I have been in the recruiting industry for over fourteen years. During this time, I’ve worked with people who have a laser focus on their career goals and others who are stuck in what direction they want to go next. Let’s face it, unless we have tried something, we may not know if we like it or if we don’t. With the negative stigma behind job-hopping, it makes sense why someone would hesitate to leave a job for something that they are unfamiliar with.
Staying in that job you do not love may not be all that appealing either.
Now keep in mind, whether you are a business owner, employee, leader, stay-at-home parent, or something else altogether, we all have things in life/work that we need to do that is not our favorite thing. This is NOT what I am referring to. I am referring to the job/functions as a whole that is not fulfilling or not challenging you physically/mentally or whatever the case may be.
So, what do you do?
First things first, take stock, are there things you know you want to do in your future career? Are there goals or dreams that you have and just have not acted on? If so, start defining these; it can be a great starting point to deciding what you want in your next job/career.
What have you done in the past?
A great way to decide what you want to do in the future is to assess your past positions. You can find my Job/career reflection tool here. Start by making a list of all of your previous positions and detail what you liked about each and what you did not like about each. Once that is complete, review all of what you liked and decide if there are patterns.
Let’s face it; there are often jobs we have early on that do not use many of the things we enjoy doing. Because of this, it’s important to take stock in all of the things you like/dislike and is good/not good in other areas of your life that don’t involve your work to help point you in the most fulfilling direction. These are included on page two of my Reflection tool.
What type of career could you use those skills with?
Once you have clarity, it’s time to do some exploring.
Do a google search titled something like, “Careers that involve (enter in the things you like and are good at)”
Seek out someone in your field of interest and ask if you can shadow them for a day or a couple of days. During this time, ask questions about how they got started. What they like/don’t like, etc. This can help give clarity about what to expect in the big picture.
Apply/talk to a recruiter and determine if there are job opportunities you can check out to determine the best fit for you.
If you are working full time and hesitant to change, try some things on the side during your off-hours and see anything that fits.
In summary, making a change and getting your career path in a direction you want may take some work, but it can also give you much fulfillment and long-term happiness!
For support, contact me.
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