Making use of a high IQ

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I'm frustrated, to put it mildly. I did well at school, everything was easy and I got a degree in microbiology, without a great deal of effort (I had real difficulty trying to study, so I basically didn't study much at all). However, I left with my ordinary degree, as I had social anxiety and dreaded what the 4th year required of me, not academically. Then, I went on to do a taught post-grad course in environmental studies, which involved a work placement, which I did in the energy management section of the local council. The work was admin and I was kept on as employee, after my course ended. There I stayed for the next 11 years. I got one promotion and moved around, due to staffing reviews, but I never progressed any.

I always felt I was in the wrong job and started to teach myself IT skills, that were not essential for my job, but helped me to do my job better. My boss took note of what I knew and put me to work, designing databases and advanced analytical spreadsheets. So there I was, doing the same stuff as some of the IT staff (as well as my regular duties), but being paid as an admin assistant. When it came to my reviews, my boss would kind of mention that I was amazing at these things and indispensible, but the main topic of conversation was my supervisory/ communication deficits. Of all the admin assistants, I was the only one who got assessed as being 'fair', the others were 'good' or 'excellent'. This really affected my self esteem. I also felt taken for granted, in relation to all the high level work I was doing, which no-one else could even begin to comprehend. Before I left, a new system was being brought in and my databases had to be converted over, by IT. I had loads of compliments from IT about my work, who were amazed that I'd taught myself and they had even learned something, from studying them. That confirmed it for me that I really was as good as I suspected.

When my daughter was born, I decided I'd had enough of the place, so I never went back after maternity leave. I've not worked for 6 1/2 years, except for some voluntary work, including moderating this site. My special interests are in health, nutrition, genetics, natural and ancient therapies, etc, but I'm lost as to how to take this forward into a career. I also have those IT skills, which I could go back to, but I don't have a qualification in IT and have been considering doing a qualification at home. I've also toyed with the idea of perfecting my art skills, but I'm not good enough to make a decent living, unless I can be inventive. I need to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life, because I'm going round in circles and getting nowhere.

I don't really get why you would be frustrated. When I was in school, for some reason, I basically had to work intensely for whatever grades I made. It seemed I couldn't learn anything without studying. I fantasize of having the kind of job success you had and the respect you earned. I've had nothing but menial jobs and a mediocre office job which I just ran away from. Due to my incompetence, I didn't get to do any tasks more advanced than adding up numbers, and dealt with a supervisor who took advantage of my weaknesses through being mean to me and laughing behind my back with others, eventually passing me over for some guy who came from another department after having had a temper tantrum with his boss. I wonder if I'll ever make anything valuable come out of the investment put into my education.

But, I had no success and no respect. The job I was doing, I could have done without any post school qualifications whatsoever (most of my colleagues hadn't even been to college). I wasted 4 years, getting a degree and a post grad. Then, I ended up in a low paid admin job (I wasn't earning that much more than the staff I supervised), which was completely unrelated to my qualifications. In effect, I was 4 years behind my peers, who had achieved much less at school. They are really the successful ones, not me. As I said, my boss made a much bigger issue out of the things I wasn't so good at and took advantage of my good nature. I was taken aside several times for my inadequacy and the discussions ended with me in tears. I was complimented by IT staff for my work, but by that time I was heading for maternity leave and those guys were in no position to offer me a way out either. I have made nothing valuable come out of my education so far and I'm 39. As for me saying that I didn't study, I can't study. I can't even read a book, unless my intense interest has been captured by the first paragraph. I wish I could study.

There is a difference in doing work that falls within your special interests, and doing something important to you that can utilize skills gained from your special interests. I recommend the latter.

I don't really get why you would be frustrated. When I was in school, for some reason, I basically had to work intensely for whatever grades I made. It seemed I couldn't learn anything without studying. I fantasize of having the kind of job success you had and the respect you earned. I've had nothing but menial jobs and a mediocre office job which I just ran away from. Due to my incompetence, I didn't get to do any tasks more advanced than adding up numbers, and dealt with a supervisor who took advantage of my weaknesses through being mean to me and laughing behind my back with others, eventually passing me over for some guy who came from another department after having had a temper tantrum with his boss. I wonder if I'll ever make anything valuable come out of the investment put into my education.

dalurker, isn't this thread for Aspie's with high IQs, not average IQs?



Anyway your bitterness seems out-of-place in a thread where posters are seeking guidance and advice.

I have a relatively high IQ and most subjects -- at least non-science courses -- in school came relatively easy to me too. So I can relate to some of the posters here, as I said the same thing recently to my friend with the PhD in Special Ed who asked if I had Aspergers. Told him: "I've never been able to make my IQ work for me."

Anyway I'm thinking that maybe it's females with AS who have an especially difficult time in adjusting to the workplace. Really I don't know. But from this thread, I get the impression that the majority of posters who are voicing failure with respect to their high IQs and job happiness are females.

I'm just commenting on a thread regarding the topic. Nothing I said or asked of their situations would be contrary to success for them. I'm not against advice. Due to my lower strengths, I have been led to only follow orders and direction, as it couldn't matter that I devoted years to learning things. I decided to question the dominant people out there for a change. Someone has to say something when there are very successful individuals complaining as if they're unfortunate, due to them not choosing to keep careers. There is just too much sympathy out there for those who already have the means to help themselves.

But high IQ doesn't mean that people has the means to help themselves. High IQ doesn't mean that people are dominant, or that people can do more than follow directions. High IQ doesn't even mean that people can follow directions.

Doing well in school doesn't at all mean that people will do well in the workplace, or even that they'll get a job at all. Yes, I have a high IQ, you're far ahead of me in your success at work.

I'm just commenting on a thread regarding the topic. Nothing I said or asked of their situations would be contrary to success for them. I'm not against advice. Due to my lower strengths, I have been led to only follow orders and direction, as it couldn't matter that I devoted years to learning things. I decided to question the dominant people out there for a change. Someone has to say something when there are very successful individuals complaining as if they're unfortunate, due to them not choosing to keep careers. There is just too much sympathy out there for those who already have the means to help themselves.


It's not. You are not having an especially difficult time.

I'm thinking of those around me in general, as being dominant. I've heard claims that IQ doesn't guarantee academic success, then if i hear that having high IQ and academic success doesn't guarantee job success. Look, I just don't fundamentally buy these claims. Undergoing an IQ test itself requires following directions.

In effect, I was 4 years behind my peers, who had achieved much less at school. They are really the successful ones, not me.

I've not worked for 6 1/2 years

[I'm thinking of those around me in general, as being dominant. I've heard claims that IQ doesn't guarantee academic success, then I hear that having both high IQ and academic success doesn't guarantee job success. Look, I just don't fundamentally buy these claims. Undergoing an IQ test itself requires following directions.

So finding the right career success has nothing to do with IQ but like what another poster previously wrote -- drive.

Yes, on average, people with higher IQs will have more education, get better jobs, succeed at them, and be able to go through and do things like pay for better education for their children, who also tend to have higher IQs.

The directions in it are simple, a few steps at most, we are not required to memorize 12 different verbal directions and then perform them flawlessly an hour later like you would in a job.

You may have very high score in some areas of it and very low scores in others. Some of us come out with high performance IQ and low verbal IQ.

IQ does not account for motivation, passion, or persistence. Or any character trait really.

In jobs you are often expected to have some instinctual social knowledge which we often lack. This adds to it, and even if you can do your job well, you may not get the necessary respect, promotions, raises etc that one would expect.