Changing jobs/careers too often

[eunice]

Not sure if this topic has been discussed before.

I tend to notice that some of my friends with an EP temperament tend to change their career paths too often. Back in college, they went through a phase where they kept changing their majors as well. At times, the various college majors or career paths which they kept switching to seem to have no correlation to one another and it appears to me that they seem very unsure of the decisions they have ever made. Well, at least this is how I see it, but I may be wrong on my perception that they are just bumbling around in life.

This seems rather foreign to me because I tend to prefer to stay at one path for quite a while and make sure that I gather a substantial amount of knowledge/experience before I move on to gain other related experiences elsewhere. As such, I tend to stick to my first choice (e.g. college majors, club/society in school, job) once I have made up my mind, irregardless whether I love it in the long run or not. I tend to think twice before making any changes in my life to make sure that I am taking a calculated risk. I find it mentally exhausting to make too many random decisions in life. I tend to find other IJs who share the same belief as I do, or so I thought.

So, is this trait really type-related?

[jessica129]

Probobly. I don't think I could ever be satisfied in any one career..ever. I've had every job known to man. I'm ready for a new one.

That was SO insightful, I know.

[Gilly]

Job's a job.

[717495]

No correlation is coming to mind. Perhaps Ne dominance.

[Blaze]

sounds like an IJ's critique of an EP's lifestyle.

it wouldn't serve an IJ well, but it serves EP's very well. we don't like to get tied down to something that doesn't suit us. we have to go by how we react to things...so we have to experience them directly before we can center ourselves and select the correct option for us.

[xyz]

I don't think you can change a job too often.

It it really normal to go into a building for 20 years and sit in the same chair, see the same people and talk about the same shit over and over?

That's normal?

[tiny_dancer]

I think it could describe EPs, but it doesn't have to. I personally never changed my major, and in the future I'm probably going to focus on something related to it that I would enjoy more and use my experience. Not exactly erratic. But I also don't have parents with bottomless pockets who can pay for wishy-washy decision making. I agree with having to do something before I'm certain of whether it's right for me. And I still have nagging doubts about whether I'm good enough at the job or not. I tend to only see the flaws in whatever I do, which makes me hesitant to stick with it because I feel like nothing I do is ever good enough to deserve getting a paycheck for it.

[xyz]

Of course it's not normal. It's the behavior of a trained monkey, not a thinking human being. But hey, lots of people don't really like that whole thinking thing.

Too many of those people around...

I don't like changing my major too often just because a lot of stuff interests me, and i'd be changing it every few months. I'd rather pursue all that stuff on the side, and finish just one. I mean, it's just a major, not a life sentence. But I can totally agree with changing em alot.

[FDG]

Btw IJs are the second more likely to change jobs. Static types change jobs more often than dynamic types. IP third EJ least likely.

Personally I like to cumulate jobs.

Of course it's not normal. It's the behavior of a trained monkey, not a thinking human being. But hey, lots of people don't really like that whole thinking thing.

There are also complex deep problems that may require more than 20 years of study in the same chair every day before being solved. Let's not be too superficial.

[jewels]

I changed my major a lot while taking my general education classes so that I could try things, see what I liked, but also have all credits working towards requirements. I actually graduated with almost the minimum credits required, so none were "wasted." A lot of classes/majors/careers sound very different on paper.

In the classes I was sort of horrified at how it actually was, or I'd look more into the career path and realize it sucked. I'm actually really glad I switched, or else I'd be in some pretty awful jobs, making terrible money, in very anti-si environments.

I also job hopped a LOT, however, everything was related enough that it seemed to be connected more or less. However, after several years of that, I completely switched to another path that was pretty much ideal for me, but required starting fresh over (but why not, since I knew for sure I'd be happy with it for a very long time).

I think finding out what you're best at, what you can contribute most doing, what is most fulfilling for you, that's really the most important thing. You can avoid finding that out by staying in a "steady" and "horrible" job, and you can also avoid finding it out by job hopping from meaningless job to other horrible and meaningless job. No right answers. It's just a life time, so do what you want with it.

[Creepy-Cyclops]

I change career paths when it's necessary.

[FDG]

Like in a magical thinking chair? Where no part could be solved somewhere else or any other way?

You're smarter than this stupid comment.

[Blaze]

changing up is good. fresh air, new perspectives, new territory. all good. i can't see staying in one place or on one path....too limiting.

[Creepy-Cyclops]

Of course it's not normal. It's the behavior of a trained monkey, not a thinking human being. But hey, lots of people don't really like that whole thinking thing.

The other converse is some people don't have a choice. Many people who are in same job aren't necessarily there by choice, or necessarily a reflection of their thinking ability.

[Park]

I think Ne super-id types are prone to getting stuck in routines sometimes but are very unsatisfied by this and always strive for change and variety; which is were the presence/assistance of their duals and semi-duals come into play. The thought of spending too much time in one place, doing the same stuff over and over etc. is one of the few thoughts concerning my future that really scare me to death.

[Creepy-Cyclops]

lol, it's meant to be stupid. You know that someone choosing to work on a problem for a great deal of time is very different from what Loki was talking about. It's the difference between choosing your direction and pursuing it unrelentlessly, and following a worn path for no other reason than it's there, and you already started walking on it.



People do what they need to do to get by of course, but many aren't really as trapped as they've decided that they are.

I agree, but in current climate in a recession.

Anyway, there is still a lot to be said for stability, which may just be my personal opinion. Once everything is weighed up, being in same job for a few years usually has it's own perks in UK, like increased holiday pay, insurance benefits, a good redundancy payment if the place closes, stability to provide for family (it's worked for last few years, should work for next few), and to certain degree respect for the position it brings (kinda like diehards who've posted on forums tend to get I suppose).

I guess I don't wanna judge them too quickly, maybe i'm just soft or open minded.

However, I actually agree in that some of the places i've worked, the die hards seem like living programs of the systems they serve. I've wondered if they adapt to system, or sytem adapts to them, or both.

Kinda reminds of this guy who was 20 years older than me, in the same company for 30 years, he said after a while you can make the job adapt to you.

[eunice]

It's good to add some variety to our lives, but what I don't get is how some could go switch from one thing to another which is totally unrelated. I find it very tiring to try to gain new knowledge all over again for the purpose of career development in different fields. It's like been a Jack of all trades, but master of none.

[FDG]

It's good to add some variety to our lives, but what I don't get is how some could go switch from one thing to another which is totally unrelated. I find it very tiring to try to gain new knowledge all over again for the purpose of career development in different fields. It's like been a Jack of all trades, but master of none.

You can also create "new" trades by union of two seemingly unrelated ones.