Career as fast-thinking crisis-solver?
October 9, 2010 2:39 PM Subscribe
Career that requires a lot of crisis-solving in high pressure situations, fast thinking, strategizing, and dealing with people. High creativity, possibly high risk, and potentially very high pay. Which careers fit this description?
Front Line Platoon Leader
posted by Dagobert at 2:44 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Dagobert at 2:44 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
nuclear engineer (in russia, iran or north korea)
posted by bartonlong at 2:51 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by bartonlong at 2:51 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
Paramedic in a high call-volume (typically urban) setting.
posted by itstheclamsname at 2:52 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by itstheclamsname at 2:52 PM on October 9, 2010
ER nurse (in SF at least, they year well into 6 figures AND get tons of time off)
posted by lannanh at 2:52 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by lannanh at 2:52 PM on October 9, 2010
Currency trader, arbitrageur, bond trader, venture capital.
posted by Ideefixe at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by Ideefixe at 2:55 PM on October 9, 2010
About 75% of firefighters are volunteers. But in major urban centres they're usually paid, and after about 5 years earn about $75K a year. Senior level officers earn $125-150K or higher. But this probably doesn't meet your criterion of "very high pay".
posted by angiep at 3:20 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by angiep at 3:20 PM on October 9, 2010
Police.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:20 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 3:20 PM on October 9, 2010
Air traffic controller?
posted by invisible ink at 4:12 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by invisible ink at 4:12 PM on October 9, 2010
Construction superintendent - specifically on downtown, tight site, big budget type projects. Always in demand.
posted by jamesonandwater at 5:52 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by jamesonandwater at 5:52 PM on October 9, 2010
VFX producer.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 5:59 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 5:59 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm going to suggest working on an aircraft carrier flight deck, but it's not terribly people oriented and certainly not high pay. It meets all the other criteria though.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 6:04 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by Confess, Fletch at 6:04 PM on October 9, 2010
Litigator. But typically high pay only if you get into a top school.
posted by Mid at 6:07 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by Mid at 6:07 PM on October 9, 2010
I was going to say construction engineer or manager too.
posted by fshgrl at 6:17 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by fshgrl at 6:17 PM on October 9, 2010
Fine art salesman.
The gobs and gobs of money at stake - almost all of it margins, the rich and fucked up clients who switch gears on the slightest and most apocryphal whims, the false veneer of high society, the historical value of amazing art created by someone unappreciated in their lifetime, the enormous cost of perception, the intense pressure to make sales, the agony of missed opportunities and lost auctions, the rare but devastating destruction of priceless items. When its slow, its slow. But when the chase is on, the white gloves come off.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 6:18 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
The gobs and gobs of money at stake - almost all of it margins, the rich and fucked up clients who switch gears on the slightest and most apocryphal whims, the false veneer of high society, the historical value of amazing art created by someone unappreciated in their lifetime, the enormous cost of perception, the intense pressure to make sales, the agony of missed opportunities and lost auctions, the rare but devastating destruction of priceless items. When its slow, its slow. But when the chase is on, the white gloves come off.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 6:18 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
Aide-de-camp.
posted by thinkpiece at 7:17 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by thinkpiece at 7:17 PM on October 9, 2010
If you leave out the "very high pay" and "possibly high risk" IT service Delivery / Operations management in large corporations can probably fit that description.
Supply chain management (eg day to day accountability for a collection of large warehouses/DCs all across N America) can also probably fit that description - specially for industries like groceries or beverages ... (again, the very high pay part is debatable!).
posted by justlooking at 8:04 PM on October 9, 2010
Supply chain management (eg day to day accountability for a collection of large warehouses/DCs all across N America) can also probably fit that description - specially for industries like groceries or beverages ... (again, the very high pay part is debatable!).
posted by justlooking at 8:04 PM on October 9, 2010
I'd question whether emergency medicine careers fit the "high creativity" standard. High stakes life-or-death situations tend to have strict protocols.
posted by aka burlap at 9:04 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by aka burlap at 9:04 PM on October 9, 2010
Foreign correspondent (either journalist or photo/videographer) in a disaster or conflict zone. You better be quick thinking when there's a grenade headed for your skull...
The pay isn't necessarily "high" in net terms, but the local cost of living is usually so low that it feels like you're making a lot more than you actually are.
I feel like this fits all your criteria to a T!
posted by hasna at 11:04 PM on October 9, 2010
The pay isn't necessarily "high" in net terms, but the local cost of living is usually so low that it feels like you're making a lot more than you actually are.
I feel like this fits all your criteria to a T!
posted by hasna at 11:04 PM on October 9, 2010
Advertising. Whether as an art director or a copywriter. I fell into it and it fits all of those things. Millions of dollars on the line with every campaign, which all depends on you and your partner coming up with a good idea, often under very very short deadlines. It's about as creative as you can get. Oh and it pays better than anything else I've ever done. In fact, I've had many moments at work where I stop and think, "Wait a second, I get PAID to do this?"
It's not saving the world, but it's fast and it's fun, it's intensely creative and a single amazing campaign can turn around not only your career but the future of an entire company.
posted by missjenny at 5:07 AM on October 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
It's not saving the world, but it's fast and it's fun, it's intensely creative and a single amazing campaign can turn around not only your career but the future of an entire company.
posted by missjenny at 5:07 AM on October 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
I've always fancied a go at this, though I'd need to marry an American girl first.
posted by Biru at 5:43 AM on October 10, 2010
posted by Biru at 5:43 AM on October 10, 2010
political campaign manager or press secretary. you'll only make peanuts to start--you'll probably have to start out as a volunteer--but oversee a senate campaign, and you'll do pretty well.
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:16 AM on October 10, 2010
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:16 AM on October 10, 2010
Working as a contractor in a war zone, like Iraq or Afghanistan. Very high pay, very high risk.
posted by Vindaloo at 6:52 AM on October 10, 2010
posted by Vindaloo at 6:52 AM on October 10, 2010
Entrepreneur
Film director
Sports referee
Sports agent
posted by blargerz at 9:02 AM on October 10, 2010
Film director
Sports referee
Sports agent
posted by blargerz at 9:02 AM on October 10, 2010
Almost every industry has these types of positions, but they go to experienced workers. Whatever you decide you will probably not be on the front lines/in the thick of things right off the bat
posted by blargerz at 9:14 AM on October 10, 2010
posted by blargerz at 9:14 AM on October 10, 2010
Nthing litigator at a top law firm, (which requires getting into a top law school), probably a plaintiff's firm.
Potential for very high pay. If you want even higher pay and higher risk, go to a firm where you're taking cases on commission. Strategy is very important as you plan for trial, and at trial. High pressure situations and fast thinking come up frequently in high level cases as sides file ex parte motions, issues come up in depositions, etc. Trial is nothing but a very long high pressure fast thinking situation, though very few cases go to trial.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 5:35 PM on October 10, 2010
Potential for very high pay. If you want even higher pay and higher risk, go to a firm where you're taking cases on commission. Strategy is very important as you plan for trial, and at trial. High pressure situations and fast thinking come up frequently in high level cases as sides file ex parte motions, issues come up in depositions, etc. Trial is nothing but a very long high pressure fast thinking situation, though very few cases go to trial.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 5:35 PM on October 10, 2010
Business turnaround consultant, like these guys. You get called when the company is going up in flames, you put out the fire, save the good parts, and sell them for huge money, usually with some kind of success fee.
posted by Mid at 8:17 PM on October 10, 2010
posted by Mid at 8:17 PM on October 10, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ewiar at 2:41 PM on October 9, 2010