Okay so this whole thing started cause I was browsing random career articles last month, feeling kinda stuck in my admin job. You know how it is – Monday blues hitting hard. Suddenly this old headline pops up: “Career for Virgo Woman 2017? Top 5 Best Jobs for Her This Year”. Honestly? My first thought was, “Who writes this stuff in 2023?” But hey, curiosity got me. I decided to dig into it for fun, like a weird time capsule project. Just wanted to see if any of that 2017 advice still held water today.
The Deep Dive Begins
Started simple. Googled variations of that exact title. Found a bunch of dusty websites with lists basically copy-pasted everywhere. Felt pretty lazy, honestly. Most just threw out job titles without much substance. Typical stuff popped up:
- Healthcare roles (nurse, nutritionist)
- Stuff needing organization (project manager, office manager)
- Creative but practical things (graphic designer, writer)
- Education jobs
- Accounting or bookkeeping
Kind of predictable, right? Felt like they were just checking boxes for Virgo stereotypes: organized, detail-oriented, helpful. Didn’t really feel personal.
Trying It On Myself
So I’m sitting there thinking, “Okay, but am I actually like this?” And also, “Would I even want these jobs now?” I mean, I do like things neat (my spice rack is color-coded, fight me), but 7 years is a long time. The world changed. I changed.
Looked back at 2017 me. Yeah, super organized, super stressed about mess. But now? More chill about chaos. Also, my admin salary back then was peanuts. Couldn’t sustain me now. Needed reality check.
Reality Checking the List
Took the most common suggestions and held them up against 2023:
- Healthcare/Nursing: Respect? Massive. Pay? Better than my admin gig? Yes. But demanding crazy hours, huge emotional toll. I like helping, but my energy reserves? Not built for 12-hour ER shifts. Pass.
- Project Management: Sounds good! Structure! Plans! But all my PM friends just whine about endless meetings and Jira tickets. Felt like glorified cat-herding. Stressful without the spice rack satisfaction. Maybe? But kinda ‘meh’.
- Graphic Design: Loved this idea! Creativity + order! Played with Canva, Figma tutorials. Quickly learned I lack the artistic vision part. Making pretty charts? Fun for an hour. Logo design? Nightmare. Reality hit hard.
- Teaching: Oh man. Always admired teachers. But pay… oh the pay. Plus, dealing with parents? 2023 classrooms seem intense. My patience ain’t that deep. Admired it, but knew it wasn’t me.
- Bookkeeping/Accounting: Numbers are reliable! Orderly! But staring at spreadsheets all day? Felt my soul shrivel a little just thinking about it. Nope nope nope.
Realized the 2017 list kinda ignored stuff like tech, remote work possibilities, freelancing. Felt outdated and boxed-in.
Finding My Own Path
Frustrated, I ditched the list. What skills did I actually use and enjoy? Turns out, I’m weirdly good at explaining complex stuff simply, and I love digging into details to find weird connections. Started writing little ‘explainer’ pieces on things I learned. Posted ’em on my neglected personal blog.
Someone saw one. Asked if I could help explain their new software tool for their team. Paid me actual money. Now I’m doing more of that – technical writing, simplifying processes. It scratches that ‘detail’ itch Virgos supposedly have, but it uses my actual brain and lets me work remotely. Pays better than admin, too.
So, the big takeaway? Forget those generic year-specific lists. They usually miss the point. Better to look at what drains you, what energizes you, and what people will pay you for RIGHT NOW. Took a weird 2017 headline to make me actually sit down and figure that out. Go figure.
