Meet The People Who Make Major Career Decisions Based On Astrology

You could say the stars aligned for these career-minded astrology buffs.
Grafissimo via Getty Images

If I asked you about your zodiac sign, you’d probably be able to tell me what it is without skipping a beat (shout-out to my fellow Aries). And I’m willing to bet you’ve checked your horoscope at least once in your life.

In fact, astrology is not recognized as a science. And yet it’s estimated that 30% of people believe in it. Many even make major life decisions based on astrological predictions, including in their careers. Here are three people who did ― and have no regrets.

Birthday Surprise

Nicholas Farmen credits his horoscope for helping lead him to a great new job.
Courtesy of Nicholas Farmen
Nicholas Farmen credits his horoscope for helping lead him to a great new job.

For Nicholas Farmen, a 23-year-old Denver resident who works in the marketing department of the software company Spire Digital, astrology was a normal part of his upbringing. “My parents were always big into reading the paper when I was a kid. We’d do the crosswords. Then the horoscopes became a thing for me and my family to read once in a while.”

As he got older, Farmen’s mother would send him his horoscope every now and then, especially on his birthday. He said the positive predictions would give him a vote of confidence for the day, and now it’s an annual ritual to check his horoscope on his birthday. “In the last year, I’d say I’ve been checking it a lot more often,” Farmen said. That’s because of the fateful day when his horoscope’s recommendation led him to his current job.

Previously, Farmen did marketing for a real estate development company. But he was unhappy there and didn’t enjoy the work environment. “My mom sent me my horoscope for my birthday, and I was just like, how awesome would it be if I quit today? Because it’s my birthday and my horoscope is telling me something good might happen.” Farmen went into work, and his boss was acting like his usual self. “So I laid it on the line and left ... I wanted to have a good day,” he said.

After quitting his job, he went downtown to have some coffee. At the coffee shop, he struck up a conversation with an interesting woman who just happened to be meeting with her company’s talent acquisitionist. They had a job opening and, a few months later, reached out to Farmen and offered it to him.

Farmen said, to him, astrology offers a final confirmation when weighing a choice. He doesn’t solely base decisions on the predictions in his horoscope but sees it as a confidence booster. “In my day-to-day work behavior now, it’s kind of like the cherry on top.”

A Cross-State Leap Of Faith

Amira Irfan comes from a family of astrologers.
Amira Irfan
Amira Irfan comes from a family of astrologers.

Amira Irfan, a 35-year-old lawyer, also became introduced to astrology thanks to her family. In fact, several of Irfan’s family members are astrologers. “Pretty early on, even when I was a kid ... they would make predictions and look at the alignment of stars and how things change from month to month.” Irfan says that she began to give more credence to the practice when some of the predictions appeared to bear out.

One of the most notable predictions occurred when she was living in New Jersey and was unhappy in her job. She had no intention of making a move but then spoke with her aunt, who is an astrologer and advised that a big change was coming and she should look for jobs in Florida.

“And because she had been accurate about some of the other things in my life before, like relationships and even with me becoming a lawyer ... I ended up applying. Within a month, I got a really terrific opportunity, and I moved to Florida. It was an enhancement for my career, and I’ve been here since,” Irfan said.

Irfan strongly considers astrology to be an accurate predictor of the future. “At least, in my experience, it has been,” she said. “But everybody’s experience is different.”

Actress Turned Astrologer

Joanne Madeline Moore is former actress who now practices astrology.
Courtesy of Joanne Madeline Moore
Joanne Madeline Moore is former actress who now practices astrology.

As a teenager, Joanne Madeline Moore had a career as an actress in Australia, appearing on television shows, in films and in theater productions. However, she quickly became disillusioned with the entertainment industry and started thinking about what else she could do.

“When I was 20, I had a personal horoscope reading with the amazing astrologer Athena Starwoman, who wrote the horoscopes for American Vogue,” Moore said. “She looked at my birth chart and discovered that Uranus ... was in my career house and predicted I would one day be a successful astrologer.” Moore immediately began studying astrology and hasn’t looked back.

Her horoscope columns are now syndicated on five continents, and she runs a successful astrology website. One of the biggest pieces of advice she gives clients? “Don’t make major career and money decisions when Mercury is in retrograde,” Moore said. “When Mercury is in retrograde mode, there is more likelihood of chaos, delays and misunderstandings involving computers, communication, commerce and contracts.” Just a heads up: The next time Mercury goes retrograde is from July 7 until Aug. 1, according to Moore.

Should You Trust Astrology For Career Decisions?

There are so many factors that affect how our lives play out, including environment, upbringing, socioeconomic status and, of course, good old free will. Is it ever really advisable to rely on a pseudoscience like astrology when making a life-changing decision?

Ask an astrologer and, unsurprisingly, the answer is a resounding yes. “Astrology can be a useful tool to make important career and financial decisions,” said Virginia Paciocco, a practitioner with Spirit and Spark in Las Vegas. “In my opinion, there are several planets and aspects that, when triggered in your natal chart, can be good indicators of abundance and change.”

But even Paciocco recognizes that for the people who follow it, astrology should be used as a tool and not blindly followed. Don’t discount the importance of your own personal agency and critical thinking.

“Astrology is an amazing tool to make well-timed decisions,” Paciocco said. “We all have free will, but a little help from the stars can support in making an informed decision.”

Before You Go

These earrings are for all the elements.

Gifts For Astrology Lovers

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE