INTP Career Changes at 50+?

[chduryea]

I'm curious if there are any members out in the INTP universe who have successfully navigated a career change from a "non-INTP-friendly" position to one that has provided more satisfaction.
I am coming out of 15 years in public education as a high school English teacher. I got into the field as a second career after deciding I could not stand healthcare finance. I loved writing and literature and 15 years ago I thought that would be enough to keep me engaged in the job. But the job is no longer what it was (too much administrative and political BS), and I have decided to walk away. It was only after I started teaching that I took the MB and realized teaching at the secondary level was WAY down the list of preferred occupations for INTPs.
I still love literature and writing. I'm a solid writer working on draft 2 of a novel (although do not delude myself with the expectation I'll make a living off it). I have solid communication skills and a decade of half of content knowledge from my former job.
Anyone out there who has made the big leap later in life?
PS: I understand that teaching at the university level is more INTP friendly. I have done this and really enjoy it. The problem there is that almost all post secondary jobs are adjunct slots that do not pay anything close to a living wage.

 

[Teax]

Those with the relevant experience might not be frequenting this forum that often, and are few in number judging by that thread:
www.intpforum.com/showthread.php?t=22889

A reply might take a while.

 

[EditorOne]

Well, sort of.

I took early retirement when life as a newspaper editor finally became too stressful and depressing. After a couple of years I got bored and took an interest in public insurance adjusting. It is not normally something an INTP would find interesting, however, the way this company is set up is not bad. I do not have to do detailed work measuring and entering information into a computer, I do not have to argue with insurance company adjusters: All I have to do is find and verify claims, sign the homeowners to contracts and move some paperwork into a pipeline. It is a "broad strokes" approach requiring knowledge of insurance policies and insurance industry general practices. I explain what I do to people like you as "I talk to people and look for things that are broken." It does require a state license and a bond, butfor me it's not much different than being a journalist: In any given situation, I find out what's really going on and tell people. It is an expanding market, because insurance companies rely on homeowner ignorance in turning down claims for spurious or misleading reasons; we level the playing field.

My compensation in all this is approximately 10 percent of the amount the homeowner finally gets from the insurance company.

I am not pursuing it full speed, because I'm retired and the revenue flow is adequate. On the other hand I only processed a dozen claims last year and walked away with more than $6,000, plus the satisfaction of helping folks and screwing nonperforming, abusive, loathesome insurance companies.

The drawback for an INTP is the human interaction necessary to generate claims. I overcome it with structure: Membership in a business referral exchange group that meets for breakfast once a week, plus contacts from my days in journalism, plus referrals from satisfied customers to others with insurance issues. (More than half the homes out there have unpursued claims for covered damage because the homeowners don't know what their policies cover. Like apples on the ground waiting to be picked up and put in a basket. Once someone "gets it" they are eager to show off their knowledge to friends, which gets me involved.)

Please note that I had 38 years in journalism, but it was a different function every three or four years: reporter, copy editor, editorial page editor, managing editor, investigations reporter, executive editor, etc. And three different newspapers. And at least seven different computer systems and software. So I was doing a lot of change, and enjoying it, and keeping from being bored, while still being in the same general field of human endeavor.

INTPs don't seem to have any trouble adapting to new stuff, but there is no ideal final destination: As soon as you achieve mastery or competency in something, the odds are good you'll find it less attractive than it was when you were learning about the fine points.