Are You in the Right Job?

By FPL_JohnA

This year a lot of people are taking a second look at their careers and asking the question, “is this the kind of work I really want to do?” This kind of introspection is good, but a lot of people get stuck after asking the question and answering “no.” They know they want to make a change, but don’t know what they want to do instead. If you're in that boat, here are some things that might help.

One thing you can try is a Career Inventory. These assessments can help you think about what kind of work you want to do.

A good, free one is the O*Net Interest Profiler which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Just go to my next move, opens a new window and select “Tell us what you like to do” to get started. There is also a career section that can help you see what careers have a “bright outlook” and other information.

In addition, LinkedIn Learning has several courses that can help with changing your career, from “Making a Career Change” by Stacey Gordon to “How to Create a Career You Love” by Jodi Glickman. This service can also be a great aid in your transition. By the way, LinkedIn Learning is free to Frisco residents through the library.

Finally, there are some great books that can help you clarify your thoughts on the kind of work you would like to be doing.

What Color is your Parachute?, opens a new window is a classic that I found very helpful when I made a career change. It gets updated regularly, so the advice stays current. What I really liked about it is that it helps you broaden your horizons about the possibilities that are out there.

Switchers, opens a new window and Do Over, opens a new window are a couple of other great books that can help you get out of a rut and find more satisfying work.

And don’t forget, once you decide what your next career should be, the library has lots of resources to help you get to it.