INTPs THAT ENJOY YOUR JOBS--what do you do?

[ILikeRationalPeople]

What careers have you found that you enjoy?

I ask for my INTP SO who is going through a career crisis. He's 30, has a masters in architecture, has worked in the field for 3 years and is sick of it. He liked school but now he finds the actual work to be boring/repetitive, doesn't like the dickheads he works with, doesn't like the 9-5 schedule.... He works on the design side at a good firm so it doesn't seem like a new firm would help.

So let's hear some career ideas that worked out for INTPs.

 

[Grayman]

Went to school for Industrial Automation, ended up working on measurement and metering devices. I do configuration, maintenance, testing, troubleshooting and repair of such devices. I liked the PLC programming the most but I dont get to dk a lot of it. I also do computer pramming on the side, which is way different from PLC programming, and pc repairs on the side. I suppose I am also writing a book on the side but my hopes on being successful with it are low. My mind is more attuned to logical, scientific, and physical concepts and creativity as apposed to language and feeling, and sensual creativity.

 

[Tannhauser]

quantitative researcher for a hedge fund. It's hard for me to be humble about it – I fucking love the work I'm doing. I pursue whatever idea I like, I have no schedule, the work combines epistemic problems, scientific problems, mathematical problems, and writing a lot of code. The people are very smart and driven. It's also the excitement of being in the markets and seeing the ups and downs of them, although that part amounts to more of an exercise in not getting emotionally affected.

 

[smithcommajohn]

Database Administrator... and I love it. Working with a living, breathing database is something I find extremely interesting. There are a million ways to parse the data to achieve an end... and a million ways to design the database... making the most efficient database structure is almost an art form... nay, it IS an art form.

 

[smithcommajohn]

quantitative researcher for a hedge fund. It's hard for me to be humble about it – I fucking love the work I'm doing. I pursue whatever idea I like, I have no schedule, the work combines epistemic problems, scientific problems, mathematical problems, and writing a lot of code. The people are very smart and driven. It's also the excitement of being in the markets and seeing the ups and downs of them, although that part amounts to more of an exercise in not getting emotionally affected.

I'd love to learn more about your work. Have you ever gone into detail here in the forum?

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

I spent the last year working in a record store. It was a 10/10 experience hampered only by my shitty boss. Definitely would recommend.

 

[Tannhauser]

I'd love to learn more about your work. Have you ever gone into detail here in the forum?

Not really, but feel free to ask.

 

[EditorOne]

My career was in journalism, from reporter to executive newspaper group editor. Reporting was fun because the hours weren't set, finding stories was up to me, my paper at the time backed me up when the shit hit the fan because I did a story that offended the powers that be, plus I got to tell people important stuff and got respect for it. It required ingenuity, research, writing skills, analytic skills, and new learning as we moved into computers and I moved into management. . When I finally had little choice but to move into management, it wasn't quite so much fun, culminating in no fun at all in my final top-tier job when it seemed like all the corporate office for our chain wanted me to do was cut costs, each year, every year, because stockholders.

I do not recommend journalism these days, and in fact turned down an offer to teach it at a local college simply because I believe it's not a viable choice. Like Hollywood, there's a few people at the pinnacle who make a lot of money as network anchors, with a whole underpinning of underpaid wannabes and idealists doing the grunt work.

 

[Pyropyro]

My field is Intellectual Property although I specialize more in biotech and agritech research. It's boring sometimes but the field is quite young so I get to pioneer a lot of stuff.

 

[Architect]

I really like what I do - software engineering - but I could seriously consider jumping ship into what Tannhauser does. My main sticking point would be getting out of STEM into Finance. Apologies but STEM is what advances society, finance is just the lubrication. Still, if it makes serious bank I'm not above that either.

Anyhow this has been discussed here many times, perhaps you could search. My thesis is that it's not as much the field you work in but the particular job you happen to land. Basically any job that offers autonomy, time for thinking and freedom of independent thought. You can find those jobs in everything from garbage collecting (plenty of time to think while stabbing stray papers in the park) to being Secretary of Defense.

 

[intp_xp]

I'm a computer programmer/analyst/database administrator/project manager/people manager all wrapped into one. I liked it for awhile since there were always new projects, changing software/hardware and new people moving in and out of the department/group. After 10 years though, it's all old hat. While it's still the same changing environment, it all feels very similar. My focus is now on retirement so I can have all the free time to do whatever and not feel locked in.

 

[Architect]

I do not recommend journalism these days, and in fact turned down an offer to teach it at a local college simply because I believe it's not a viable choice. Like Hollywood, there's a few people at the pinnacle who make a lot of money as network anchors, with a whole underpinning of underpaid wannabes and idealists doing the grunt work.

True, but shouldn't you give them the opportunity to discover that themselves? Or at least with you teaching you'd offer a realistic view of the field.

 

[Yellow]

I enjoy my work mostly, but it's the situation more than the job itself. I started as a case manager, moved up to therapist, then up to therapist/program director, and now transitioning from program director to a kind of clinical director (COO-ish) position.

I mean, I've learned a lot in each position, and was at each just long enough to master and move on (it's been about 2.5 years total). What's most appealing for me, though, is the value that's placed on my personality and approach. There's a need in the "helping field" for people who are warm on the outside and cold on the inside.

 

[Happy]

I'm ENTP, also with a master of architecture, and I love my work.

I thought I had chosen the wrong career too, and came across the same dilemma as your SO.

This was until I moved to a different firm in a completely different sector of architecture. The nature of the work is completely different, and I'm glad I didn't completely discount the career.

I know that's not the answer you're looking for, but I hope it's of some help.

 

[redbaron]

True, but shouldn't you give them the opportunity to discover that themselves? Or at least with you teaching you'd offer a realistic view of the field.

Yeah you could just start off each lesson with, "remember, only 3% of you will acquire jobs relevant to the studies you're now doing"

It'll be a hit with the university staff they'll probably promote him even

 

[Architect]

Yeah you could just start off each lesson with, "remember, only 3% of you will acquire jobs relevant to the studies you're now doing"

It'll be a hit with the university staff they'll probably promote him even

Actually I seriously considered Journalism and had essentially that experience. A journalist advised me to instead learn something else so I'd have something to write about. It was great advice that I took and never regretted.

Of course if I really cared about Journalism I still would have taken the class and learned the ropes, but I found other stuff more interesting.

 

[Absurdity]

doesn't like the dickheads he works with, doesn't like the 9-5 schedule

What does this mean? As in he'd rather work less? From home?

 

[Kuu]

I ask for my INTP SO who is going through a career crisis. He's 30, has a masters in architecture, has worked in the field for 3 years and is sick of it. He liked school but now he finds the actual work to be boring/repetitive, doesn't like the dickheads he works with, doesn't like the 9-5 schedule.... He works on the design side at a good firm so it doesn't seem like a new firm would help.

Look on the bright side, at least he works 9-5 and not 7-7...

Is your SO a me from an alternate timeline? The one where I ignored my "working on a firm will drive you mad" instinct? The still broken but not-broke me?

Career crisis is a requirement for architects. Our civilization has very much crushed the discipline. Like most things now, it has been reduced to another cog in the financial machine, pumping out profit-uber-alles developments as quickly, cheaply and half-assedly as possible, crushing everything in its path propelled by torrents of credit. If you want to do anything that isn't yet-another-cookie-cutter-apartment/office tower/mall you basically got to do it yourself, but unfortunately the capital-intensive nature of architecture makes that prohibitive for most.

I would definitely suggest he considers working at a small firm, not a "good" firm. "Good" firms tend to be full of greedy fucks and talentless brownnosers, often time the leaders are just that but level 20, brownnosing to their corporate clients like their rectum is a gold mine. They will find one half-successful design and milk it for years and years while puffing themselves up as the greatest designers who ever lived. Creativity requires risk and potential instability, and that is anathema to most organizations. Stagnation and lowering-standards is the all too common path.

 

[ILikeRationalPeople]

I'm ENTP, also with a master of architecture, and I love my work.

I thought I had chosen the wrong career too, and came across the same dilemma as your SO.

This was until I moved to a different firm in a completely different sector of architecture. The nature of the work is completely different, and I'm glad I didn't completely discount the career.

I know that's not the answer you're looking for, but I hope it's of some help.

What sector are you in? My SO does design work for public/cultural buildings. He does wildlife conservation facilities, transportation stations, and university building type stuff. It seems like relatively choice work.

Look on the bright side, at least he works 9-5 and not 7-7...

I would definitely suggest he considers working at a small firm, not a "good" firm. "Good" firms tend to be full of greedy fucks and talentless brownnosers, often time the leaders are just that but level 20, brownnosing to their corporate clients like their rectum is a gold mine. They will find one half-successful design and milk it for years and years while puffing themselves up as the greatest designers who ever lived. Creativity requires risk and potential instability, and that is anathema to most organizations. Stagnation and lowering-standards is the all too common path.

The firm he works at is both small and good. It is the top design firm in the state, it's not a national/corporate one. It's his second firm, the last one was international. He didn't care for his coworkers at either because they don't care enough about design for its own sake. At the smaller firm they are just a snobbier version of people who don't really care.

It does seem that architecture has been crushed by our civilization as you say. I wish he could just work on competitions without any guarantee of income but his 6 figure masters degree debt prohibits that.

 

[ILikeRationalPeople]

What does this mean? As in he'd rather work less? From home?

He wants to make his own schedule, work when he feels like working. I think he is jealous of me because I am self-employed in e-commerce and work from home. I am skeptical that he would have the self discipline to make himself do work on a regular basis and he doesn't know what he would sell/do if he was self employed.

If that is a path he decides to go down I am supportive. He doesn't seem to want to try any ideas on the side though. With his debt it just isn't feasible for him to quit his job and then see if something works out.

As for what do I mean by "dickheads," his coworkers seem to just care about how they look rather than having original ideas about design/treating design as a process. And the non designers are annoying gossipy types, one of which seems to try to exclude him whenever possible.

 

[ILikeRationalPeople]

quantitative researcher for a hedge fund. It's hard for me to be humble about it – I fucking love the work I'm doing. I pursue whatever idea I like, I have no schedule, the work combines epistemic problems, scientific problems, mathematical problems, and writing a lot of code. The people are very smart and driven. It's also the excitement of being in the markets and seeing the ups and downs of them, although that part amounts to more of an exercise in not getting emotionally affected.

Sounds like the kind of environment he would like. Would they hire someone with a background in architecture or do you have to be a finance major or something?

 

[Happy]

What sector are you in? My SO does design work for public/cultural buildings. He does wildlife conservation facilities, transportation stations, and university building type stuff. It seems like relatively choice work.

I work in the education sector. I work in a well established firm. We're not a prestigious firm, nor do we try to be. However, we do the projects and competitions we want, and we do them well.
I guess it's also relatively choice work.

The firm I was in previously, I was in the complete opposite situation. Everything was about money and not getting sued. I lost all faith in the profession for a while.

I feel sorry for your SO, having to bear a six figure education debt. USA I'm guessing? That system makes no sense.
I still have a significant debt, but it's only something like 50k. That's considered huge here.

 

[Absurdity]

Might want to consider UX design, potentially even for 3D/immersive/VR/AR stuff. Depends on his background and interest in software I suppose but if he has a strong rooting in design he could probably pick up the basics of the other stuff in a few months of self-study.

 

[Tannhauser]

Sounds like the kind of environment he would like. Would they hire someone with a background in architecture or do you have to be a finance major or something?

They typically look for people with backgrounds in stuff like math, programming, physics.

 

[Ex-User (13503)]

This echoes some others who have already posted. It's not so much finding the right job in terms of title or category or even hours, but finding enough novelty to keep engaged. Two approaches to finding the requisite novelty: 1) hop around from career to career, becoming addicted to learning itself (which does have negative effects, like all forms of addiction) 2) transform an existing career into something new via application. In other words, he can stock his toolbox with a load of new and specialized (and frequently expensive) tools, or he can find new uses for the tools he already has.

Ideally there's a happy place between the two. You can't unscrew a screw with a hammer very well, but you also don't want all your space taken up with limited use one hit wonders. Metaphorical case in point: https://www.amazon.com/Hutzler-571-Banana-Slicer/product-reviews/B0047E0EII

So what can he do or create using the skills he already has that no one else is really doing, allows him to be creative, and ideally requires a minimal investment in new tools/skills/capital? It seems like many people ITT have either found that middle ground or leaned more towards option 2.

 

[ILikeRationalPeople]

I feel sorry for your SO, having to bear a six figure education debt. USA I'm guessing? That system makes no sense.
I still have a significant debt, but it's only something like 50k. That's considered huge here.

Yeap. It's bullshit.

This echoes some others who have already posted. It's not so much finding the right job in terms of title or category or even hours, but finding enough novelty to keep engaged. Two approaches to finding the requisite novelty: 1) hop around from career to career, becoming addicted to learning itself (which does have negative effects, like all forms of addiction) 2) transform an existing career into something new via application. In other words, he can stock his toolbox with a load of new and specialized (and frequently expensive) tools, or he can find new uses for the tools he already has.

Ideally there's a happy place between the two. You can't unscrew a screw with a hammer very well, but you also don't want all your space taken up with limited use one hit wonders. Metaphorical case in point: https://www.amazon.com/Hutzler-571-Banana-Slicer/product-reviews/B0047E0EII

So what can he do or create using the skills he already has that no one else is really doing, allows him to be creative, and ideally requires a minimal investment in new tools/skills/capital? It seems like many people ITT have either found that middle ground or leaned more towards option 2.

I'm not sure how many tools are out there for architecture that he hasn't learned yet. He doesn't seem to have the ambition to increase his workload anyway.

He's afraid to change careers and then realize he wants back in to architecture. It seems like there would be no going back since it's such a competitive field.

But yeah, he needs to figure out a way to be interested again or he's going to stay miserable.

 

[WALKYRIA]

Psychiatry:
- A lot of Ti( a lot of thinking about the world, humanity, philosophy,..etc)
- Plenty of Ne( Being openminded, learning to accept and to help anyone,..etc)
- Some Fe(social skills, interview skills, helping the people,...Etc)
- Some Si(the facts, the names, the drugs, 2dary effects,...Etc)

It really speaks to every bit of my person and more... I guess you guys know what Jungs job was right? And Freud?
I already said it (maybe too much), I love my job, but I'm a young M.D so still very exciting and all but till now on it's good.

 

[pjoa09]

Interning right now developing for iOS.

I learned Swift like a month ago and mostly rip my colleagues code off from the repository to stick into my stuff.

Pretty fun.

When I get bored of it I fuck around in the office.

 

[tx123]

With his background in architecture, he should consider real estate development. It's something he could start on his own while keeping his job. (buy a small property, design a building, etc.)

He can be creative while not having to design the same thing over and over again for corporate clients.

He can work by himself and not have to manage a lot of people. (There is a lot of interaction with other consultants, contractors, etc. but a lot can be by email)

 

[FATBOY]

I created a marketing company
Yet the website
is really just
an INTP's version
of my resume

The website exposes
every professional ability
that I think I have

from marketing
to sales
to "design"
(if you can call that one of my skills)

to SEO
to SEM
to a deep undertanding
of how Google works

I created a marketing company
because I felt overqualified for every job

I created a marketing company
because I felt like my resume didn't do me any justice

I created a marketing company
because I felt like employers should be kissing my feet when they see my resume come across their desk

I created a marketing company
because I feel like employers should be applying to me, and not the other way around

I created a marketing company
because my plethora of interests is either ADD or INTP but whichever one it is I like to work on whatever I want to work on, whenever I want to work on it, and if I don't get it done then who gives a fuck because I'm the boss.

 

[Terran]

IT related public policy development consultant for various government departments in the UK. I enjoy it.

 

[Architect]

I learned Swift like a month ago

Apple never stops trying to make programming easier; and failing.

 

[theboogieman]

I'm a writer/researcher/editor.

I very much love the nature of my work, but I'm very fickle about what I actually work on and which clients I work with.

I'm working to get to the point where I can basically write and research whatever I want, whenever I want to and still get paid for it, which would be perfect for me.