Libra Astrology Career Profile

Top Careers

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Libra

September 23 - October 22

By Jane Hodges

Librans, ruled by pleasure and beauty planet Venus, are motivated by relationship-building and the pursuit of aesthetic and social harmony.

Top Career Programs for Libra

What Motivates Libra

Ever heard a college rally where the kids were shouting "No justice, no peace!"? That's the Libra motto. These folks pursue justice in society, and balance in their relationships and art. While Taurus, the other sign ruled by Venus, exults in sensual pleasure and material or physical security, Librans seek beauty within the more abstract realm of ideas.

The Art of Cultivating Relationships

Librans are born with a knack for cultivating relationships of all kinds, and they intuitively get the give-and-take required for relationships at a much earlier age than their astrological peers. They strive to create a peaceful and harmonious environment where people feel comfortable to speak and debate with careers in teaching or human resources. Librans are posse people.

At work, Librans are chatty and interactive. These folks are excellent team members and team builders. They're masters at the art of offering that diplomatically voiced suggestion that outsmarts the boss's idea, then letting the boss take credit for their suggestion. Sound crazy? It's not: For Libra, the soft-spoken and diplomatic approach demonstrates both Libran smarts and Libran corporate diplomacy. (After all, what boss wouldn't promote the underling with the great idea and the wits not to flaunt besting the boss in front of the rest of the team?)

Librans work in fits and starts, and they gravitate toward collaborative professions or work that requires their diplomacy skills. It's essential that they work directly with people or with ideas and in a friendly environment, or that, as managers, their task is fostering a more harmonious work culture.

Deliberate, Not Indecisive

Librans may appear too mild-mannered to lead. Don't mistake their tendency to deliberate over seemingly minor decisions or their impulse to frequently "poll" pals for advice as a sign of weakness, though. The Libran ability to work through problems by consulting a carefully cultivated list of friends and advisors, or to consider all pieces of information in crafting an ultimate solution, is actually this sign's form of leadership.

Librans can get aggressive when defending an idea or defending against what they consider injustice. Their attacks, however, won't be levied against an individual, but, instead, a set of ideas or logic. Even their attacks, thus, turn into teaching moments. After all, Librans want a balanced dialogue, and they're only pointing out inconsistencies that don't make sense to them. Perhaps their adversary would like to explain? Next thing you know, Libra has befriended the enemy—or at least set the stage for a productive dialogue.

Popularity—and constant contact with others—does have its price, at times. The downside to constantly cultivating an entourage and making sure everyone's voice is heard or considered is that Librans must constantly manage and respond to other peoples' egos and needs. Fortunately, Librans actually enjoy solving the social problems they create for themselves as much as the problems they stumble upon. Given a loving partner and a lifetime supply of Tums to soothe their occasional bouts of nerves, there's little these friendly folks can't accomplish.

How to Spot a Libra at Work

Libra career manual: What Color is Your Parachute?
Colors: Pink, pale blue
Libra success symbol: A gigantic engagement ring, art incorporating both yin and yang
Spare time pursuits: Participating on boards, fashion design work, yoga

Libra in Action

Libra Gwen Stefani exemplifies her sign's professional persona. She enjoys the artistic pleasure of composing and performing music as well as creating and overseeing a clothing line and her own unique rock star persona. But she is also married and a mother, and she uses her Libran capacity for balance to move both her personal and professional life forward simultaneously in a way many contemporary performers cannot.

Stefani's performances and videos establish that she's a diva, but also that her act is the product of her relationship and interaction with her fellow dancers and musicians. (Other Libra musicians also show, within their performances, that collaboration and relationships are not only integral but organic components of their acts: Folk singer Gillian Welch is inextricably linked to partner and fellow performer David Rawlings, while Bruce Springsteen has his E Street Band.)

Stefani's songs, though pop-driven, reach out to teens and young adults and mock social assumptions and stereotypes, urging a message of social acceptance and light-hearted feminist justice. For instance, her pop hit Just a Girl mocks the low expectations a girl may face in American society.

And Justice for All

Libra leaders are motivated by getting unlikely parties to cooperate and by promoting fairness and justice. Aside from working in the legal profession (William Rehnquist), they frequently turn up as peacemakers (Mahatma Gandhi), activists (Jesse Jackson, Susan Sarandon), politicians (Margaret Thatcher), diplomats (Jimmy Carter), and organizers (Bob Geldof).

As writers and journalists, they work hard to chronicle unheard sides of the story (Elie Wiesel) and to give voice to unusual characters (William Faulkner). Truman Capote's compassionate investigation of two murderers' lives led to his groundbreaking book In Cold Blood. Barbara Walters, with her soft-spoken manner, is known for eliciting surprising confessions in TV interviews. As comedians, Librans play expertly off of other characters (Sacha Baron Cohen, Janeane Garofalo, Joan Rivers) to point out social inequities in relationships, culture or politics.

The Power of Buzz

In the business world, Librans can use their personal ties to get ahead—or they can use their deft ability to deploy the right person for the right situation in corporate recruiting, human resources, networking organizations or professional matchmaking. Because they thrive on giving and receiving referrals and understand the necessity and power of buzz, they could successfully launch a small business (like McDonald's founder Ray Kroc or outdoor products giant LL Bean)—or handle the public relations involved in supporting other entrepreneurs.

Librans are aesthetic and can also gravitate toward creative fields, ranging from fashion (Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi) to music (Luciano Pavarotti, David Lee Roth) or the life of visual arts (Pablo Picasso). Because they enjoy working with other people to create beauty and a harmonious environment, they can succeed as interior decorators, personal shoppers, florists, event planners, museum managers and other society-related jobs.