OPgigSM Program Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a job and a career?

We focus on jobs that you could do for a significant period of your working life. We include careers that you would see on many other lists and also many careers that are emerging. You will also see careers that you can create for yourself. We do not include entry-level jobs, advocations, hobbies or what you do on vacation. We also don't include careers in the military or with religious organizations.

Most career programs focus on interests. Why does OPgig also deal with Instincts?

Many people pick a career because they are interested, only to find out that the way they have to perform in that career was not suited to them. Our research shows that it is the combination of a strong interest and the right instincts (or MO), that lead to success in a career. Many people severely limit their career explorations when they think only of a few interests. For example, a person interested in animals might only think of becoming a veterinarian. Or a person who likes to play computer games might think they should be a programmer. We consider your interests, but match you with careers that allow you to be yourself on the job as well.

Do I have to list four different areas of interest?

Yes. It is important to see the possibilities in at least four interest areas, even if you think you know exactly the ONE that would be best. You may be surprised at the additional career areas that could also work well for you.

Why don't you ask about my skills?

Skills can be acquired, and the skills necessary for a career can become outdated by technology and work environment. We have found skills to be overrated. Just because you can do a job doesn't mean you ought to. You may understand geometry, but can you use it in the workplace? You may know a lot about nutrition, but that doesn't make you a chef. You may pass a test to be a physical therapist but lack the right touch. We help you identify the careers where you have the right stuff to thrive, not just the knowledge required.

Why aren't income levels for careers mentioned?

We don't deal with income because the ranges vary greatly by skill level, geography, economical changes, and your own ability to sell yourself. We have interviewed thousands of people in a wide variety of careers and have never found anyone who says that money was more important than having the freedom to be themselves. We have interviewed many people who have been highly successful financially and regret their career decisions. If you really want income ranges for a specific career, you can find that information as you further research it or click Job Openings for that career to see what companies are paying.

How do you know whether I have the “right stuff” for a career?

We have data from over a million people in over a thousand careers, and have interviewed many thousands of those people about their level of success in their career. We have also interviewed thousands of leaders in business who have selected people for specific careers and described what they have witnessed with regard to success and failure. We have also interviewed thousands of mentors who have tried to help people become more successful in their fields. All of this data has convinced us that methods of career selection need to be revolutionized. Traditional methods do a poor job of giving career advice, because our need to be free to be true to ourselves has not been a factor for consideration.

What's the best way to decide whether a career is Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

Trust your gut. All a Thumbs Up means is that you want to do further exploration of this career.

What if I don't like any of the 20 Best Careers for me?

First, be sure you're looking at more than just the initial list of 20 Best Careers. There will probably be careers for you with more than an 80% rating. All of those should work quite well for you. Secondly, you may have given a false impression with your answers on the Survey. Did you take it seriously?

What if I don't have the right education for any of my 20 Best Careers?

You could consider entry-level jobs where you can acquire skills and contacts to assist you in moving forward. The challenge is in figuring out what you want to do with your life. Once you know, you will figure out how to make it happen.

What if my friends or family (people who ought to know me well) don't think the top career choices suit me?

It's possible that they either don't know you as well as they think they do, or your answers to the survey were not authentic. It should open up some very interesting conversations!

What do the abbreviations in the names of the careers mean?

Admin: Administrative; Ad: Advertising; App: Application; Auto: Automotive; Biz: Business; Cell: Cellular; Chem: Chemical; Comm: Communication(s); Dev: Developer; Econ: Economic(s); Ed: Education; Exec: Executive; Gov: Government; Heli: Helicopter; Info: Information; Int'l: International; Lab: Laboratory; Med: Medicine; Mgr: Manager; Ops: Operations; Org: Organization; Rec: Recreation; Rep: Representative; Sim: Simulation; Tech: Technician; TV: Television

Why don't my 20 Best Bet Careers/Expand Your Options reports include all the careers from Best Careers Sorted by Interest Area?

Those pages don't include careers that are at more of an entry-level and not likely to be sustainable.

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