What will I do when I grow up?

[pallagia]

As I do some self-reflection, I’m taking a deep look at myself and what I’ve done in my jobs so far, in the hopes that by analyzing past decisions I can avoid future mistakes, and perhaps I can figure out what my next step should be

Comments

[wonderpanther]

Anyone is lucky to have you!
It looks to me like you would be very well suited as a Business Analyst or a Project Manager. This would allow you to work with clients and to help define their needs. You could probably work really well with with the development departments of various non-profits. They always need help determining their technological needs and using their systems to attain their goals. I would be more than happy to teach you some of the fundraising software packages out there so that you have a knowledge base.

an observation

[psychowoof]

This is my observation from reading what you just wrote. The only job you even sound like you liked was the first one. The other two border on survived and tolerated (even from the outset). I think the Museum job burnt you so badly that you're willing to sell out on your dreams. I can vaguely remember your personal statement for Tufts - jobs 2 and 3 do not fit with what you wrote. Here's a suggestion, if you still have that floating around on a computer somewhere, go pull it out and read it - it'll give you some perspective on what you wanted before you entered this rat race called the real world. (On an aside, I recently pulled out my graduate school personal statement to provide to my undergraduates who are applying to graduate school. I'm actually about where I wanted to be.)

The experiences you had at the Museum job were bad, but they are probably more specific to that one instance than a generalization of the field.

I did not feel like a true professional when compared with my friends. I did not make enough money to

Not alone

[opalene]

Hopefully it will be a comfort for you to know that many of us struggle with the same kind issues. I think it's rare (and precious) to find exactly what you want to do with your career, actually find it, and work it every day. It's not an easy task

[wonderpanther]

Wanted to add one more thing

[binxcat]

opalene said: Hopefully it will be a comfort for you to know that many of us struggle with the same kind issues. I think it's rare (and precious) to find exactly what you want to do with your career, actually find it, and work it every day. It's not an easy task.

Most certainly and wholeheartedly and fully-bodied agreement.

It seems to be more the rule than the exception for folks of our generation to get to their 30s (or almost there) and say... wait a minute... this isn't what I want to do with my life after all. It's an odd trend, but something that seems to be common among late-twenty-something educated people, not so in our parents' generation. I'm curious as to why - mdtseele47 has a theory that it has to do with the fact that we define "job happiness" very differently than our parents did. To them, happiness equaled job security - so his thinking goes - so if they were able to work a steady, secure 9 -5 job for thirty years and provide for their family, they defined themselves as happy in their jobs - even if they hated what they did. For