How to Switch Careers When You Don’t Know What You Want

Are you currently looking to move on from a job or career that you don’t enjoy, but aren’t sure what you want to do next? Or perhaps you’re just starting out in your career and don’t know where to start when it comes to figuring out what kind of job you want. Living in a state of ambiguity with no clear direction on what to do next can feel incredibly daunting – especially if you’re currently in a role that you find unfulfilling. So, what do you do to figure out how to switch careers when you’re not sure what’s next? This article will provide insights on how to get in the right mindset when thinking about your next role and what actionable steps you can take to help you uncover what job types would be a good fit for you.

How I Switched Careers Multiple Times

In my own life, I have had to figure out how to switch careers several times. I’m very familiar with the feelings of being deeply unsatisfied with my work. The fear of not knowing what to do next. The overwhelm of trying to figure out how to enter a new job in a new industry.

Thankfully, I was lucky enough to have a good support system and guidance at the time – most especially from my sister. After graduating from a liberal arts university with a degree in Humanities and Music, I have worked as a waitress, as a Public Relations (PR) intern and associate, a program manager at a major tech company, and finally, as an instructional designer at the same company.

Needless to say, I’ve become fairly skilled at navigating how to switch careers. I have also acquired a fairly rich skillset from my non-linear career path that serve me well today. In all my changes, I learned how to figure out what I want my next job to be, how to make myself an excellent candidate for new role types, and how to turn my varied career into an asset. Now, I’ll share some of the most valuable insights I’ve learned and what tangible steps you can take to figure out what you want to do next.

Passions vs. Skill Sets 

One of the major hangups people get stuck on when it comes to figuring out how to switch careers is trying to figure out what they’re ‘passionate’ about. However, this approach doesn’t necessarily provide clarity on what type of work would suit you well. Instead, it can place an immense amount of pressure on an already daunting process. This is because the idea of pursuing what we’re passionate about is often abstract and undefined. We don’t have an understanding of the concrete daily activities and skills it requires. Oftentimes, we’re not even sure how to translate our passions into a job. When it comes to where you’ll spend at least 40 hours a week, it’s more important to think about the day-to-day activities you engage in, the environment you’re in, and skill sets you’ll get to utilize. 

So, when thinking about how to switch careers, shift your mindset. Focus on what skills you would like to develop, as well as the type of problem solving that energizes you. This will help you identify where you should focus your energy and what types of jobs you should look for.

You can still take your passions into account throughout this process. In fact, you can consider what skills you can develop that will best enable you to pursue your passions. The key is to view your job search through the lens of skill sets and what work energizes you. This will provide you with a more solid framework to evaluate job opportunities and careers. So, let’s break down how to do this, starting with your current role. 

Assess Where You’re At

How do you start identifying what skills you want to develop and what type of work energizes you? Start by assessing where you’re at. Consider your experience within your current role, as well as other relevant experiences in your life. Identify what tasks you enjoyed versus which ones were tedious and draining. What skills and strengths did you bring to the table that you would like to develop further?

Start keeping track of activities and job duties that energize you versus the type of activities you find draining by creating a pros and cons list. Don’t forget to consider your working style and environment. For example, do you prefer highly structured environments with clear processes in place? Or do you prefer agile environments that have room for experimentation and ambiguity? These considerations are also critical for defining what job types (and companies) may be a good fit. 

Assessing your strengths, interests, and preferred working style will give you direction on what type of jobs to consider. It will act as a sort of compass as you try to gain clarity on where you’d like to go next.

Defining What’s Next

Now that you have a baseline understanding of your strengths and interests, it’s time to explore what new areas could be a good fit. A great place to start is by looking at job descriptions. As you read job descriptions, take note of what job responsibilities and tasks intrigue you. Jot those activities in your pros list. If you come across job duties that create a negative reaction in you, put them in your cons list. While much of this is based on past experiences, listen to your intuition as well. You may be surprised by some of your discoveries about yourself. So, tap into your emotions here and get curious about why something intrigues or repels you. This can provide you with insight on what is a good direction to pursue versus steer clear from.

Honing Your Direction

As you build out your list, you’ll start to notice themes and patterns emerge. You’ll gain clarity around the type of work you find attractive. In addition, you will also build up your vocabulary and knowledge of career fields and job types. This will be valuable in helping you hone your search. As you narrow your focus, you can begin evolving your process. 

Start networking and having conversations with people in some of the related fields that you’re looking at. This will give you a better sense of different types of job roles. You’ll gain a better understanding of the work and skills required. Plus, you will also be building relationships, which is key for switching careers and landing jobs.

Keep in mind, this isn’t a linear process. It’s an investigation with twists and turns along the way. You might feel like you’re hitting dead ends here and there. However, you’ll be accumulating knowledge and refining your intuition throughout the process. So be patient and persistent. Over time, a path will start to become clearer.

Aligning Skillsets 

As you lock down a direction and start to look at specific jobs, it’s helpful to get in the right mindset regarding carrying over skills, vs. building them on the job. If you are looking to grow and be challenged in your work, then you should apply to roles that you’re not fully qualified for. 

It’s a well-known statistic that women will often not apply for roles unless they are 100% qualified. While there is debate as to whether this is a confidence issue or simply a lack of insight into how the hiring process often works, the take-away is this: View job qualifications as guidelines, but don’t let it deter you from applying to roles that could be a good fit. Every role that you take should have a growth opportunity for you – especially in the skills that you want to develop. 

I have applied to jobs that required three years of experience in an area where I had only one year of related experience – and I got the job. I have applied for roles where I was not trained in some of the required tools, and where the job responsibilities were somewhat of a stretch opportunity for me. Not only did I land the job, but I performed well in the role. These jobs were exactly the type of growth opportunity I needed to feel challenged and excited in my work. 

Crafting Your Story

Of course, as with anything, make sure to weigh any advice and tailor it to your own personal situation. This is not a claim that you can make a direct switch from Accounting to Marine Biology without getting the needed education or building a baseline skill set in the field. However, there are many careers that are not as specialized which have significant overlap with other job types and industries. You simply need to learn to tell your story to show that you have the skills to excel in the role. This article covered how to switch careers when you don’t know what to do next. However, a follow up article will dive into how to craft your story to showcase that you bring the right skillset to the role. It will also teach you how to communicate this on your resume as well as interviews.