[BRG253]

I realize that, ideally, one would choose his career based solely on what he wants to do. But suppose you're in a compromised situation, such as miserable long-term economic outlook like the one we are currently facing, and your ideal career choice is a risky or bad bet in terms of the job outlook. Should you go with your first choice, or pick something else which offers a better chance of getting a job?

EDIT: Just to connect this scenario to the actual situation, suppose that your first choice isn't necessarily the love of your life, but is just the best thing you've found so far.

This post has been edited by BRG253: 18 July 2010 - 04:27 PM

[Krattle]

Yes, of course that's fine. Even Howard Roark worked in the mines to make a living. His dream-career was temporarily out of reach but he couldn't just die, so he did something else. In such a situation, staying alive is your first priority.

[khaight]

Krattle, on 18 July 2010 - 05:09 PM, said:

Yes, of course that's fine. Even Howard Roark worked in the mines to make a living. His dream-career was temporarily out of reach but he couldn't just die, so he did something else. In such a situation, staying alive is your first priority.

There's a distinction between a career and a job. Roark's career was always architect -- it's just that sometimes his job wasn't. He never stopped working towards being a successful architect. When he was in the quarry, he was saving money to let him reopen his architecture office at some future date. That said, Roark's career was never blocked by the threat of force in the way that many careers are today. (I would think very carefully about entering medicine as a career today, for example.) You have to think long-term about what will make you happy, within the realm of the possible.

[Eiuol]

BRG253, on 18 July 2010 - 04:21 PM, said:

I realize that, ideally, one would choose his career based solely on what he wants to do. But suppose you're in a compromised situation, such as miserable long-term economic outlook like the one we are currently facing, and your ideal career choice is a risky or bad bet in terms of the job outlook. Should you go with your first choice, or pick something else which offers a better chance of getting a job?

Soooooooooooo much context is required that there really is no way of knowing. Only an individual could really depending on their circumstances. Still, aiming for job security isn't really life-fulfilling. If you thought things were going to be beyond bad, it would *probably* be better in the long-run to just do something really radical like becoming a revolutionary, but of course, even that depends on your circumstances. To use a fictional example from We The Living, it was preferable for Kira to simply attempt fleeing Russia rather than put up with everything and struggle to make a living. It's a sort of question that can only be answered given a lot of background knowledge about a person.

[emanon]

Every man must live for himself, and as such must do what is necessary to support that life. If that means you need to work at a supermarket for a while, then so be it.

However, if there is something you a really keen to do, even if it is a not-so-profitable industry such as Art, it would be good to remember that working at something completely unrelated doesn't mean you wont be able to continue improving your skills in the preferred area until you reach the point that it can become a sustainable occupation.

For example, say you wanted to become a musician. Well, working as... a secretary/janitor/whatever... doesn't mean you can't come home and practice and generally keep working towards that outcome. You can still meet other musicians, take lessons etc etc. until you reach that cusp point where you have a choice as to you next move.

To summarize, it doesn't matter so much what job you do at the moment, so long as you know where you want to go and keep working towards that ends as much as you can. Think of it like chess... Every move you make is ultimately towards checkmating the opposition, but you can't just jump straight to that end. Sometimes you have to take out a few pawns and bishops first. Surviving long enough to achieve your ends, is obviously important as well.

[JASKN]

BRG253, on 18 July 2010 - 04:21 PM, said:

But suppose you're in a compromised situation, such as miserable long-term economic outlook like the one we are currently facing, and your ideal career choice is a risky or bad bet in terms of the job outlook. Should you go with your first choice, or pick something else which offers a better chance of getting a job?

Common sense alone will tell you that you need to make money. If you can't turn a profit with your career, you'll have to find some way to do it. That said, if you're not totally miserable and you can support yourself, and your job serves some legitimate purpose, I'd say that is as moral as it gets.

[Vik]

BRG253, on 18 July 2010 - 04:21 PM, said:

I realize that, ideally, one would choose his career based solely on what he wants to do. But suppose you're in a compromised situation, such as miserable long-term economic outlook like the one we are currently facing, and your ideal career choice is a risky or bad bet in terms of the job outlook. Should you go with your first choice, or pick something else which offers a better chance of getting a job?

EDIT: Just to connect this scenario to the actual situation, suppose that your first choice isn't necessarily the love of your life, but is just the best thing you've found so far.

Several considerations are worth mentioning:

It takes time to develop proficiency in any field. If you've already made some steps in that direction, and you still think it's possible, by all means consider trying to take another one.

Be very careful with the criterion of "what you want to do". Anything you might want to do is a concrete action. What is the more abstract purpose? What other roads might head in that direction? Don't settle for just one road. Have a backup road. At the very least, develop the ability to identify multiple, alternative paths towards achieving your values.

If you have to switch tracks, make use of what you already know and build on what you already have.

If you're afraid of risk but can't quantify it, that just means you haven't researched the work sufficiently. Risk can be measured. Learn from others on similar tracks. And learn from errors. Try to figure out what they could have done differently to succeed. Remind yourself that failure presupposes the existence of an alternative course of action, if only you find the right one.

Most importantly, don't let the outcome be your only source of happiness. Then you'll feel like you're working joylessly in the hope of something that always seems just out of reach. And the day you get the specific outcome you desire, you might find that the single, brief moment of happiness you get wasn't worth it.

Draw happiness from the fact that you are choosing to pursue your values, whatever form that pursuit might take.

The goal is happiness. Productive work is the means.