7 answers
Lorenz
Student
Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium
1
Question
Updated
1176 views
Which careers would be a good fit for someone analytical, problem-solving, people-oriented & creative ?
Hi all,
I'm no longer a student; I've studied veterinary medicine, an additional Master's in Business Management, and subsequently have gained work experience in pharmaceutical research (consisted a lot of project coordination & management).
I've never really known what a good career would be for me and I'm not so sure anymore about the research industry, a.o. due to required niche expertises (which I don't have), and due to having to focus on such specific and narrow things.
Over the years I managed to pinpoint what I like in a job a bit more. These are mainly:
- Analytical thinking, solving problems or improving situations. (People haven't always appreciated me challenging situations or trying to think of better ways to do something, since that was never my responsibility).
- Working with people & different backgrounds; maintaining close contact, frequently checking in, exchanging feedback & experiences, supporting people or helping them to improve situations. A job without this personal aspect drains me.
- Strategic thinking and seeing the bigger picture. I get bored quickly and don't really get motivated from having to focus on details, detailed processes, etc. I get a lot of energy from being able to think about the bigger picture, about strategy, about how to come up with new concepts/processes or improvements to existing ones.
- I like learning about new things, regardless of what it is. I'm someone who digs deep in new information and really wants to understand how something works. On the flipside, I get bored quickly once I've figured something out, so e.g. repeating the same project or process drains me.
- Serving as a supportive lead/spokesperson for teams or colleagues' needs or issues. I'm not afraid to challenge systems or processes when I think it can benefit others to change them.
- Figuring out dynamics between people in a work setting; how someone is affecting others or affecting processes, how to motivate people, how to help others be more satisfied and content in their work.
It's maybe a lot of information I've given, but my question is; are there careers you think of that fit with these interests? Either related to my background or totally disregarding it.
Thank you very much in advance!
Login to comment
7 answers
Christina Owens
Senior Technical Writer/Career Identity Architect
34
Answers
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Christina’s Answer
Lorenz, you actually gave a very clear picture of yourself. 🧭 I don't think your biggest challenge is figuring out what you're capable of doing. It may be recognizing the pattern connecting the things you naturally love doing.
Several themes jump out:
🧠 You analyze systems and look for what could work better.
🧩 You enjoy solving problems more than maintaining repetitive processes.
🌍 You naturally zoom out to see the bigger picture.
🤝 You need meaningful interaction with people.
💡 You enjoy learning, discovery, and new challenges.
📣 You are willing to advocate for people and challenge systems that aren't serving them well.
🚀 You seem energized by improvement, change, and possibility—not simply execution.
That combination makes me think less about a specific industry and more about roles where you're paid to ask, "Why are we doing it this way, and how could we make it better?"
Some career directions I would explore include organizational development, management consulting, change management, business transformation, innovation management, strategy, program management, employee experience, learning and development, and people/organizational strategy.
Your veterinary medicine, business management, and pharmaceutical research experience could also create an interesting advantage in healthcare, life sciences, biotech, animal health, or pharmaceutical organizations. You understand scientific environments while also bringing business, project, and people-oriented thinking. That's an unusual intersection. Don't discard it too quickly simply because traditional research no longer feels right.
🔎 There's another important clue in something you wrote: people haven't always appreciated you challenging situations because improving them "was never your responsibility."
Consider finding roles where improving them IS your responsibility.
That's a major distinction.
Instead of forcing yourself into environments that reward staying inside a narrowly defined lane, look for positions where questioning, diagnosing, facilitating, influencing, designing improvements, and leading change are part of the job description.
I would also encourage you to stop beginning your career search with job titles for a moment. Create an inventory of your favorite skills—the things you love doing enough that they sometimes don't feel like work.
Then separate them into three questions:
❤️ What do I love doing?
⚡ What am I exceptionally good at?
💰 Which problems will organizations pay me to solve using those abilities?
Where those answers intersect, you'll begin seeing your career identity much more clearly.
Based solely on what you've written, I wouldn't describe you as someone without direction. I would describe you as a systems-minded, people-oriented problem solver who needs variety, intellectual challenge, strategic altitude, and permission to improve things.
That's a career identity worth building around. 🚀
To your success!
Christina Owens
Career Identity Architect
CoachOwens
Several themes jump out:
🧠 You analyze systems and look for what could work better.
🧩 You enjoy solving problems more than maintaining repetitive processes.
🌍 You naturally zoom out to see the bigger picture.
🤝 You need meaningful interaction with people.
💡 You enjoy learning, discovery, and new challenges.
📣 You are willing to advocate for people and challenge systems that aren't serving them well.
🚀 You seem energized by improvement, change, and possibility—not simply execution.
That combination makes me think less about a specific industry and more about roles where you're paid to ask, "Why are we doing it this way, and how could we make it better?"
Some career directions I would explore include organizational development, management consulting, change management, business transformation, innovation management, strategy, program management, employee experience, learning and development, and people/organizational strategy.
Your veterinary medicine, business management, and pharmaceutical research experience could also create an interesting advantage in healthcare, life sciences, biotech, animal health, or pharmaceutical organizations. You understand scientific environments while also bringing business, project, and people-oriented thinking. That's an unusual intersection. Don't discard it too quickly simply because traditional research no longer feels right.
🔎 There's another important clue in something you wrote: people haven't always appreciated you challenging situations because improving them "was never your responsibility."
Consider finding roles where improving them IS your responsibility.
That's a major distinction.
Instead of forcing yourself into environments that reward staying inside a narrowly defined lane, look for positions where questioning, diagnosing, facilitating, influencing, designing improvements, and leading change are part of the job description.
I would also encourage you to stop beginning your career search with job titles for a moment. Create an inventory of your favorite skills—the things you love doing enough that they sometimes don't feel like work.
Then separate them into three questions:
❤️ What do I love doing?
⚡ What am I exceptionally good at?
💰 Which problems will organizations pay me to solve using those abilities?
Where those answers intersect, you'll begin seeing your career identity much more clearly.
Based solely on what you've written, I wouldn't describe you as someone without direction. I would describe you as a systems-minded, people-oriented problem solver who needs variety, intellectual challenge, strategic altitude, and permission to improve things.
That's a career identity worth building around. 🚀
To your success!
Christina Owens
Career Identity Architect
CoachOwens
Thank you Christina for your elaborate advice, I appreciate it!
Lorenz
Marty Meyer
General Manager
94
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Marty’s Answer
Have you considered business management? You like people and problem solving, analysis and big picture thinking. Maybe pick an industry that interests you and apply your skill set to organizational development. You have acquired solid skills - apply them to a space where you can spread your wings. Good luck -
Thank you Marty, that's something I thought about in the past sometimes, maybe it's indeed worth looking into :)
Lorenz
Bob Burton
Consultant
98
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Bob’s Answer
I am envisioning a fervent abundance of intellectual curiosity and endless learning, coupled with an insatiable if somewhat undisciplined exploration across industries and career roles.
You appear to be a very bright guy. Rather than a focus upon what career you may want to pursue, I would recommend a focus upon what problems you wish to solve.
You may wish to better understand the issues that keep global executives awake at night.
Economic uncertainty, rapidly rising expense of doing business, supply chain disruptions, talent shortages, cybersecurity threats, AI/digital transformation, remote and hybrid employment, increased velocity of decision making, et al.
What can you do to positively help executives to understand, address and solve these serious problems? How to make them see the problems and solutions as opportunities.
Then begin to look at what learning, experience, approach and perspective you bring to the solutions. This process , along with the advice from Christina, should halp you to settle upon a career path.
You appear to be a very bright guy. Rather than a focus upon what career you may want to pursue, I would recommend a focus upon what problems you wish to solve.
You may wish to better understand the issues that keep global executives awake at night.
Economic uncertainty, rapidly rising expense of doing business, supply chain disruptions, talent shortages, cybersecurity threats, AI/digital transformation, remote and hybrid employment, increased velocity of decision making, et al.
What can you do to positively help executives to understand, address and solve these serious problems? How to make them see the problems and solutions as opportunities.
Then begin to look at what learning, experience, approach and perspective you bring to the solutions. This process , along with the advice from Christina, should halp you to settle upon a career path.
What you describe sounds wildly interesting to me and would be amazing if I'd be able to make that into a job. I'm not entirely clear on how you achieve a career where you can occupy yourself with such topics, but it gives me a direction for aspects in job descriptions to look for. Thank you very much, Bob!
Lorenz
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1452
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Lorenz,
I actually think you’ve given enough information to identify a few strong career directions. Your combination of veterinary medicine, business management, pharmaceutical research, project coordination, analytical thinking, and strong interest in people is quite unusual. I wouldn’t rush into another degree until you test some of these directions.
The first area I’d investigate is management consulting or management analysis, particularly within healthcare, life sciences, or pharmaceuticals. You’d be solving organizational problems, talking with different stakeholders, looking at how things work, and recommending improvements. That seems much closer to what you describe than highly specialized laboratory research. Management analysts are specifically involved in helping organizations improve efficiency and solve organizational problems.
A second strong possibility is healthcare or pharmaceutical project/program management. You already have relevant experience, so you may not need to start over. You could gradually move toward roles involving strategy, cross-functional teams, product development, or organizational improvement. Project management requires analytical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, which line up remarkably well with your description.
You should also look at organizational development, change management, or people-focused consulting. Your interest in workplace dynamics, motivation, team needs, and improving systems is a big clue here. You seem to enjoy asking, "Why are people and systems working this way, and how could we make them work better?"
Another possibility is product management in healthcare or life sciences. It can combine research, strategy, problem-solving, communication, customer needs, and developing new ideas without requiring you to become the deepest technical expert in one narrow subject.
The bigger point is that I don't think you necessarily need to abandon your scientific background. You may be better suited to being the person who connects science, business, people, and strategy rather than the person who spends years becoming the narrowest expert in one scientific topic.
I'd explore those four directions through informational interviews and small projects before paying for another qualification. Your existing background may be more valuable than you think.
Best wishes!
I actually think you’ve given enough information to identify a few strong career directions. Your combination of veterinary medicine, business management, pharmaceutical research, project coordination, analytical thinking, and strong interest in people is quite unusual. I wouldn’t rush into another degree until you test some of these directions.
The first area I’d investigate is management consulting or management analysis, particularly within healthcare, life sciences, or pharmaceuticals. You’d be solving organizational problems, talking with different stakeholders, looking at how things work, and recommending improvements. That seems much closer to what you describe than highly specialized laboratory research. Management analysts are specifically involved in helping organizations improve efficiency and solve organizational problems.
A second strong possibility is healthcare or pharmaceutical project/program management. You already have relevant experience, so you may not need to start over. You could gradually move toward roles involving strategy, cross-functional teams, product development, or organizational improvement. Project management requires analytical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, which line up remarkably well with your description.
You should also look at organizational development, change management, or people-focused consulting. Your interest in workplace dynamics, motivation, team needs, and improving systems is a big clue here. You seem to enjoy asking, "Why are people and systems working this way, and how could we make them work better?"
Another possibility is product management in healthcare or life sciences. It can combine research, strategy, problem-solving, communication, customer needs, and developing new ideas without requiring you to become the deepest technical expert in one narrow subject.
The bigger point is that I don't think you necessarily need to abandon your scientific background. You may be better suited to being the person who connects science, business, people, and strategy rather than the person who spends years becoming the narrowest expert in one scientific topic.
I'd explore those four directions through informational interviews and small projects before paying for another qualification. Your existing background may be more valuable than you think.
Best wishes!
Thank you very much Chinyere for your time and advice! It's a bit reassuring that you see options that don't require further scientific specialization; on the one hand it would be interesting, but on the other hand I indeed have always been afraid of scientific specializations (or PhD's) because they narrow your experience so far down. I'm going to try and follow your advice and explore roles/responsibilities for now :)
Lorenz
You're welcome, Lorenz!
Chinyere Okafor
Colleen Zou
Human Resources Administrator
14
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Colleen’s Answer
Hi, great question. Honestly it sounds like you have a firm grasp of what you like and don’t like.
A previous comment suggested business management, and I agree wholeheartedly. Specifically, I would recommend HR. Many of the entry level work is moreso of the operations/processes, however, you can easily pivot into strategic work early in your career as well. Providing ideas on how to improve processes, working on a multitude of different types of projects (improving employee benefits, analyzing strategies to improve retention, etc), working for people, always room for growth and learning, and being a strong advocate for others.
On a similar level, maybe you can look into industrial-organizational psychology. It is a mix of human psychology and business, where the main purposes are to improve the employee experience and employee efficiency at work.
A previous comment suggested business management, and I agree wholeheartedly. Specifically, I would recommend HR. Many of the entry level work is moreso of the operations/processes, however, you can easily pivot into strategic work early in your career as well. Providing ideas on how to improve processes, working on a multitude of different types of projects (improving employee benefits, analyzing strategies to improve retention, etc), working for people, always room for growth and learning, and being a strong advocate for others.
On a similar level, maybe you can look into industrial-organizational psychology. It is a mix of human psychology and business, where the main purposes are to improve the employee experience and employee efficiency at work.
The aspects you mention are certainly the ones that sound interesting to me, and people management/leadership is indeed something that I found very interesting, at least for the small parts where I came into contact with those. I am taking your advice with me, thank you Everett!
Lorenz
Tara Burton
Business Program Manager
3
Answers
Woodinville, Washington
Updated
Tara’s Answer
Hi Lorenz,
Have you thought about a career in sales, like becoming an Account Executive or Account Manager? These roles let you connect with people, solve problems, and learn about new products to help customers. You can also use analytics to show customers how they're doing. Plus, you can work in an industry you love, especially with your experience.
It might be helpful to talk to people already in these roles to see if they fit your interests. Wishing you the best on this journey!
Tara
Have you thought about a career in sales, like becoming an Account Executive or Account Manager? These roles let you connect with people, solve problems, and learn about new products to help customers. You can also use analytics to show customers how they're doing. Plus, you can work in an industry you love, especially with your experience.
It might be helpful to talk to people already in these roles to see if they fit your interests. Wishing you the best on this journey!
Tara
Thank you for your suggestions Tara! Family has indeed also suggested sales, but I don't think I'd be the right for that. I might be wrong though, who knows :)
Lorenz
Allan Thompson
Volunteer
25
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Allan’s Answer
Project Management might be a good career and a path to Business Management. Be ready to summarize your experience as you have done in your question so interviewers can fell that you are committed to your plan. All the best in this transition.
Thank you Allan, seems you're not the only one suggesting that, so I'm taking it into consideration :)
Lorenz