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Virgo

Symbol:   The Virgin
Element:   Earth
Polarity:   Negative
Quality:   Mutable
Ruling Planet:   Mercury
Ruling House:   Sixth
Spirit Color:   Silver
Lucky Gem:   Peridot
Flower:   Sunflower & marigold
Top Love Matches:   Cancer
Key Traits:   Graceful, organized, kind
Motto:   "My best can always be better."
Classic (Famous) Virgos:   Blake Lively, Cameron Diaz, Beyonce, Salma Hayak, Chris Pine, Jennifer Judson, Prince Harry, Nas, Jason Derulo, Mase, Zendaya

Virgo Career, Money & Success

Virgo's Career Mantra: Perfection is possible.

Virgo's greatest career strength: Intelligence. Fiercely intelligent, Virgos are a manager's dream because they can both see the big picture and focus in on the tiny details to make a project work.

Virgo's greatest career challenge: Perfectionism. Virgo wants everything he or she does to be the best, and will sometimes delay projects when good enough might have been totally acceptable.

Virgo's Work Style

Virgos love work, especially throwing themselves into a project. A Virgo can be a quiet leader, motivating a team without big lectures or announcements, and leading by example instead. This sign demands just as much (if not more) excellence from themselves as they do from the people who work with them.

While Virgo is a good team player who doesn't cause drama or make waves, this sign loves working solo, often burning the midnight oil just to have some thinking time alone in the office. Virgo hates multi-tasking, and finds endless emails and interruptions to be incredibly invasive. Because of this, Virgos often take their work home with them, which can be annoying to the people they live with.

This intelligent sign thrives in careers that don't demand 9-5 attendance, and that let them be their own motivator and boss. Remote careers attract Virgo, as well as careers in the education sector, where they can share their passion for knowledge yet have the time and space to work on their own projects.

Virgo's Dream Careers

Virgo gets things done right, even if he or she drives everyone crazy in the process. This sign isn't temperamentally suited to a job where constant chaos and changing priorities are an everyday reality. They prefer a career that allows them complete control over their work and environment. Virgos need clear direction and expectations, and vague instructions stress them out just as much as last-minute changes. Virgins are motivated to work within established standards and follow company policy, usually earning them a solid reputation for quality and an untarnished record.

Here are a few careers best suited to Virgo:

College Professor: Virgo loves learning and may be drawn to PhD programs. An inspiring teacher, this sign loves a schedule where they can simultaneously teach and conduct their own research.

Museum Curator: Creative Virgo loves museums, which often sit at the intersection of art and learning. Inviting the public into a museum and figuring out the best way to curate its collection is the best kind of puzzle for Virgo.

Information Technology Expert or Librarian: A Virgo loves information and thrives in a library or IT environment where categorizing, organizing, and meeting with the public are all skills they get to use every day.

Systems Analyst: Detail-driven Virgo thrives in tech, where everything must be correct for a program or system to work. When it doesn't, Virgo has the patience to figure out what went wrong.

Designer: Creative and artistic, Virgo sees how things go together in ways that others may not. He or she may excel at the junction of interior design and architecture it's that eye for detail and design that not many other signs possess.

Virgo and Money

Intelligent and rational, Virgo has a rep for being good at saving money. And they are most of the time. But with impulsive Mercury as their ruling planet, sometimes Virgos just want to spend. This sign absolutely enjoys working hard for hard work's sake, but they're also fond of the comfort that a paycheck provides. And while Virgo doesn't care what others think and never buys something to impress others, he or she tends to have expensive taste. Virgo also loves to splurge on travel and can't resist a plane ticket or luxe hotel. Ultimately, though, Virgos temper their spending with smart savings strategies, coupled with their ability to parlay that big intelligence into a big paycheck.

If You Work for a Virgo Boss

Virgos are friendly and kind to all, but being cordial in the elevator doesn't guarantee that they think much of your professional performance. A Virgo boss expects you to do your best, and he or she doesn't want to hold your hand while you're getting up to speed. To know if you're doing a good job, look to your workload the more you have on your desk, the more your boss trusts you.

If work gets too intense or you need help, it's best to loop in a Virgo boss early in the crisis. This employer won't proactively check in, so it's key that you clue them into what's going on. And if you make a mistake or run into a problem, let your Virgo boss know, but deliver the news with a few options for how you would fix it. It's likely that this perfectionist boss will decide to take things over, but you'll get points for your honesty and constructive suggestions.

Here are five more ways to impress your Virgo boss:

Spellcheck those emails! Even if it's just a low-key memo reminding people to clean out the office fridge, Virgo hates mistakes and sees misspelling as a sign of laziness.

Be polite. Virgo values interpersonal relationships, and if your boss catches you being rude, even if it's because someone else made a mistake, he or she will think less of you.

Give a gift. Virgos can be buttered up. For example, this sign has a sweet tooth and adores snacks, so buying them an extra cookie when you go on a coffee run will always be appreciated.

Read. Virgo adores books. Subtly placing a novel on the side of your desk isn't a bad thing especially if you're actually reading it. (And this may be on the test!)

Check in. Virgo likes employees who take ownership of their job. Checking in every few months to talk goals, strengths, and weaknesses can help your Virgo boss warm up to you.

What Success Means to a Virgo

For Virgo, success comes from within, and this sign isn't happy with themselves unless they feel like it's a job well done. To that end, Virgos can get frustrated at a job where their beliefs about the best strategy don't align with what their boss believes. Virgins love having their voice heard, and even if they're not the boss, they need to have a say and have their say respected to feel appreciated at work. Virgos don't look too carefully at their bank account balance while they want to make a comfortable living, they'd rather make a little less money and work in a job that they love than pull down an impressive paycheck from a job that they hate.

Awakening the Inner Virgo Bear

Although Virgo's western astrology symbol is the Virgin, in other traditions, this sign's spirit animal would be the bear. Intelligent, watchful, and possessing fierce strength, the bear represents tenacity (hunting is an all-day project) and a love of the good life (hello, hibernation!). But mostly, Virgos can wake their inner bear when they need a push to be their fiercest, strongest self. Here's how to bring that ursine presence online:

Watch. Bears don't immediately pounce. They wait in the background, watching for the right moment. Observation and getting all the details before making a move is key for Virgo.

Take a solo walk. You know how you see a bear moving alone through the woods? A Virgo alone in the woods is a happy Virgo. Taking time in nature can help this sign figure out his or her next steps.

Swim. Bears may seem big and clumsy on land, but they move gracefully in the water. And the weightless feeling of being in water can help Virgos flow beyond their fixation on one decision or choice.

Take a nap. As any bear knows, naps are not a sign of laziness. They're essential for preserving energy. Busy Virgos need to recognize the restorative power of down time.

Indulge in a protein-packed meal. For Virgo, ruled by the abdomen, food is fuel but anyone would have a hard time eating when his or her stomach is in knots. Seeking out a proper, healthy meal is essential for Virgo to keep in top performing shape.