[shmagles]

I haven't the foggiest idea what to do for the rest of my life. I am your typical istj, i guess, so this is very disconcerting to me. I am fairly detail-oriented, need logic, structure & order. I already have a ba in psychology and am very interested in healthcare. I have worked with developmentally disabled adults (like the population, hate the disorganization of most non-profits) and as a high school teacher (dislike the pop, endless paperwork that prevented me from doing my job & public speaking involved). I've also done lots of tutoring, mentoring disadvantaged youth and some admin work.

I was pre-med in college, am only average in sciences & math(ok,worse than average in math) but later tutored my sis and all her friends in their nursing pre-reqs and core classes. I had a lot of personal/family problems in college, so I definitely don't feel like I lived up to my potential. I'm not sure if I'm truly bad at it (i think so) or if I did poorly because of circumstances. All of the mbti lists suggest things like med, dentist (don't have the stamina for those programs), IT (terrible at math, so no) law enforcement (don't meet physical requirements) and things like that. I know I seem like I am discounting a broad range of professions, but I don't want to enter a program I won't be able to finish or finish a program where I couldn't competently do the job (to say nothing of finding a job).

I'm currently considering psychiatric nurse practitioner (medication management, not therapy) or maybe library studies (but worried about finding a job). Any ideas? Am I overlooking something I might love? I know mbti is not the be all and end all, but my past jobs haven't taken my personality into account at all, and I don't want to make that mistake again.

 

[niss]

You are covering a lot of ground with this post. One ISTJ to another: Don't try to make this decision while your life feels disjointed and out of control, or you feel depressed. First, establish a routine for your day that you follow very closely. This will provide temporary structure to your life and will free you up emotionally so that you feel better about tackling the big questions that you are facing. Start by reading the following links and post back with further questions:

http://personalitycafe.com/istj-articles/23099-personality-career-istj.html

http://personalitycafe.com/istj-articles/12693-istj-duty-first-fun-second.html

http://personalitycafe.com/istj-articles/6449-istj-doing-what-should-done.html

ISTJ Personality Duty First! Fun Second (Maybe!)

 

[shmagles]

^^thanks for the reply, niss! i know it's kind of all over the place...and you are right that i shouldn't make hasty decisions, i just feel pressured to do something! i have been establishing a routine for the past week or so. i'll read those links today.

 

[shmagles]

actually, i've already read those articles. i am familiar with the strengths of the istj...but i'm not sure how they translate into any jobs other than the ones listed. i guess i'm not that good at thinking outside of the box, lol. all of the requirements/"shoulds" describe me perfectly (working alone or in a small team, needing order, great at organizing, facts & concrete/practical info, being objective). i just can't seem to put all that info into a job that makes sense for me. the things i am interested in translate into jobs that aren't plentiful or don't yet exist. the things i am good at don't seem to translate into very many jobs. i'm great at finding mistakes...who else does that besides proofreaders/editors & usability experts? ugh, sometimes i wish work weren't so important to me. :wink:

 

[Jojo]

What about Chiropractor or Massage?