Posted by Teresa on June 24, 1998 at 00:22:45:
In Reply to: Fulfilling careers posted by Brian on June 10, 1998 at 13:36:57:
I can't tell you if you should go into technical writing specifically, but let me just say don't worry about it too much. So many people end up not working in what they studied anyway, and I'm one of them. It was a long and winding road, but I eventually did find fulfilling, satisfying work. I certainly didn't get there straight out of college. I majored in communication and French, and worked in several miserable secretarial jobs (ick) and was a Peace Corps volunteer, working as a teacher (a wonderful experience, but I am not cut out to be a teacher). However, I am now very happily employed as a writer for the National Catholic Reporter. Not only to I get to use my creativity, but also -- this is so important -- I use it for a cause that I can believe in. I truly think this job allows me to do my bit to make this world a better place. In one of those secretarial jobs, I worked for a for-profit company and realized true unhappiness in work was not just the tedious grind of clerical work, but doing the tedious work for the sole purpose of putting money in my boss' pocket. Even my other secretarial job was better because it was at a theatre -- same work, but something of a cause to believe in.
I guess what I'm saying is not just to explore where your talents and desires lie (though obviously that's important), but also tap into that one arrow, your idealism, that can put your creativity toward a greater cause than just yourself.