At some point, we all question the career path we’re on. But at what point do you take the leap of faith and make a real change? The key to getting this often overwhelming decision right is doing your research and gathering information to determine if it makes sense for you — and how it could improve your personal and professional life.
Fortunately, much of your research can be done virtually. Here are tips that could help you determine if you’re on the right career path.
- Discuss options with a mentor. Maybe you have a manager at work who could discuss your career goals during an annual performance review, whether that’s identifying areas where you have excelled or finding professional education opportunities to help you learn or test out a certain area.
- Network outside of your employer. Schedule informational interviews (in person or virtually, depending on the situation) at other companies to explore different cultures, industries and careers. Is there someone in your LinkedIn network who has a job or posts content that interests you? Most people are willing to share their ideas and experiences. Ask them what they like most about their jobs, the kinds of projects they work on, and any advice they have for you.
- Take a career quiz to see if your career matches up with your interests. Most colleges offer lifetime services for alumni, but there are also online resources such as Princeton Review’s career quiz. CareerLeader™ is a self-assessment tool used by top business schools to help alumni uncover their career interests, motives and abilities.
- Do some self-reflecting. Ask yourself what you’re good at and what you enjoy. Then Google jobs that connect to those interests to make sure there is a demand. Check out online job sites to explore open positions and salaries. Also determine what success means to you: a senior management position, work-life balance or social responsibility, for example.
- Talk to family and friends. Ask people who spend time with you about your strengths, and use this as a guide. Caveat: Be sure that you make decisions based on your goals, not what others think you should be doing.
- Explore a class to test out a skill. If time and money allow, take a course or read a book about an area that interests you. This is particularly helpful if you are considering a career change from one industry to another: human resources to data analytics, for example. Executive Education programs like the Mini MBA at Bentley University can expose you
Sometimes your research will help you realize that you are, in fact, happy with your current career path and just need to enhance life outside of work: volunteering in an area of interest, for example. But if you find that you’re ready for something new, write down your end goal and make a to-do list of what qualifications you need to get there. And don’t forget to be realistic.
- Do you have the resources for a graduate degree or certificate, or do you need to start smaller with different kinds of projects at work?
- What kind of time commitment and investment is required?
- Will your employer help pay for a graduate degree?
If you’re currently deciding on a career change, find out more about Bentley’s graduate programs.