# When the career path your interests lead you to don't fit with your personality?



## Lorali (May 12, 2015)

I want to be a makeup artist and know I would love it, but I have had social anxiety pretty much all my life (I'm also an INFP). When I can afford it, I plan on going and seeing if I can get a prescription for Xanax and see if that will help. But because that can only be a temporary solution, I also want to get professional help for it. But I don't know if this will help if I find I still don't want to work directly with customers. I love the idea of getting a job as an embalmer/mortuary beautician, because that work involves making up dead people. That would be perfect for me, except I'm hearing negative things about how the mortuary field is dying (no pun intended) because everyone's doing cremation because it's cheaper. I'm wondering if it's worth the plunge or if I should try to overcome my fear of people (plus I have performance anxiety when it comes to customers or clients) that could take years to overcome.:frustrating:


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## chanteuse (May 30, 2014)

If you have people anxiety, being a makeup artist is dicey. It's essentially a sales job. You are selling your personality more than how well you make up someone's face. My hairdresser is an thinker type, she's not chatty or emotional. I know for a fact that she could have been much more successful if she's more of a Fe type. 

How about special effect makeup for films and TV? It's a very competitive field but if you do have some talent for 3D makeup, it may do. Then again, most jobs are essentially sales job. Entertainment industry, like beauty and fashion industry, thrives on interpersonal connection. Those who can make friends and keep friends have a lot more job offers.

"It's all about who likes you" has a lot to do with career success......if you click with your boss and your boss happens to be on the up and up, he/she would take you along. Therefore, you may one day be North America Regional Director for M.A.C. Cosmetics. ;-)

Dealing with your people anxiety should be a priority. Hope the best for you!


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## bigstupidgrin (Sep 26, 2014)

Welcome to the forums!

I might have a personal perspective. I always mulled becoming a teacher, but I also grew up with social anxiety. I picked a job/career that I thought was safe (accounting) from crowds. It ultimately wasn't my path, and once I grew older and out of my anxiety fate allowed me to try teaching again and I love it, getting my masters now. It's my "quest". 

Don't treat your anxiety as a permanent condition. I'm still not fantastic with crowds, but I can deal with kids most of the time. Do investigate the profession though, and try to job shadow/intern or otherwise find a way to observe a real make up artist. INFPs can be fantastically artistic (with emotion) so I don't see how this couldn't be your "quest". Do find out more about the industry before you jump into anything.


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## yet another intj (Feb 10, 2013)

chanteuse said:


> If you have people anxiety, being a makeup artist is dicey.


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