Dual Career Mission in Psychology and Fashion Design

Introduction: Defining a Personal Mission

As Richard Bolles states in his best-selling book What Color Is Your Parachute?, "We want to feel we were put here on Earth for some special purpose, to do some unique work that only we can accomplish. We want to know what our Mission is" (309). Bolles likens one's career goals to a religious mission — a significant undertaking that demands total commitment, dedication, and love. A mission entails more than just a job, and even more than "just" a career. Rather, a mission implies total fulfillment in all areas of life. When I fulfill my dreams, I will not only be financially secure but will also enjoy a rich social and spiritual life.

Initially, formulating a mission statement forced me to examine my moral values as well as my talents, dreams, needs, and desires. On page 8 of What Color Is Your Parachute?, Bolles suggests that the first step in performing a life-changing job hunt is defining exactly what it is one is looking for (8). After some self-examination, I concluded that I need an intellectually stimulating position that allows me to maximize my innate analytical abilities. However, I will never feel satisfied unless I simultaneously nurture my freer, creative side. Few careers offer both the opportunity to exercise the left and right sides of the brain; in fact, the more I examined my priorities, the more I realized I will never fit snugly into one particular career path. Rather, I am an energetic person perfectly capable of pursuing two careers at once.

One of the fields I intend to fully devote myself to is industrial-organizational psychology. I appreciate this specific area of specialization because I need the stimulus of a wide range of working environments and atmospheres. My interpersonal skills lend themselves to working with large groups of people and organizations. Moreover, I derive great satisfaction from helping people improve themselves mentally, emotionally, and interpersonally. Industrial psychology offers me an ideal venue from which to conduct my "missionary" work.

Two Careers, One Mission

Industrial psychology does involve some degree of creative problem solving, as I will be required to confront conflicts and dilemmas with poise and tact. However, the work is largely analytical. I will need the added stimulus of a creative enterprise. With a lifelong passion for fashion, I now seek to design clothes and accessories, preferably by opening my own small business. I can run this business alongside my work in the industrial psychology field. In fact, so that I do not overwork or overtax myself, I would eventually like to work part time as a psychologist so that I can dedicate a large portion of my life to fashion design.

Undertaking a dual career in both industrial psychology and fashion design may seem overly ambitious. However complex my mission appears, I cannot envision any other option for myself, and therefore my mission statement includes both careers. My mission statement is as follows: I seek to improve the lives of others through creative problem solving, contributing my interpersonal skills to various industrial settings, while at the same time maximizing my creative potential through the materialization of my fashion ideas. Through these two seemingly disparate yet, for me, interdependent areas, I will fulfill my lifelong personal dreams and ambitions while improving the psychological well-being of others.

The Five-Year Plan for Industrial Psychology

In order to achieve my mission, I will need a concrete plan. The five years following graduation will be crucial, as my energy levels will be exceptionally high. Therefore, even before I graduate, I will channel a great deal of attention toward researching options for work in both fields of choice. Eventually I would like to earn a satisfying salary as an industrial psychologist — enough that I can focus all my creative energies on designing for pleasure rather than for income.

Within five years, I will have completed my master's degree and secured a solid position within one or more industries. Completing the degree will be the most challenging portion of this five-year plan. I will first need to narrow down graduate school choices, apply, and hopefully gain acceptance. I will then select a school based on personal preferences such as geography and faculty. Because I am also interested in fashion design, I will look specifically at schools in major cities such as Chicago, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Miami. I will obtain a Master of Arts or Master of Science in Industrial Psychology, depending on the program, within three years.

While working toward my degree, I will intern in an industrial setting so that I become familiar with the hands-on, daily work of an industrial psychologist. Interning will also allow me to network with potential future employers and could provide a foot in the door. Once I have my degree, I will use the techniques outlined in Bolles's book to set up interviews and create an ideal position for myself. I intend to secure a well-paying position as an industrial psychologist within five years. Ideally, I will work as a psychologist within the fashion field — for a large design company, a manufacturer, or even a magazine. Regardless of the specific industry, I will contribute one hundred percent of my energy and enthusiasm to ensure maximum productivity. If I work in the fashion industry as a psychologist, I will also become familiar with the business and be better positioned to market my own designs once my small business is established.