What job should I get?

[Artsu Tharaz]

So I need help deciding on a career path.

I have a maths degree. I got a maths degree because it was easy for me to do, I wanted to get a degree, and I had hopes that it would turn into something like environmental modelling or something along those lines, because basically:

I want a job that I see as morally justifiable. Something that makes a contribution to people's lives in a positive sense. I don't like a lot of the jobs that a maths degree seems to lead to (not including PhD level jobs, but I don't want to do a PhD) because a lot seems to be like... use mathematical/statistical models to help a company make more profits, and thus being paid from their increase in profits. I don't want to work in commercialism. I want something that will make a difference.

Recommend career paths that make a positive impact to the world. I am willing to do more study, but the less study the better.

Relevant info: I am an INFJ with schizoaffective and social anxiety

 

[Ex-User (13503)]

Is your degree a bachelor's? What was your GPA?

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Is your degree a bachelor's? What was your GPA?

Bachelors, yeah. Credit average. (it says the formula for percentage to GPA is x/20 - 1, so I got about 2.5)

I'm thinking of maybe going back for my honours year next year, but I'll still be in the same predicament afterwards.

 

[Ex-User (13503)]

Okay, so Australia's system makes no sense to me then.

What I was thinking: If your GPA is high enough, it's possible to enter a non-math graduate program if you want to do stats/modeling work. You could still do environmental modeling, etc., you'd just have to meet the entrance requirements for the program, which could mean taking a few undergraduate courses and/or subject entrance exams in that field.

I would think your best bet is to identify the field you want to be in and then ask profs for more specific guidance on occupying the mathematical niche of that field. You may find it surprisingly easy to get involved, especially in the soft sciences.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Okay, so Australia's system makes no sense to me then.

What I was thinking: If your GPA is high enough, it's possible to enter a non-math graduate program if you want to do stats/modeling work. You could still do environmental modeling, etc., you'd just have to meet the entrance requirements for the program, which could mean taking a few undergraduate courses and/or subject entrance exams in that field.

I would think your best bet is to identify the field you want to be in and then ask profs for more specific guidance on occupying the mathematical niche of that field. You may find it surprisingly easy to get involved, especially in the soft sciences.

The courses I've looked at generally say a credit average is required, so I have a high enough GPA to enter such fields.

I don't know if I want to do mathematical work at all though, idk. Environmental modelling was an interest I had, but I lost interest in that because my values have shifted, but it's still something I value highly enough to be viable. I had been thinking of studying a masters of environmental science, and trying to do something mathematically focused for the research program, but I don't know if that will end up happening - at the moment I'm thinking it probably won't.

I would probably just stay on government payments, and utilise any free energy I have into reading the Bible, praying, being involved with a church etc. but I'm pretty sure in order to be on the payment I need to be studying or actively looking for work (at the moment I'm applying for data entry and data analysis jobs), though I might be able to get an exemption due to schizoaffective, but I don't think I'm really incapable of working, I think I just don't have enough motivation. idk

I'm going to have another think about the Maths Honours -> PhD in an area that combines maths and something I value; although, I can't assume that I would get into a PhD, and I can't assume that I would be able to study anything for long enough to get the PhD... fk


Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. "

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." "

These verses are influencing me at the moment; I'm not as worried about this issue as I was earlier this year/last year, and I think it's fine if I don't get a job, if that's not what I'm meant to do, but I can't seem to completely override that concern.

 

[QuickTwist]

The question is really whether you want to go the "professional" route or not. I know there are even amateur mathematicians who figure out some pretty crazy stuff because they are diligent in their pursuit of a goal.

If you want to use your math skills for good, think about how you can apply them to forward the goal of doing good. IMO, when you are focussed too much on what credentials you have to fulfill X goal, you lose sight of what you can do now to pursue that goal.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

The question is really whether you want to go the "professional" route or not. I know there are even amateur mathematicians who figure out some pretty crazy stuff because they are diligent in their pursuit of a goal.

If you want to use your math skills for good, think about how you can apply them to forward the goal of doing good. IMO, when you are focussed too much on what credentials you have to fulfill X goal, you lose sight of what you can do now to pursue that goal.

I'm probably not going to be an amateur mathematician. Actually, I'm open to mathematical or totally non-mathematical career paths, I just mention the degree I have because it could be useful.

As an amateur typologist, I feel like I've covered a fair bit of new ground, and I'm still investigating how all that stuff works, but it's not going to make me a living.

So, any career path where I'm doing good is fine. I could be a case worker for the mentally ill or something, but I don't know if that is really for me, but I'm open to that sort of thing.

I don't really work on maths in my spare time much. I sometimes will look through a textbook on some higher mathematics subject, but I don't go through it diligently, I more just look through it to see if I am interested in it, and generally I am not.

 

[Ex-User (13503)]

Does math + reluctance to help corporations make money + morality = working to catch white collar criminals/insider trading and the like?

 

[QuickTwist]

The question is really whether you want to go the "professional" route or not. I know there are even amateur mathematicians who figure out some pretty crazy stuff because they are diligent in their pursuit of a goal.

If you want to use your math skills for good, think about how you can apply them to forward the goal of doing good. IMO, when you are focussed too much on what credentials you have to fulfill X goal, you lose sight of what you can do now to pursue that goal.

I'm probably not going to be an amateur mathematician. Actually, I'm open to mathematical or totally non-mathematical career paths, I just mention the degree I have because it could be useful.

As an amateur typologist, I feel like I've covered a fair bit of new ground, and I'm still investigating how all that stuff works, but it's not going to make me a living.

So, any career path where I'm doing good is fine. I could be a case worker for the mentally ill or something, but I don't know if that is really for me, but I'm open to that sort of thing.

I don't really work on maths in my spare time much. I sometimes will look through a textbook on some higher mathematics subject, but I don't go through it diligently, I more just look through it to see if I am interested in it, and generally I am not.

My point wasn't that you were going to be an amateur mathematician. It was more that you have a talent in this area and if amateurs can do what they can do, think of what you can do with an actual math degree with the knowledge you have gained from school. Math is a fairly flexible system - if you wanted, you could apply your knowledge of maths to do a lot of different things if you apply yourself to pursue a goal that takes math but that you could focus your maths on a great many different things. Basically, I was saying you could be creative with the math you know to work on something you value.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Does math + reluctance to help corporations make money + morality = working to catch white collar criminals/insider trading and the like?

Nah, that doesn't fit with my morals, I don't think. I'm not too interested in catching criminals - they will be dealt with in the Judgement.

My point wasn't that you were going to be an amateur mathematician. It was more that you have a talent in this area and if amateurs can do what they can do, think of what you can do with an actual math degree with the knowledge you have gained from school. Math is a fairly flexible system - if you wanted, you could apply your knowledge of maths to do a lot of different things if you apply yourself to pursue a goal that takes math but that you could focus your maths on a great many different things. Basically, I was saying you could be creative with the math you know to work on something you value.

I don't honestly think I know all that much maths. I didn't try very hard in university. Someone who doesn't study maths at an institution, but put in a lot of effort into studying out of passion for the subject could easily surpass me.

I'd say I'm better equipped to be a philosopher, because even though I only studied a little bit of philosophy at university (and got very little out of it), I naturally dwell on philosophical questions. But what need does society have for a philosopher? (well, they do have the need for philosophers, but they don't seem to know it)

More broadly, there are conceptual systems. Understanding a thing on a theoretical level. I am best when the problem is such that one can work on it without needing to be directly engaged with the outside world, i.e. one can simply ponder.

Maths wasn't quite what I expected. I know now that I had expected it to be very Ni, but it's more focused on the Ti. They don't often try for intuitive approaches. (but I did have some Ni dominant lecturers, and I found the questions they asked were the sort that I was able to easily figure out the answer to, where it seemed others were struggling)

Yes, maths is flexible, but I don't know how to put it to use in making a living.

I should mention that my worst aspect of the classes throughout my degree was in the computing side of things. Turning maths into a job very often relies on good computing skills, although I could for sure learn this.

Again, it's not a requirement that the maths be directly utilised at all.

 

[Hadoblado]

Have you considered self-employment?

General mathematical aptitude could be turned toward programming maybe?
Analytics?

How opposed to making other people money are you? There are plenty of programs that benefit people directly. You probably won't get payed as much, but it can be a fulfilling living.

 

[elliptoid]

Project management.

Construction sector
Whichever industry shows promise in your region
or NZ..

Will probably require some technical certification (perhaps in the engineering field) which will wean you off of academics.

If you are seeking some kind of empowerment to produce meaningful results especially in the lives of others...

 

[travelnjones]

philosophy is a great career path for homelessness. Hegel and Heidegger are hard to monetize.

Math is a great degree because it serves as a long pole for other degrees. You could do some sort of engineering or other science. Bio genetics seems to becoming the wave of the future how about something developing gene therapies that extend lives or fight cancer.

I do software quality assurance , I enjoy it. But I have no concern about making corporations more money. I actually see a lot of the tech stuff I worked on as a good thing for society.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Thanks for the replies.

Following up on suggestions:

Have you considered self-employment?

General mathematical aptitude could be turned toward programming maybe?
Analytics?

How opposed to making other people money are you? There are plenty of programs that benefit people directly. You probably won't get payed as much, but it can be a fulfilling living.

I haven't really thought about self-employment, no. I have no ideas of what I would do.

I'm willing to learn programming as needed for what I want to achieve, but I have little interest in programming in-and-of itself.

I generally have a hard time using computer programs (maybe not compared to the average person, idk, but relative to someone who would be a professional in it), but I do understand the theory behind coding (i.e. I've done some coding before for classes). So I can do it, but I don't overly want to, and yeah people probably generally don't want to work, but hopefully I can find something that appeals to me.

As long as the money is coming from an acceptable source, I'm not necessarily opposed to it, but it's not going to motivate me, and I'm looking for work I believe in, because I don't see how else I'm going to get myself through the day, let alone years.

Project management.

I'm having a read about it, and it sounds very extroverted thinking. Yes, I do think that personality type is a crucial factor in this.

philosophy is a great career path for homelessness. Hegel and Heidegger are hard to monetize.

Math is a great degree because it serves as a long pole for other degrees. You could do some sort of engineering or other science. Bio genetics seems to becoming the wave of the future how about something developing gene therapies that extend lives or fight cancer.

I do software quality assurance , I enjoy it. But I have no concern about making corporations more money. I actually see a lot of the tech stuff I worked on as a good thing for society.

Well, I think philosophy would generally be beneficial to study for those who are (but not limited to) implementing ethical/political policy, as well as those doing scientific work.

So far the only option I've seen for post-graduate studies related to mathematics that has interested me is environmental science, wherein a research project could focus on the mathematical side, but I've lost the majority of my interest in that by now.


I think I'm kinda shooting down every suggestion, but I guess if I didn't have a tendency to do that I wouldn't have needed to make the thread. \(o.O)/

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Perhaps rather than asking "what job should I get?", I should be asking "how do I get the motivation to get a job at all?".

 

[travelnjones]

disconnect from any support structure you have so you are forced to work to eat?

 

[Pizzabeak]

Pretty exciting topic on the fringe areas of conspiracy. Not sure what the market is like where you're at, but over here it's probably similar. If you majored in math, that looks good on any resumè or application as it assumes you can think critically. And then you can get most jobs you want in diverse categories. What you want is to get involved academically, say, first as a teacher's aid or professor's assistant. That'll get your foot in the door so you could move up the ladder (not in a social climbing way) in the corporate or academic world. I would imagine you could just get into environmental science or fish & wildlife game conservation by just applying, and volunteering, and when you don't get interviews, just apply again over and over so start hammering them out. This is a logical way of looking at things and hasn't failed anyone since.

 

[Gyppo]

Pole dancer

 

[Happy]

Project management.

Construction sector
Whichever industry shows promise in your region
or NZ..

Will probably require some technical certification (perhaps in the engineering field) which will wean you off of academics.

If you are seeking some kind of empowerment to produce meaningful results especially in the lives of others...

I don't think this is the right fit for Artsu. I also wouldn't consider it a field where the results produced are meaningful in the lives of others, unless all that is meaningful for others is the bottom line of a construction company...

Besides, it's generally expected in the Australian construction industry that project managers hold a Bachelor of Construction Management, or equivalent, which is typically a 3-4 year degree. Could maybe do a masters degree in less time, I guess.

Good salary prospects though...

Rather, @Artsu Tharaz I'd suggest finding a problem that needs solving, or at least people to help solve, and applying your skills there. Perhaps a transition into environmental engineering of some sort is appropriate. Or maybe systems engineering. As you would know, NSW has a deficit in good public infrastructure - if you want to make a difference, perhaps you could start there.

 

[Reluctantly]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theoretical_ecology
?
no idea how easy or hard these jobs are to get.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theoretical_ecology
?
no idea how easy or hard these jobs are to get.

Yeah, this is what I had in mind.

I would be prepared to do the study, including potentially even a PhD, in order to get a job in this line of work if I was convinced that I could fully immerse myself in the study of ecosystems. I believe that this would be a very good area to apply my talents. But I would have to replace my current interest which is in psychological types. I would have to shift focus.

So I think what I will do is to try and become interested in theoretical ecology and see if it has the potential to become my focus. But idk how likely that is.