writer? 
Are you creative? 
Are you energetic?
Are you fast-paced or slower paced?

These are the questions that will lead you to the job that you will enjoy and be successful at. Victory is powerful feeling, and finding something you are already inclined towards being successful at will be what makes you happy regardless of the mundane tasks that you may actually be doing.

I was BEYOND confused in college and ended up in a field that has nothing to do with my degree. The key things that keep me successful are the fact that I am very detailed oriented, organized and focused. I pretty much process paperwork all day long and I'm good at it. Sounds boring as hell, but I feel successful. I'm not energetic, I'm not super outgoing, I'm not great with being expressive all the time and any job that requires that (i.e customer service, etc.) will be extremely draining for me regardless of the actually industry I'm in.

Think about who you are regardless of what you do and it will lead you towards what will make you feel happy and at peace.


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