Without a career path

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I've discussed my current problem with several folks, giving only a few the dire details. I'll give you guys some background. I'm going to graduate from GWU this summer with a M.A. in Political Management. I also work as an intern at a major national environmental non-profit in DC. I'm quiting there on June 8 because I won't be able to handle it and two courses worth of reading and writing.

I hate to admit it, but I may have chosen the wrong field entirely. I love politics and campaigns, but my disabilities really make me unfit to work in any position I can think of. Asperger's puts me in the position of not being able to work in the field for a campaign or any sort of grassroots stuff many folks in politics start off with. I'm too disorganized to handle any serious clerical or administrative job either. More troubling are the issues associated with my ADD-I, which I haven't found a medication to treat so far. I've always been praised for my writing. But this is from folks who have no idea how much time, mental exertion and frustration goes into every line. I've always been easily tired by the act of written composition, been embarrassed by my sluggishness (I can't churn out a paper the night before; it's always an extended, choppy process.), and have thoroughly hated the task itself. It helps to neatly label the basic disorders that beset me, as "sluggish cognitive tempo" and "executive dysfunction". At the end of the day, when I'm complemented for some trivial blog entry or what-not, it's the fact that people are judging me based on something I hate to do with a passion that is most bothersome.

So, politics? I'm not a people person and I'm not a writer at any professional level. Where does that leave me? I went to my deputy boss a couple weeks ago with the request that, given his variety of political work experience, he direct me toward a position or two I could target in terms of seeking entry-level placement. I've brought it up again, but he seems perturbed about it. Frankly, it's a difficult task; I've trained in a political grad programme for 2 years and don't have a clue. No one else has helped much either.

I'm not comfortable switching career tracks at all. I pretty much burnt out on college at this point. What's more, reaching into a different field would be very disorienting. Plus, I'd have really awkward interview questions about pursuing jobs entirely unrelated to my education.

On a final note, our new HR lady told me to think of my dream job and work towards that. Being a bit more realistic than trying for novelty pepper breeder, I'd now say travel manager, which I don't think exists in campaigns during the age of Orbitz, or something procurement related. Other than that, something in which I could travel constantly would be nice as well. These things don't have a place within my field of training though, and I'm still lost. Very lost. I've gotten so depressed recently my parents call the cops in my area and cried for hours. That was wierd. The lack of options is eating me inside and I can't only afford a few more months living away from my irrational dad back in old WV.

P.S.: Sorry for the length. This obviously took a long time for me to write.

Hi Vapno, so
What are you good at?
What do you like doing?
What does other people think that you are good at?

Wow, yet another post that could have been written by me.

I spent several years taking political science and international relations courses in university. Then I got elected to a political position and I'm terrible at my job, and I can't fathom going back and finishing my undergrad in a political field because I now realize that it's not my thing, for all the same reasons you mentioned.

I have come to the conclusion that, once my term is over, I should go back to school and start all over again and take computer science...... or maybe physics. Time is marching relentlessly forward, and I want to get on with my life. My heart aches at the prospect of spending four (or five or six, knowing the limited workload I can handle) more years in school. I'm not sure I could stand that. I want to get my career started, I want to buy a house, I want to have children.

Vapno, where do we go from here?

To respond to computerlove, I am skilled at planning, strategic analysis, independent thought, most plant care, and, shall we say, developing geographic familiarity. Those are broad and some involve substantial writing, which I want to avoid. I should say I'm fine with office politics after a few months as well.

In terms of what others think, I'm complemented most often for my writing, my helpfulness and my humour. I haven't heard anything beyond that. I was pretty much begged by an environmental policy professor to enter her department's grad programme before I left VT. I was the best in her capstone course even though it wasn't my major. It was very flattering, but I passed that up in hopes of having a position in politics with not nearly as much written composition. It was the right choice between those two options, although they both don't fit as I see it now.

Esperanza: I wish you luck. I can hardly imagine taking on another degree now.

Hi Vapno, okay, you listed your skills, and what other people think. Still, I've got one more question, what do you like doing?

Also, in what areas are you interested?

Interests: Federal lands policy, protecting environmentalist Republican officeholders, constant travel, saving money and resources for myself and others

Enjoyables: Plant care, saving money, travel, observing and assessing competitive campaigns and their advertising, observing the personalities behind politics, reading maps

These are the best I can come up with right now. I'll probably remember something obvious later.

and your family? what do they say that you're good at?

sorry for so many questions, just trying to help me help you

My family doesn't know my work well enough or understand what they do know. What I've gotten out of them is pretty much repeating what I've said professors and bosses have said.

I didn't mean about your work, but in general

They say "good focus when helping others, cultural knowledge, level-headed".

(just thinking outloud)

hm, so helpfulness, humour, helping others, culture
travel, save money, save resources,
federal lands policy, and
republican officeholders -- didn't understand that, english not my native language... *goes to a dictionary* --

not: organize, administrative job, not people person

hmm Vapno, a question (again hehe): Have you done some research about areas in your career that don't involve writing and all the stuff that you don't like? Ask some teachers, ask other people. Have you checked with the HR people if there are any other open positions?