I have been reading What Color Is Your Parachute (for obvious reasons) and thought perhaps I'd share my progress as I go along. I'm not far into the book (and am not starting at the beginning) but while I have some free time at my temp job, thought I'd delve into the personality quizzes that can be found online to start figuring out my job-hopes a little better. 

This color quiz was the first I came across and it is so frighteningly accurate in describing my personal life right now, I had to share. I remember taking one a few months ago... maybe almost a year ago at this point. And THAT one was eerily accurate too. Anyway, it's the simplest quiz ever and you might see some surprising insight:

http://colorquiz.com/

Your Existing Situation
Likes to be in control and wishes to hold a position of power. Comes up with ideas and plans to overcome obstacles and likes to feel control over events and situations.

Your Stress Sources
Unfulfilled hopes have lead her to be cautious and mistrusting. Insists she have full control over her actions and will not let anything hold her back or stand in her way. Unwilling to give up or surrender anything and demands a promise of safety against future setbacks or loss of status. Has no hope that things will get better in the future and this negative attitude lead her to make impossible demands and refuses to come to any sort of agreement.

Your Restrained Characteristics

Open and emotionally involved in relationships and easily finds satisfaction through sexual activity.

Emotionally demanding and will involve herself in close relationships but won't get too involved or give too much of himself.

"Struggles to make her demands clear, but feels ignored. Feels resentful, but acts as if she doesn't care, doing what is necessary to keep peace."

Open and emotionally involved in relationships and easily finds satisfaction through sexual activity.

"Believes her hopes and dreams are realistic and sticks to them stubbornly, even though circumstances are forcing her to compromise. Very precise in the qualities she seeks in a partner."


Your Desired Objective
Seeks to be known for something she has accomplished and uses her social abilities to win people over. Emotional and sensitive and romantic.

Your Actual Problem
Longs the freedom to make her own decisions and plans without the criticism and restrictions of others. Uses her charm to deal with others and get what she wants.

Your Actual Problem #2
"Is disappointed and let down, feels there is no point in making new goals as they will leave her feeling the same way. Looking for friendly, pleasant relationships with others, who will further develop her intellect. she tries to escape into a fantasy world where things go her way and her desires are easier to reach."

Well, the time has come to share that the Farmington job I was so excited about has decided to not accept me while they are going through their many changes that I was aware of via my interview. I figured they'd WANT to bring me in for all of that so I'd be more knowledgeable with everything going on, but apparently not. And thank you for taking 4 months to decide that.

So now I'm trying to figure out the direction to go. Right now I'm temping for a large Canadian-based corporation doing similar duties as I'd have done in Farmington. I really enjoy it and I would love to stay here permanently. The problem is they want 3-5 years experience I don't have. What I'm hoping is that in these 2 weeks I'll have impressed them enough to forego that. Definitely not getting my hopes up, but we'll see where it goes. I think this experience will at least help me get similar jobs and the fabulous Staffing Agency I'm working through knows I'd like something permanent and they are really great, so I think they'll help as soon as they have something.

One of my friends is also trying to help me get a high-travel IT consulting type job and I'm hoping something could happen with that for a year or two's experience that would help me get the position my uncle has been trying to help me with at GE. I think the GE position would be my ideal dream job - working with computers, traveling internationally very frequently, and a salary I can actually save and invest money with.

However, neither of those has any reliability because of my lack of experience. So I'm back at square one in deciding what I should do with my time:

• School - this seems to be everyone's favorite and I'm partial to it as well because I'd like to prove again to myself that I'm capable, instead of crashing and burning like I did before.

1. Pro - getting better grades, possibly changing degrees to CS or Physics or Astronomy (or Engineering if they'd have me, but that seems unlikely with my GPA)
2. Con - I have no idea if I really qualify getting in, it costs a lot of money, I feel "old," why am I pursuing another B.S. when I should move on to an M.S. or PhD?

• Air Force - The perks of being in the military as far as monetary savings and discounts goes, as well as being stationed abroad (I don't care how much Guam sucks, I'll go).

1. Pro - I can learn something techie while there, get additional school paid for, security clearance for future potential CIA or FBI work (another dream job)
2. Con - My GPA apparently isn't high enough, might be able to do a few CC classes to improve, don't know if they'll accept that, I will be very old in comparison to my team which might feel degrading.

• Community College - solely for programming learning, might even audit depending on how valuable "credit" would be

1. Pro - Helping my resume
2. Con - Time. Who has that anymore?

• Paying for Certifications - There are 2 I'm thinking about: SalesForce and now a Project Management cert called CAPM. Each one is $200-$300 plus I'd have to do some training. I think I could figure out how to train for SalesForce for free, plus a friend has a cert and could help me study. CAPM, I might have to figure out how to forge transcripts for 23 hours of "education." It's possible, but... who knows.

1. Pro - It could open up a lot of job potential and at the very least improve my resume considerably.
2. Con - I would need to save up $500, and... I could, but really??? My car is in the shop, I'm months behind in bills, and I have no idea where my next paycheck is coming essentially. No idea what to do. Also, it could take a lot of time to learn, and again, who has time? I don't.

Like always, any feedback, opinions, yelling at me for being lame, and advice are always welcome... to the 3 people who actually read this.


Follow up question:


I am doing okay here in Denver, DR Photo will have work until May I think, this temp agency is really helping me out but it's not as frequent as I'd like. Should I move back to Cali? I almost feel like job options are worse there, but I'm struggling to keep my head high here and I feel I need a reboot from friends and family.