Careers for Geniuses

careers for the intelligent

Being an excellent student can pay big dividends later in your career. Good grades are important, and the more competitive roles always look at academic record when sorting through potential employees. Turning your intelligence into career success is a great move. For those with exceptional IQs or standardized test scores, there are some excellent positions available. If you consider yourself a genius and have the academic credentials to back up your claims, then consider one of the following positions. Incredible intellect or a unique talent can be transformed into an excellent paycheck week after week. It’s a highly sought after trait in any potential job candidate.

1.)    Scientist

Being a successful scientist requires a high degree of intelligence. There are plenty of opportunities in biotech, biology, chemistry, and other life sciences. Depending on the role, scientists can expect to be on their feet for most of the day, but there is always some degree of office work that needs to get done. Each experiment has its own set of analytics that need to get accomplished before and after the lab work is complete. It’s an excellent job that pays a great salary, and most scientists experience an excellent quality of life. The average salary for all scientists in America is $78,000 per year. It’s an excellent career option.

2.)    Programmer

Becoming a programmer is not a difficult venture, but becoming a high-quality programmer requires a high degree of intellect. Workers with a high IQ understand the algorithms and patterns better, and eventually outperform more experienced programmers who are not as intelligent. Programmers can work in-house, or start their own freelance service or business. A lot of programming work happens at odd hours, so it’s good to stay flexible as your career progresses. The average salary for computer programmers is $60,000 per year, but this number can increase significantly for high-quality workers.

3.)    Investment Banker

Wall Street banks only accept the brightest and most intelligent candidates. Being a quality Ivy League student is helpful, but sometimes hiring managers will accept candidates from lower quality schools if they have an exceptional academic record. It’s a risky, stressful, and difficult job. The hours are long and the work-life balance is almost non-existent. However, the pay is excellent, and so is the career advancement potential. Investment bankers typically start out as financial analysts as they learn the business, but six-figure incomes quickly follow. It requires a high level of intelligence and a burning desire to succeed. It’s a great job for geniuses, but introverts shouldn’t apply for these roles. Having the personality of a confident extrovert goes a long way in this business. You’ll be meeting with clients and talking with influential managers, so a little charisma and confidence can go a long way.

4.)    Engineer

Becoming an engineer is no simple task. The required classes are some of the most difficult. Making it through a collegiate engineering degree program with an exceptional academic record proves that you are one of the best and brightest employees in the United States. Quality engineers can think outside the box, and exhibit excellent problem solving skills to rectify issues or design new projects. There are many types of engineering disciplines, but typically the highest paying roles are reserved for petroleum engineers. The average salary for all engineers is about $65,000 per year, but petroleum engineers can earn six figures. All engineering positions have their similarities, but petroleum engineers make more money because their work means huge profits for major oil and gas companies.

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Matthew Welch

Jobdiagnosis blog author Matthew Welch is an SEO strategist and content marketer from Boston, MA. Read blog content relating to job search by Matthew Welch.

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