ABD-ELHAMEED: Career indecision should not be unfairly criticized
Column: Something to Think About
Are you someone who usually hesitates before answering a question that requires you to choose between two things? Do you generally take longer to answer a question than most other people you know?
If the answer is yes, then you may likely consider yourself indecisive. Another term used to describe people with this characteristic is ambivalent, which is defined as someone "having or showing simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward something or someone," according to Merriam-Webster.
As someone who is undoubtedly indecisive or rather ambivalent, I can say that it is often easy to focus on the downsides of this trait. We are often more prone to feeling anxious, stressed and generally overwhelmed when having to make choices, even if they are relatively minor and unimportant. Despite these negative characteristics, though, being ambivalent is not all bad and can have its upsides, especially when considering career decisions.
Yes, it is practically embarrassing to admit that sometimes I will spend a solid hour trying to decide if I want to drink an iced coffee or an iced matcha as an enthusiast of both. Unfortunately, having this trait feels more burdensome when having to declare a major and consider what kind of career I want to pursue.
I enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences with an undeclared major, and I cannot recall how many times I have frantically scrolled through the list of majors and minors as my sophomore year was around the corner.
While it may sound surprising, ambivalence can actually be beneficial when making complex decisions. One Harvard Business Review article discusses the advantages of ambivalence and draws on conclusions from research conducted by the American Psychological Association, writing that ambivalence can embrace "creativity, advice seeking and job search activities" and can even decrease "commitment toward failed courses of action."
These characteristics are especially important as they can lead to increased authenticity and career fulfillment. Being ambivalent, in other words, means that we are more critical and observant of the situations we encounter as well as other people and their behaviors.
Considering these findings, I do not think it is fair for those with a declared major or career path to receive praise while those who are in the process of exploring their curiosities are met with critique and assessment.
It is common for someone with an undeclared major to quickly receive suggestions from friends and family on what careers they think would be good for them or which ones would produce the highest salaries. It is also common for many people to end up in a field that is completely unrelated to their chosen area of study.
In one survey of 1,000 individuals aged between 25 to 44, it was found that since the start of their first job after college, "29 percent of respondents have completely changed fields" and 29 percent of people is not a small number.
Many of us most likely know at least one individual who works in a field that is different from what they expected while they were studying in college.
I feel that it would be more productive and beneficial to focus on what you want to accomplish with your life goals rather than fixating on a specific job title or company. I declared a journalism and media studies major at the end of my sophomore year, but I still do not have a specific job position or company that I am chasing after.
Regardless, I do know what my career goals encompass. I want to shed light on all issues of importance and represent those who are continuously underrepresented, misrepresented and ignored, deemed unimportant and invisible by society.
I want to be a voice for Muslim American women, as well as for the Arab and Middle Eastern communities. As long as I carry out these goals, I do not need to get caught up in working for The New York Times one day or being head news editor of some media outlet.
Allowing yourself to be open and flexible to new subjects and interests while forming your career goals holds more merit than running after your dream job. With that being said, there is nothing wrong with having a dream job and working hard to obtain that.
Most would agree that persistence and determination are admirable qualities. More importantly, though, ambivalence is not all bad and can prove beneficial in the future.
In the meantime, remember that it is OK if you cannot decide between bubble tea or iced coffee or if you hesitate when the next person at a family gathering asks you what job you want when you graduate.
Despite what people may say, ambivalence can still lead to success.
Naaima Abd-Elhameed is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in journalism and media studies and minoring in Arabic and international and global studies. Her column, "Something to Think About," runs on alternate Fridays.
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