Good on you for not letting anyone pressure you into getting into medicine for the wrong reasons. I’m in medical school myself, and I always advise pre-meds NOT to go for it unless they can’t imagine being happy doing anything else. If you don’t actually like medicine or find it satisfying to taking care of sick folks, it is SO not worth all the trouble and sacrifices that it takes to get through med school.
As for my own picks of careers I don’t want to do, I definitely wouldn’t be any good at sales. I’m not very charismatic or persuasive, and I find most salespitches quite irritating when other people try to sell me stuff, so I would just end up being annoyed with myself most of the time. : )
I’d also never make it in the military. I’m glad there are folks out there who are willing to do that kind of work, but I’m definitely too soft and cowardly for it!
Elementary, Jr. High, or High School Teacher (I’d be responsible for the next school shooting- “Mr. Sanderson… you really shouldn’t have turned the Wikipedia report unedited in as your paper on the Irish Potato Famine— [BLAM!]— for the survivors, turn to chapter 12.”)
E.R. Doctor- I can’t imagine that type of stress- an off-day or dummy error like we all make from time to time ends up leaving the Ferguson baby the Ferguson twins
Pharmacist- My siblings are pharmacists and they’re loaded, but I can’t imagine anything more mind numbing.
Literature Professor at a Research University- having to research and write articles on the significance of the semi-colon in James Joyce’s The Dead that are only going to be read by other people researching and writing articles that nobody cares about would get to me big-time. (I think the emphasis on teaching should be, I dunno… teaching, rather than pointless research.)
Military Officer- I’d end up fragging or being fragged, no question about it. Or starting a personality cult (which I’ve been told I have the voice and personality for), staging a coup, leading my men into Virginia, crossing the Potomac, seizing the capitol and the Senate, declaring myself Hegemon of the Americas, and ultimately declaring myself a god while sinking further and further into sybaritic paranoia as terror reigns the land (actually, that part would be cool- but I hate the idea of basic training).
Cop- No way, in hell, could I do their job. Same goes for detectives. I’d assume everybody was guilty and I’d end up carrying severed heads filled with cocaine in my car trunk so that I could make sure there was probable cause to arrest people I knew damned well did it. (“Detective Sampiro, when during Carson Daly’s arrest did you notice the cocaine stuffed severed head in his pocket?”)
I’ll second being a police officer, but not because of the danger. Deep down, I want to make everyone happy, and that wouldn’t work if I was trying to decide whether it was worth the hassle to arrest someone.
I came in here to say the military. Just getting through Basic would be nigh on impossible for me. I’d be like, “Hey, I have a hard time getting shots, so can I take something for anxiety and wait over here for about 20 minutes? I need to ice my arm before you do it, too, because I’m kind of a wimp…um, you want me to do WHAT? Sorry, no, I’m really not going to be able to run, like, ever. I have bad knees. Can I do something else instead, like swimming? Who are all these people I have to share a room with? I’m not going to be seen naked in front of ANYONE. No, never. Uh, yeah, and I can’t sleep unless I have a yogurt before bed…and where can I plug in my iPod charger?”
Business and sales. Gag. The idea of pitching some advertisement idea in a boardroom is so unappealing. I have a very ‘‘people-friendly’’ personality, and my few experiences with sales resulted in me making a lot of commission $, but I felt little bits and pieces of my soul ebb away with every sell.
The closest I’ve ever come to an actual sales job was going door-to-door asking people to donate money for the environment. Miserable. I quit on my 2nd day. I care too damn much what people think of me to do a job like that.
And of course, ‘‘Working with children.’’ If one more person tells me I’d be great working with children I’m going to scream. I’ve tried to enjoy doing this. I have nothing against kids–and I LOVE adolescents–but working with the little ones is about as fun as dental surgery. I quite simply do not have the patience.
Ditto for the differently abled. I have complete and utter respect for people who have dedicated their lives working with folks who have developmental problems, but I do not have the patience.
I don’t mind working in the trenches for low wages and no recognition, but it’s gotta be on my own terms.
Accountant, or anything else that would involve me walled in away from people, playing with numbers or impersonal data or whatever. (FTR, I’m a math/science teacher and love numbers–but I love people a whole lot more.)
Any kind of work that houses me in a cubicle.
Sales…I love people, but pushing products? Blehhhh.
And now, after my recent stint as a juror: Defense attorney.
Anything involving public speaking, or much interaction with people.
The military; I have no desire to be sent to kill someone who probably isn’t my enemy. Plus, I don’t like taking or giving orders, I don’t like schedules, I’m not at all athletic, I’ve little respect for authority, I’m not much for group loyalty, and I’m nearsighted.
Anything involving the sick. Disgusting and depressing. I was my mother’s live in caregiver for the last years of her life and I know.
Sales. I’m a terrible liar. For that matter, I’m not very convincing when I tell the truth.
I could never do military either. The minute the rude talk from the Sarge started, the fuck-yous would be flying. I’d spend my entire military career in jail.
I am overjoyed that I have something in common with DT. Military service has got to be one of the hardest jobs to do ever. That’s why I have so much love and respect for those who do it.
Sales, real estate agent, public relations. Anything that would require me to be “on”, meet strangers comfortably, make small talk, or pressure others to agree to something.
Military, politics, abortionist, and any others that would be against my beliefs.
I was just telling the SO this last night as we watched Top Chef. I can’t imagine being a chef/cook. I hate cooking so much. I don’t mind the prep work or even the clean up. I just hate the actual cooking. I hate having to think of what to put in things, tasting as you’re adding stuff and “perfecting” the recipe. Blah. Just give me the food when you’re done.
I also couldn’t be in the military as my eyesight is horrible and I have bad knees.
Military service has got to be one of the hardest jobs to do ever. That’s why I have so much love and respect for those who do it.