Larchmont Gazette.com: Career Doctor - CAN AN AVERAGE PERSON SUCCEED?

The Career Doctor™

by Dr. Jacqueline Hornor Plumez

Looking for a first job? Thinking of changing careers? Facing a lay-off? The Career Doctor™ is a Larchmont psychologist specializing in career counseling. If you'd like to ask a question of your own, use our anonymous form, and she might answer you here. Read more about the Career Doctor here. Contact information is here.

CAN AN AVERAGE PERSON SUCCEED?

Dear Career Doctor:

I'm an international student. My parents send me over here and made me study finance, because finance specialists are well-paid in my home country. I know my parents want the best for me, so I obeyed them.

I graduated last semester and concluded that finance is not something I enjoy that much. Then I started to feel that I need a career I love if I am to be happy in my life and excel in my profession. So it's time for a change.

I've always wanted a career that is emotionally fulfilling, and helpful to other people. But when I try to find a specific career to focus on, I've got a big problem: I don't know what I like to do! Maybe this sounds really stupid, but I'm really just a very, very average person. I don't seem to have any advantage over other people: I have average looks, height, IQ. I don't have any specialty skills, or even a hobby that I'm passionate about.

I'm very unhappy and depressed now because I feel I can never be happy and successful in my career. Please tell me how can I know myself better? How to explore my strengths? Should I study another program and see if I like it?

Yuan C

Dear Yuan:

You probably won't believe me when I say that the fact that you came to a different country and completed your degree is proof that you are far from average. You probably feel "average" because you, like many unhappy people, only compare yourself to people who are far more successful than you are. But even if you truly have an average IQ, you should know that the research shows that there are people with average IQ's who are successful in every field.

The issue is to find a field you will enjoy. To do this, you need a career counselor: someone who can give you tests and exercises to help evaluate which fields might be best for you. (One of my favorite tests, for example, is the Strong Interest Inventory which compares your likes and dislikes to people who are happily and successfully employed in about 120 different professions.) Career counselors often only need 3-4 sessions to help you find the right direction. This can help you discover the many ways you can be "helpful to other people" and perhaps even use your finance degree to do so.

So, stop putting yourself down and start working with a counselor to help you find the right direction!

The Career Doctor

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The Career Doctor™