One of my greatest struggles when it came to changing career was knowing what to do instead. Back then my confidence was so low that I really didn’t see myself as good enough to do anything else. My ideas were also limited to those careers that I had seen and heard of before and a lot of them required significant retraining. I had no idea how to generate new ideas.
If you find yourself in the same situation, then the suggestions below will help you to generate exciting career change ideas.
Self-reflection
The first and most crucial step in finding a new career path is introspection. Take some time to reflect on your interests, values, and strengths. Ask yourself what activities make you feel the most alive and fulfilled. Consider your past experiences and pinpoint the tasks that brought you the most satisfaction. Hopefully you’ll start to notice some themes here.
Go beyond the obvious
Say you’ve noticed in all your self-reflection that you have a strong interest in food. The first thing that might come to mind is being a chef or running your own restaurant. But I would encourage you to go beyond the obvious. Get a big sheet of paper and write down all the career ideas that come up when you think of food. This could include food writer, food marketer, food researcher, growing food, food educator. You could combine the love of food with other interests that you have. Say one of those is plants and horticulture then an idea could be to set up a community garden, growing fruits and vegetables that you sell to local businesses. Thinking outside the box can lead to unique and fulfilling prospects.
Take an assessment
When I was unhappy in my old career I took a lot of career assessments but would find myself very annoyed with the results. The number one career that always came up was marketing – the career I was trying to escape! I would then dismiss the assessments as rubbish and not bother.
But I see now that there are lots of ways that marketing is a good fit for me. I love marketing my own business and marketing the importance of career development. The problem before was that I wasn’t at all passionate about the thing I was marketing. It’s not necessarily that the assessment was wrong.
Career assessments can be revealing but, again, you might need to beyond the obvious when interpreting the results. This is why it is a good idea to talk through the results of an assessment with someone else, preferably a careers professional. You also need to use them as a starting point for further exploration, rather than relying on the results completely.
Talk to others
Engaging with professionals already working in fields that interest you can offer valuable real-life perspectives. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn to connect with industry experts and learn more about their experiences. Don’t hesitate to ask friends, family, or other contacts if they know anyone in your desired line of work. Even general curiosity about others and their professions can spark new career ideas. Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open to the vast array of opportunities that exist.
Volunteer
Volunteering can be an eye-opening way to gain practical insight into a potential career. It not only allows you to see what it’s like to work in a particular field but also helps you build valuable experience for your resume. Even if you’re uncertain about your next steps, volunteering for a cause that resonates with you can broaden your horizons and serve as a meaningful starting point.
Finding career change ideas can be a daunting task, especially if you’re unsure of where to start or lack the confidence to explore new possibilities. However, with a little self-reflection and an open mind, you can uncover exciting opportunities that align with your interests and strengths.