# IQ and certain careers



## Drexir (Sep 29, 2012)

I've always wanted to be a programmer and self-taught several languages starting at 15 years old. After going to college I would feel kinda stupid because I would ask questions and they would look at me like I was dumb. I ended up leaving college though. Looking back I think it came down to raw intelligence I recently took an IQ test and got like 114 and realized I have a really low raw intelligence. This is probably why it's hard for me to grasp certain complex concepts. Maybe it's the way it's taught I dunno. I wanna know one person who was a successful programmer that didn't have an IQ above 120. 

I'm probably gonna get a lecture how IQ is not every thing. I do realize personality and creativity come into play. But raw intelligence does play a factor into it. You don't see rocket scientists with an IQ of 90. 

What are your thoughts?


----------



## Joseph (Jun 20, 2012)

Was it an official IQ test from mensa or whatever? I always score 140+ on those fake ones on the internet all the time, because it's basic pattern matching and I'm good at that. I'm not an intelligent person and would probably do awful on a real IQ test.


----------



## Drexir (Sep 29, 2012)

Joseph said:


> Was it an official IQ test from mensa or whatever? I always score 140+ on those fake ones on the internet all the time, because it's basic pattern matching and I'm good at that. I'm not an intelligent person and would probably do awful on a real IQ test.


The first test I took was literally on the site iqtest.com and I thought that was a little cheesy and did the test at IQtest.dk and that test only consisted of patterns. There are 39 questions and I got up to like question 29 before my time ran out so I didn't even get to answer the last 10 questions. By the time I hit like the mid 20's questions I was like wtf? I mean I was at first like this is so easy and then bam it's like I don't see any pattern in this I probably sat on one question for like 5 minutes going "There's no pattern here!" and then test timed out. You know what I would actually love for someone to tell me the answer to that particular one and explain to me what the pattern is. It literally was so far superior to my intelligence. And I'm like there are people who just look at this and can immediately spot the pattern? 

As far as mensa? no just online IQ tests.


----------



## AriesLilith (Jan 6, 2013)

Hmm honestly I scored from 116 to 125 and then maybe a bit more in some tests, so I don't know.  But if it helps, I can tell you that while I successfully graduated from computer science engineering, I do feel dumb in my field. Maybe this is the product of Ni plus weak Se, but I suck at common knowledge and you can ask me about concepts and terms, or even simple knowledge about network, and I might not be able to answer.  On the other hand, once familiar with working with certain technologies and development tools, I have strong creativity to figure out and think of creative solutions to implement new stuffs or tackle certain problems. I guess that is why I hate environment configurations, and that google is my best friend. XD Oh well, I try to conceal my lack of solid knowledge, and hate it when I get exposed... I'll take the IQ test of that website to see how it goes.


----------



## AriesLilith (Jan 6, 2013)

roberts91 said:


> The first test I took was literally on the site iqtest.com and I thought that was a little cheesy and did the test at IQtest.dk and that test only consisted of patterns. There are 39 questions and I got up to like question 29 before my time ran out so I didn't even get to answer the last 10 questions. By the time I hit like the mid 20's questions I was like wtf? I mean I was at first like this is so easy and then bam it's like I don't see any pattern in this I probably sat on one question for like 5 minutes going "There's no pattern here!" and then test timed out. You know what I would actually love for someone to tell me the answer to that particular one and explain to me what the pattern is. It literally was so far superior to my intelligence. And I'm like there are people who just look at this and can immediately spot the pattern?
> 
> As far as mensa? no just online IQ tests.


I just scored 108 in that website, after taking the test at iqtest.com scoring 133.  I forgot to check how many answers I've got wrong, thought yeah there are some patterns that I would look at it and wonder where exactly is the pattern. You can check what others scored at iqtest.com in this thread: http://personalitycafe.com/personality-test-resources/1185-what-your-iq-honest.html

IQ tests can also depend on one's education and not exactly one's intelligence, as there are some problems that we learned how to solve at school anyways. So someone who is not used to it and can't see the way to solve it faster isn't necessarily dumber.


----------



## Drexir (Sep 29, 2012)

AriesLilith said:


> IQ tests can also depend on one's education and not exactly one's intelligence, as there are some problems that we learned how to solve at school anyways. So someone who is not used to it and can't see the way to solve it faster isn't necessarily dumber.


Are you just stating your opinion for the general pop or directing that towards me? I dropped out in the 9th grade. Got my GED and was already an intermediate programmer. Maybe I'm just a retard overachiever. My classmates always commented how great of a programmer I was in class. Still doesn't make my self-esteem any better. Ain't got the looks nor the smarts. If there's a god he didn't create me in his image that's for sure. lol


----------



## AriesLilith (Jan 6, 2013)

roberts91 said:


> Are you just stating your opinion for the general pop or directing that towards me? I dropped out in the 9th grade. Got my GED and was already an intermediate programmer. Maybe I'm just a retard overachiever. My classmates always commented how great of a programmer I was in class. Still doesn't make my self-esteem any better. Ain't got the looks nor the smarts. If there's a god he didn't create me in his image that's for sure. lol


I was stating my opinions about IQ tests generally. It's more about what I observed, for example for people who is used to study maths for many years is going to have an easier time to do mental calculations (they have been facing similar questions for almost daily basis for long anyways), but that doesn't prove that those who are slower in calculations are dumber. Well my husband sucks at maths and yet he's intelligent and a capable admin for the company he works for. And he didn't finish high school coz of maths. 
Also, for example I'm very bad at solving number sequences, yet I can do well with maths generally. So if you give me an IQ test with more number sequence questions, as well as questions that I might misinterpret due to language barrier, I might as well as get lower result, not coz I'm dumber but coz I suck at those.

Besides, there are multiple intelligences, so that while we might be better at some things, we might as well suck at others.

All in all, from what I observed, the more exposure we got from studying, to similar problems in those IQ tests, the faster and easier we tend to solve them, which affects our IQ scores.


----------



## bellisaurius (Jan 18, 2012)

You're employer's not going to ask for your IQ, and in all reality, the reason most people don't get hired/are fired isn't do to intelligence and skill. 

Did you not make it through college because you felt it was too hard?


----------



## DiamondDays (Sep 4, 2012)

Lower IQ just means you have to work harder. I've some pretty fucking dumb classmates who still keep up decent grades, and my school is tough.


----------



## ENTPreneur (Dec 13, 2009)

Whether you succeed later in life is less about IQ and more about wanting to put in the hard work. Then again, not bad to know HOW and WHERE to put the effort; Work smart. Those IQ-tests just measure a few skillsets, some of which actually can be learned. (Can one argue that it is "intelligent" to study these before taking a test?)

I had some programming employees a decade ago. The Mensa member one was TOTALLY worthless profession-wise.... I do mean it in every sense of the word. I would say that good judgment, Drive and will for hard work will totally surpass raw intelligence. Often the smart or talented get used to NOT studying otr put in the effort when young, and then suddenly at HighSchool or something it is not enough with talent, and the hard workers pass them by. It is important to get used to the work.

Also, I have read that "IQ" up to 120-ish is beneficial to the career, but higher IQs actually lower the probability of a good such. They speculated if it had to do with being socially alienated or at least having communication problems. Personally I wonder if it has to do with seeing through what costs and benefits really that make up a "career".


----------



## android654 (Jan 19, 2010)

I don't think there's a real correlation between IQ and preferences on careers. My IQ's 141 and I couldn't care less about the careers that have been suggested to me based on that. Something you might be doing for the rest of your life should appeal to you on a personal level and that doesn't always been it will depend on your perceived intellect.


----------



## Death Persuades (Feb 17, 2012)

My IQ is around 115-118 and I am studying to be a programmer. I'm taking a free python class at udacity, too, and it's not so difficult. I've been having issues with it, but only because I still don't know advanced mathematics. That will be solved once I take their math classes plus math classes at college.

Udacity is a great resource, btw. Check it out.


----------



## Drexir (Sep 29, 2012)

bellisaurius said:


> You're employer's not going to ask for your IQ, and in all reality, the reason most people don't get hired/are fired isn't do to intelligence and skill.
> 
> Did you not make it through college because you felt it was too hard?


All I know is I left the school because of severe depression. I could keep up academically. Except the school was shitty in that I $80,000 to attend and the whole school seemed to only care about the money. They didn't care if we had questions or problems. I had to learn LUA in a month (which was easy) made a 100 in that class. Also C# I had to learn in a month which was way easier than C++. Python I learned in a day cause I had to teach my girlfriend at the time for one of her computer animation classes. I didn't fail the school I could go back. It's simply cause I got depressed that I left. 

There were certain complex problems that I couldn't seem to get out of my instructor or any of the teacher assistants. So I would have to figure them out on my own and blah blah blah. i don't wanna get into it.


----------

