February 15-22 — Stay home, or hit the road?

By Christopher Renstrom

Hi Christopher. I have a question related to my career. I just recently finished my doctoral dissertation and will be graduating in May. This was a long and difficult process for me so I am glad it is over. Unfortunately, I feel somewhat clueless as to what type of job I should be seeking at this point. I’m also undecided as to whether I want to move away from home or stay close to my family. Can you give me any specific advice? My birthday is 1/19/1980. I currently live in Tampa, FL.

Congratulations on finishing your doctoral dissertation. That’s no small feat considering that you were doing this during the height of your Saturn return (September through October 2009) and while Uranus—the planet of revolution and change—was tossing curve-balls at you from out of left field. The fact that you’re still forming sentences is a testament to your resilience and perseverance. Saturn may be the planet of trials and tribulations, but it also rewards those who struggle with the hardships it imposes. Not only will you be more disciplined and resourceful as a result of your Saturn return, but you will have the backbone to keep on going when others throw up their hands in frustration or despair. This promises an enormous return on the blood, sweat, and tears shed in recent years and you will start to reap these benefits after April 26, 2010. In fact late May looks like a pivotal time for you vis-à-vis your career. I expect that this is when you will be receiving a job offer and/or hearing back from an institution about something you applied for. It looks like you will move right from school to a paying job which makes perfect sense given that you were born under the regimented sign of Capricorn and that your Ruling Planet Saturn in Virgo indicates that you have a systematic approach to life. Mercury traveling close to the Sun in your horoscope tells me that what you do is very specialized and technical and may even be a bit ahead of its time. This is good in that it allows you to fill a niche position (it looks to me like research or analysis), but the downside is that it can wind up turning into a dead-end if you’re not careful. Superiors may not recognize the potential growth in your industry or area of expertise whereas you do. Moreover—they may not even be interested. This is why it will be up to you to take charge of your own career and to move on to another company or institution whenever you feel like you’ve hit a wall and accomplished everything you set out to accomplish given that particular position or situation. As for moving away from home or staying close to your family—that all depends on what takes place in the job market. You’re a Capricorn with Saturn in Virgo so the job will always come first. My feeling is that you will be moving away from home, but that it won’t be terribly far away and that this should take place in July or August 2010.

This article was originally published on February 14, 2010.