A career meme and thinking out loud on what I should do with my life.

[miraje]

www.careercruising.com
Username: nycareers
Password: landmark
Go to Career Matchmaker

1. Model Maker
2. Air Traffic Controller
3. GIS Specialist
4. Planner
5. Drafter
6. Cartographer
7. Survey Tech
8. Archaeologist
9. Computer Support Person
10. Technical Writer
11. Industrial Machinery Mechanic
12. Millwright
13. Industrial Designer
14. Interior Designer
15. Curator
16. Office Machine Repairer
17. ESL Teacher
18. Historian
19. Website Designer
20. Film Processor

Notice that meteorologist/hydrologist/etc. is NOT on that list. That is because in my time as a student I have become very sick of deriving equations and thinking with the physics side of my brain. I have never had a natural talent for either, and while I performed decently in classes I struggled with working through the mathy side of meteorology. I can explain processes in words easily, but that doesn't get you credit on exams. So...when the questions came up about working with physics and using mathematics to solve problems, I rated them relatively low because I don't think they would be aspects of my perfect career. Why force yourself to be in a career that doesn't highlight your strengths? Thus I come to the point where I have to think about my future as a meteorologist.

I still love working with maps and computers, so I'm not surprised at all that "GIS Specialist" was ranked high. In fact, I feel like that is the direction my career is headed. I had a short discussion with my co-advisor about what I should do after my masters. To put it bluntly, I do not need a PhD in meteorology, nor do I want one. My interests have been interdisciplinary for some time now, and having three degrees in one field will not benefit me at all.

There is an idea floating around the School of Meteorology to create a PhD in interdisciplinary studies here at OU. I need to look into my options more, but I think either that or possibly even Geography would be good PhD fits for me if I want to focus more on GIS applications. I would MUCH rather take advanced courses in GIS and computer science than the Meteorology courses left over that I haven't taken already (crap like Boundary Layer Met., Turbulence, and Computational Fluid Dynamics...yuck). The Interdisciplinary thing would be especially cool because I could branch out even more and take courses in things like statistics, environmental science, and maybe graphic design or something.

Here's the deal: I could totally see myself as a professor or researcher if I love the subject enough. I enjoy teaching at the college level, and I've been told several times that I have a definite talent for explaining new concepts in a way that is easy to understand. I'm a communicator, not a physicist. Plus, GIS applies to EVERY field, likely in many ways that haven't even been considered yet. Imagine the career opportunities.

Comments

[eugeneoregon.livejournal.com]

See, you should at least be happy that meteorologist isn't on the list. My #1 occupation was corporate attorney. Given that my job is sheer misery, seven days a week (which are all working days), 365 days a year...and yet there is no occupation better suited for me (apparently sports talk radio host is not one of their options). It was basically just telling me I was going to be a very wealthy, very angry man.

[miraje.livejournal.com]

Here's my question for you then. Did you answer the questions honestly based on what you truly enjoy? When I first took the quiz I ranked physics and mathematics higher because I'm so used to working with it without even thinking about how much I actually hate it. I ranked it higher just because it was familiar, and whether I enjoy it or not it's a skill I now have. The list I posted above was after a second attempt at the quiz when I ranked them lower, and I think I got better results.

[eugeneoregon.livejournal.com]

I did answer them honestly, because I still want to be a lawyer, I just want a non-shitty job (and unfortunately, now I need to make lots of money). The two might be mutually exclusive, though.

[mmmbrains.livejournal.com]

model maker?