Interest vs Employability
HFA/Aspie - I had family pressure to go into a certain narrow set of fields that, looking back, would've been a AS/ASD nightmare. Luckily my aversion to them at the time was sufficient that I went into a different major and was able to attain a degree. However, because it didn't match family expectations *and* I had absolutely no support (financial or emotional), I ended up working in retail for a while to pay for rent, food and clothing, and drifted back to the special interest I'd had since I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. The same one they tried so hard to discourage because it was too nerdy, held no social status & was therefore embarrassing. So now decades later I'm comfortably working in the field that matches my interest, but without the academic grounding I could have had. Such is life; it could have ended up far worse or not reached this point at all.
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“For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.”
―Carl Sagan
I chose to study political science partly due to interest and partly due to employability. I'm currently employed in that field, working in public administration. I do feel somewhat overqualified, but the pay is good.
I once considered pursuing a career more in alignment with my special interests, either in the intelligence community or as a writer/graphics artist. In hindsight I probably made the right choice. My younger brother is a graphics artist, and based on his experience it can be a very stressful field with limited options for stable employment...
I tried for several years to get into the intelligence community to work as an analyst, but there are simply so few positions for civilians in my country. If I was going to have a chance in that field I should probably have undergone training as a language officer during my military service.. that ship has sailed now... From what I've been told (which is of course limited, due to the classified nature), a job as an intelligence analyst can also be extremely stressful... so, once again I probably made the right choice.
(i)No degree, (ii) No job
Diagnosed at probably birth, but not sure, was determined as high functioning/aspergers and formal diagnosis of Kanner Syndrome at very early age. Both by medical professional and psychologist. I was tested in the way I was thinking how to put things together physically, like those shapes into correct holes puzzles.
No specialist in any field, i've been to university to study computing, didn't go well, regret going. I also had pressure from family to go university, they failed themselves so they wanted me to have the first glimpse into what would be in store. Just a whole load of monkeys clubbing every night getting drunk and apparently getting good grades on the side. I suppose I didn't fit in or the penny didn't drop for me.
I'd believe my mental age to be behind my physical body by about 6 years, all the people at my age have either already a couple of years ago or have been successful in business - in this regard my siblings are doing much better than me despite i'm the eldest.
I also get depression 5 out of 7 days a week that takes me down really low like withdrawal from a drug or something. But whenever I see a doctor they say you look fine. So i'm left to fend of with the depression by myself, I resort to self-harm like hunger strikes, overdosing medication and other stuff.
I think the reason i'm depressed is because i'm not accepted in society, no jobs, no career, the only advice I have available is the forum and it can only go so far.
There's not enough data from the poll to make any conclusions, but it looks like a theme is forming that most people chose a major based primarily on their interest.
I started to wonder about this after reading what some people here studied in college, niche fields with few job opportunities, and it seemed pretty clear that this would lead to problems with job hunting.
Would be interesting to see more data, though.
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Anyone has any interest and time to read what I wrote? |
30 Sep 2024, 1:11 am |