Bumpy Career Paths

I don't know if they still do this in high school, but when I was a sophomore we all had to take something called the Kuder Occupational Interest Survey. By answering a series of questions about things you did and didn't like to do, the survey (after the company had analyzed your answers) was supposed to tell you the occupational choices that would make you happy and miserable. (One or the other, not both.)

The problem was that none of the questions were direct. They wouldn't ask if you liked waking up early and shoveling manure — aha, a potential farmer! — but whether you liked animals and being outdoors. Actually, the test was too clever by half, so the real question would be: What would you rather do, ride a horse or go to a movie? If you chose the equestrian option, being a farmer or a jockey was clearly in your future.

I dutifully answered the questions, and a few weeks later, with great fanfare, the teacher handed out our computer generated career recommendations. I eagerly tore open the envelope.

Top four recommendations: psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, minister/priest.

I thought minister or priest was an odd career recommendation for a nice Jewish boy, but no matter. Clearly there was a thread running through the recommendations.

Unfortunately, the test had omitted what would have been the key question for me: Which would you rather do, keep going to school until you have a Master's Degree (or better), or be done with school as soon as possible?

Since I skipped my senior year of high school and finished college in  3 1/2 years, I think we know what my answer would have been. Unfortunately, psychiatry, psychology and social work all require an advanced degree, and even, in the case of psychiatry, medical school.

Yikes!

Bottom three occupations? Police officer, editor, reporter. Apparently the solitary, antisocial life of a writer is making me miserable.

Who knew?