Being in a career that no longer aligns with who you are can quickly become frustrating. But sometimes, confusion about what to do next can keep you stuck.
In this blog post, I share 4 things to do when you’re confused about your next career move.
When your career is misaligned with who you are, you'll start feeling stagnant and unfulfilled. You'll begin questioning your value, your impact, and your worth. You'll find yourself wondering if you're "good enough" if you have the skills to be successful and more.
Moreover, confusion about what to do when you're unhappy in your career can exacerbate those feelings of being stuck.
So, let's talk about the four things to do when you're confused about your next career move.
I know it sounds weird, but acknowledging that you're unhappy is the first thing to do when you're confused about your next career move. Why? Because now you've opened a sea of possibilities. When you don't even know why, or that you're unhappy, you'll be frustrated because you don't know the source of your dissatisfaction.
However, the moment you acknowledge that you feel confused and unhappy at work is one worth celebrating. Bu then that initial moment is usually met with confusion like - "but why am I unhappy?", "what would I do instead?", "What options are available to me?" etc. The source of your frustration in your career = the confusion about your next career move.
So, you need to congratulate yourself, at least you're no longer in the dark, you know that you're unhappy. Your next step is to decide that you will do anything BUT stay stuck where you are right now.
When you don't even know why, or that you're unhappy, you'll be frustrated because you don't know the source of your career dissatisfaction. Share on X
The second thing you need to do is reflect. Figure out what it is that you don't like about your current job. Knowing that you're unhappy is just the first step, the second is getting clarity.
You need to be clear—super clear about why exactly you're unhappy, so you can avoid it when you're looking for your next career move.
Ask yourself things like, why did I get into this job in the first place? What attracted it to me? That might help you figure out what has changed over the years that made you end up where you are now.
You can also audit your actual job right now by thinking about what exactly you don't like. Is it your daily tasks? Your relationships? The commute? Your pay? What don't you like? Audit every aspect of your current role and clarify what might be leading to career dissatisfaction.
Once you’ve figured that out, then you’ll know what to avoid as you're thinking about your next career move.
This third one is to discuss your situation with your manager, your supervisor, or your boss. However, this one is optional. It's optional because it depends on your relationship with your manager.
A good manager will be concerned with your career growth and career development. With a good manager, you might be able to sit down with them and discuss your career trajectory. But one thing I know for a fact is a large number of the women I work with don't have good managers. So make sure it's safe to have this conversation.
Through your reflection and your auditing, you might realize that maybe just needed a small tweak to be happy at work or for your next career move. Another realization can possibly be that your next career move is something internal within the organization that you're in now.
Talking to your supervisor might help facilitate that process since your supervisor might be able to give you steps or tips to navigate that process internally. Additionally, they might also be able to give you useful suggestions. They can determine what connections to build, who to talk to, and what networks to make to make that move.
Again, keep in mind that this is optional. If you don't have a good relationship with your manager or your supervisor, then this might not be a step for you to do when you're confused about your next career move.
This last thing to do is great for everyone but especially for you if your relationship with your superior isn't that great.
A career development professional can help you quickly sift through the noise on the internet when it comes to figuring out your next career move. Some things they can help you with include:
Allot some time to research whoever you work with or plan to work with to make sure that it's a good fit based on their personality, training/experience, & client results.
Most career development professionals, counselors, or coaches offer a short session to figure out if it's a fit. For example, I provide a free 30-minute consultation to potential clients to figure out if we’re a right fit. That's pretty common and it gives you a chance to see if you want to hire that person.
Allot some time to research whoever you work with or planning to work with to make sure that it's a good fit based on their personality, training/experience, & client results. Share on X
Be sure you do your research, figure out who this person is. Look at what they've done, their work, and their portfolio online. And if it's a fit, then they can be that someone who can take a pretty stressful process and make it more focused, straightforward, and direct for you.
There you have it— 4 things to do when you’re confused about your next career move. Is there at least one of those strategies you think you can apply to your career move or career search? Let me know down in the comments!
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