What is my special purpose?

July 14, 2009 2:15 PM

Given the description of my education, accomplishments, and interests, what career would suit me?

I am a neuroscience Ph.D. and have been a professor and jack-of-all trades at a small, private pharmaceutical company. I am not excelling, by either my personal standards or career-type metrics. Basically, I feel frustrated. I work hard but my boss (CEO), though incredibly approachable, does not give direct praise or criticism so even when I ask directly I get zero feedback. I know, both by my standards and intuition, I'm not excelling and want MORE. More challenge, more fulfillment, more "this is what I was born to do!"

Perhaps this is a ridiculous fantasy. I have just never felt that I was in the "right" career. I currently earn a bit over six figures, for which I am terribly grateful, but feel I could be more passionate and earn much more if I were in the right spot.

I hope the MeFi community can suggest some ideas regarding what I would excel doing. I realize that's kinda ridiculous online, but in describing my interests I hope someone will say, "I know, she should be a XXXX!!"

If anyone has been in this situation previously, please let me know how you worked it out to get your dream-ish job. I do believe in positive visualization and have been practicing that.

My interests/talents:
- I read faster than anyone I know. I love to read fiction.
- I am a nutrition and exercise junkie (not my neuroscience specialty, which was drugs). I obsessively read nutrition and exercise sites and blogs.
- I love AskMeFi. I would love to run an advice column like it.
- I love intellectual discussion and read the Economist religiously.
- I run marathons but am not fast.
- I am a total extrovert and people person.
- I enjoy the medical liaison side of pharma. I like talking science and reading about a topic in medicine.
- I have always dreamed of living abroad (ex-U.S.)
- I am married but my husband will move with me if the price is right.
- I have always been convinced that if I get the right idea I will make millions. Ha?
- I am willing to work hard.
- I need a passion for my work.
- I have done drugs/partied so CIA/FBI/diplomatic service is probably out.

Anyone have any suggestions? I realize this is a total long shot but I don't know what my special purpose* is! Thanks for considering my question.

*Not that one - I figured that out, thanks.

posted by anonymous to work & money (20 comments total)

University professor?
posted by anniecat at 2:16 PM on July 14

Pharmaceutical sales? Corporate research?

Many people like reading, giving advice, living abroad, making millions. Fewer people, but still many, like reading about nutrition and running. And yet, there aren't many jobs that will pay you to do this. And most people will say that they will work hard and want a job they love.

It sounds like you just don't like neuroscience anymore, and are not terribly satisfied with your six-figure income? So, that's why I recommend sales (perhaps you could say it's a related field) or corporate research (like, for pharma companies). It's the one bullet-point you give that is truly work related.
posted by Houstonian at 2:26 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]

Also, I don't really believe that a lot of people have a "special purpose." I think you just have to hope for the best and base your decisions on what you like to do on a daily basis while you're at work. I'm not sure you'd earn as much in a new career as you are earning now, but it seems like that's not important to you at the moment.

I ask directly I get zero feedback. I know, both by my standards and intuition, I'm not excelling and want MORE. More challenge, more fulfillment, more "this is what I was born to do!"

I'm not sure how old you are or how much work experience you have, but I think getting feedback outside of an academic setting is generally hard to come by, especially if your managers or supervisors don't have the same kind of work. You'll have to get used to not excelling and getting praised.

And I don't think anyone is necessarily born to do very much, job-wise. It's sort of a myth that a career will completely assauge whatever yearning you have for constant brain candy and will completely fulfill you.
posted by anniecat at 2:27 PM on July 14

Start your own company. Something that capitalizes on these qualities:

I am a nutrition and exercise junkie
I am a total extrovert and people person.
I enjoy the medical liaison side of pharma. I like talking science and reading about a topic in medicine.
I have always been convinced that if I get the right idea I will make millions. Ha?
I am willing to work hard.

You sound like you have the drive to be your own boss. Come up with a plan to combine the things you enjoy. Working for yourself will eventually give you the flexibility to live abroad for brief periods of time and to do things like train to run more marathons. It will also free you from the need for feedback from others on how you are performing; the health of your company will be your barometer for how well you are doing.
posted by ocherdraco at 2:31 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]

Just throwing an idea out there to get stuff started: Sell-side equity research analyst (e.g. stock picker), in an area related to what you know. From my limited experience in a finance firm, it seems having a PhD or MD can really help. This job hits a few of your bullets:

- I read faster than anyone I know.
Very important, they're drenched in press releases, drug trial results, competitor research notes, etc.

- I love AskMeFi. I would love to run an advice column like it.
- I love intellectual discussion and read the Economist religiously.
Their job is to give advice about what stocks to buy. Every morning, my firm has a meeting where the analysts pitch their ideas about what to do with the stocks they cover, and then field questions from the sales people.

- I am a total extrovert and people person.
This. In a big a way. Not only do analysts do research, they have to establish connections with company managements and the firm's clients. Without this bullet point, you could do buy-side research, where you're trying to decide where to spend your firm's money. However, being outgoing makes you especially suited to the sell-side where your firm doesn't have money of its own, but is rather selling its ideas to the portfolio managers who do. There's a good deal of showmanship and salesmanship that goes on.

- I enjoy the medical liaison side of pharma. I like talking science and reading about a topic in medicine.
Yep.

- I have always been convinced that if I get the right idea I will make millions. Ha?
Well, this job doesn't really get you that, but it would help you build connections with the people who could make that possible.

- I am willing to work hard.
This is good, since it seems analysts never sleep and never have a vacation.


So there's an idea. Of course... with all the stuff happening in the economy, there's no guarantee this profession will hang around much longer. Not to mention there's debate about whether analysts are actually any good at picking stocks in the first place. Be sure to check out A Random Walk Down Wall Street to get the other side of the story, before you go into this industry.
posted by losvedir at 2:36 PM on July 14 [3 favorites]

I think ocherdraco has it right on.

It sounds like you need to work for yourself and that you will not have a problem becoming complacent and not challenging yourself.

It's interesting to me that you have a special interest in nutrition and healthy living, that you like talking science, and that you read a lot of fiction.

I would wager that as a result of being a voracious reader, you can probably write pretty darn well if you gave yourself some time to develop a style and a voice.

Nutrition and the medical / pharma industry is seriously fucked up in the US and also in many other countries. Seeing as how you seem pretty grounded for someone making 6 figures (partying / done drugs) perhaps you could start by making a sideproject in which you attempt to analyze topics relating to nutrition and exercise and then communicate your conclusions to an audience. A simple blog would accomplish this.

Perhaps you could satisfy the travel and liason aspects of your interests by doing comparative studies on nutrition and exercise around the world.

I know this doesn't sound particularly lucrative, but there is still a possibility of monetizing the blog / writing a book / consulting for governmental health institutions and so on.
posted by lazaruslong at 2:39 PM on July 14

Maybe science/health journalism? As is evidenced on MeFi daily, there is some terrible science writing out there, and I think it's because most journalists have limited science background. You would be great at reading journal articles and interpreting them for regular people.

Another option might be a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship. Learn how to communicate science to policymakers and help congress understand neuroscience. Most mid-career and post-doc people I've known have gone back to academia after doing this, but it would be a great launching point for a new career.
posted by hydropsyche at 2:41 PM on July 14

Well, not knowing you, I'm resorting to labels. You sound like a Myers-Briggs ESTP (Adventurer) (extroverted, sensory, thinking, perceiver) or maybe an ESTJ (Enforcer).

Career paths suggested for ESTs are are:

ESTP: Sales Representatives, Marketing Personnel, Police / Detective Work (which you seem to have considered), Paramedic / Emergency Medical Technician, PC Technicians or Network Cablers, Computer Technical Support, Entrepreneurs.

(similar to ESTJ)
(Other ESTP careers listed here, and here, and here ...

Maybe a pharmaceutical sales rep? You could liaison and use your vast knowledge of drugs.

Maybe some kind of entrepreneur that involves your various passions and strengths? ("I have always been convinced that if I get the right idea I will make millions. Ha?") ?

If you like to write science as much as you like to read and talk science, maybe a science editor for a print or online publication? You could satisfy your need for social interaction by interviewing scientists et al.

Maybe a personal athletic trainer, counseling others re nutrition and fitness?

Maybe a real estate broker? Nothing sciencey about that but combines your love of people contact with high financial potential, and in this market, it would be especially challenging :-)

Maybe save up enough to take 6 months off and travel with your spouse outside the U.S. and consider how you want to spent your life/lives?
posted by mmw at 2:41 PM on July 14

Start your own nutrition and fitness consulting company. Focus on the higher end of the market, such as CEOs and other execs who are dedicated to running marathons and are looking for any extra competitive advantage you can give them.

Use your PhD research skills research this market and understand its needs, and then develop and manage a product (eg, a nutrition and training regimine) for the market. Use your people skills to sell.

It sounds like you also want to relocate, but until you are making $300K or $400K it ain't going to happen (you won't be able to convince your husband to move). In the meantime, work out your wanderlust by attending trade shows and "working" marathons.

The key, of course, is identifying a demographic that can pay for your services, and then designing a product they actually *want*. Always be careful of anticipating what you think people *need*, because if you satisfy what the customer wants, s/he will always come back for more. If you give them what they need, but they don't understand the value, they will not come back.

I'm saying that you don't necessarily have to develop a product or service that gives runners a *tangible* performance enhancement.

Good luck!
posted by KokuRyu at 2:44 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]

Part of my real job is advising people about career directions, and it seems to me that ocherdraco was pretty much heading where I would have gone.

As you've discovered, the problem for a PhD working inside a company is that there is no one who is really capable of judging the quality of your work and the significance of your contribution. I realize you said your boss doesn't give you much feedback, but if (s)he did I'm not sure it would carry much weight with you.

Even though your academic specialty wasn't directly related to the areas of nutrition and exercise, the fact remains that your professional training provides you with a level of expertise that is probably quite rare out there. Figuring out how, as a neuroscientist, you can make a contribution to the field of exercise/nutrition could be just the ticket.

So, I see you starting a venture providing a new (and presumably enlightening) perspective on exercise and nutrition. Start by writing a book, promoting your own blog, offering seminars through major healthcare/insurance companies or medical schools, partnering with weight loss companies (such as WeightWatchers), or something similar. Use this as a springboard to make an international name for yourself as the "go to" person for anything having to do with interaction and feedback between nutrition/exercise and the nervous system.

You clearly have the energy and drive to make this happen. Come up with the appropriate ideas at the intersection of your professional training and your passion, and you're good to go!
posted by DrGail at 2:53 PM on July 14

At the report-to-the CEO level you aren't going to get a lot of feedback. At that point the expectation is that you'll be very self-motivated, and feedback consists of being promoted/getting good assignments or being fired, IMO.

That said - you provide a lot of neat information for your question. How about lobbyist/outreach for big pharma? Or the AMA? Expert for a think tank with speaking engagements (for example Cato Speakers bureau)?

- I have always been convinced that if I get the right idea I will make millions. Ha?
You and me both, Anon. I think it's possible with some work and good networking.

For you, writing a book might seem prosaic but hear me out: there is a certain subset of the population that has no expertise in various fields but are fascinated by them. Like people who read Ask the Pilot or books like Final Exam. Can you think of things that the average person does not know about neuroscience or pharmacology but would be surprised to read? How about controversy in those fields? Can you take your love of reading fiction and your knowledge and turn them into something as grabbing as good fiction?

A dozen me-fite professional will writers instantly answer, "No". So, make an investment in a co-author and focus on the networking part which you would probably like better anyway: finding a publisher, promoting the book, landing the public relations job afterwards...
posted by txvtchick at 3:02 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]

"professional writers will" not "professional will writers". Can you tell I'm not one of them?
posted by txvtchick at 3:04 PM on July 14

Since I have my own business and love it, I'm usually one of the first people to say "start your own business!" However, this gives me pause: "My boss (CEO), though incredibly approachable, does not give direct praise or criticism so even when I ask directly I get zero feedback."

You will get less than zero feedback during the early phases of a new business. You will have moments in which you intensely doubt yourself and your idea, and your husband and friends might openly share their doubts as well. People around you could even think you're crazy and tell you so directly.

Your initial product or service could fail or, worse, could just trudge along, not exactly failing and not exactly succeeding, and you'll have to figure out how to fix it, with no feedback from a boss and no salary to fall back on and all the doubters expressing even more doubts.

In other words, you need incredible tenacity, and you need to be comfortable with receiving no feedback or mostly negative feedback for a long time. (And then, when you succeed, your friends will talk about how "lucky" you are to have a flexible lifestyle with no boss.) It helps if you see your business as saving the world in some way.
posted by PatoPata at 3:15 PM on July 14

Management consulting
-lots of travel
-lots of reading
-lots of talking to people, especially at the higher levels
-potential to make big money if you make partner

You can specialize in consulting to medical and pharmaceutical companies to get your science fix.
posted by sid at 3:25 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]

Start a company/consulting practice specializing in any of the following:

running focus groups of medical personnel to test an aspect of a drug (name, perceived effectiveness, willingness to prescribe, etc.)

managing aspects of drug trials/pharmacovigilence, e.g., study design, recruitment, compliance, reportage, interface with FDA, etc.

auditing pharmacies and others in the supply chain to identify weak links in drug distribution safety/security practices

providing public health insights to school systems, law enforcement agencies and communities grappling with prescription drug abuse
posted by carmicha at 3:31 PM on July 14

Go work for a Pharma information firm like Pharmaprojects or one of Elsevier's services, but this might be too much of a library mole job. Perhaps a sales job for a biotech database service?

Or, work as a Field Application Specialist for a neuroscience imaging company - they work in tandem with the machine engineers to make sure client experiments work. The nice thing is that you are a constant hero for fixing client problems and the salespeople appreciate the fact that you are saving their commission.

You didn't mention anything about loving to solve problems of a technical nature though, so machine/software/biology wrangling may not agree with you.

I don't know if doing fitness training would be interesting enough for most scientists, since it seems like much of it is babysitting and laying out very basic principles for clients.
posted by benzenedream at 3:47 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]

Start your own nutrition and fitness consulting company.

This. My nutritionist is very people-oriented, loves to help problem-solve, and is super fit. She started college thinking she'd do poli sci, was in student government, and so on, but she took a nutrition course and was hooked. She graduated from Berkeley with a biochem or chem degree and then got her Master's.
posted by jgirl at 4:21 PM on July 14

Have you ever thought about high-stakes burglary? Art… or jewels, perhaps? If you're smart and you play it safe, do your homework and get a good fence you can really rake it in. You sound like you have the intellect and drive.

- I have always been convinced that if I get the right idea I will make millions.

Many times over.

- I run marathons but am not fast.

It's excellent to be in good shape; hopefully you won't be using it that much but at least you know you have it if you need to run.

- I read faster than anyone I know. I love to read fiction.

That's good. Combined with your interest in science, you should be able to pick up on new techniques in overriding security systems in no time.

- I am a total extrovert and people person.

Also very helpful in the trade. Many doors can be opened faster with solid social engineering skills than a lock pick.

- I have always dreamed of living abroad (ex-U.S.)

Well, that's where the real money is, isn't it?

- I am married but my husband will move with me if the price is right.

The husband could be a liability. I'd lose him.

- I have done drugs/partied so CIA/FBI/diplomatic service is probably out.

The only judging that goes on is of the merchandise, baby.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:00 PM on July 14 [6 favorites]

Marketing professional. Science journalist.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:03 PM on July 14

I'm going to offer counterintuitive advice that maybe staying where you are might be the best choice. I really think the most ideal option would be for you to extend your support network on the managerial or executive level maybe Toastmasters or an ethnic or gender specific executive networking group. You may need to simply take one day biweekly and ask yourself the simple question of what part of bringing value to the table at this company have I been these past 2 weeks and what do I need to do to bring value for the next two and the ones after that. I would second get the CEO to outline you position in broad strokes then you can identify what parts of what the company needs to do well are your responsibility and which ones aren't. If its too much ask for a staff even if the don't give you one the can't complain of the results. If its too little identify a project that you want to takeover and take it over. Your an executive either you have a defined scope or you can make the most of it by redefining it.

In short I really think you owe it to yourself to press until the possibility of failure isn't hinted its whispered and almost spoken. Actually fail its worth it. You'll always wonder if you give up.
posted by Rubbstone at 6:22 PM on July 14 [1 favorite]