Searching for a Career: What If You Don’t Know What You Enjoy Doing?

Spend Some Time Exploring

We often get this idea in our heads that the “perfect” job is out there — that one role will make us happy every day for the rest of our lives. It’s good to have goals, but this idea that perfection exists may hinder your career search efforts.

Instead, you should focus your efforts on exploration. Explore different outlets that could spark your interests. Try out different activities to see what you do and don’t enjoy. Look for volunteer or internship opportunities to give various jobs a trial run. You can even take courses to explore different fields you could pursue further.

Reflect on Your Past

While doing some soul-searching, try to reflect on your past experiences. Have there been any jobs or activities that you genuinely loved and felt at home doing? Are there any moments that you can recall getting lost in the joy of a task or activity?

Honing in on things that energize you and make you happy is a great place to start when looking for a career path.

Assess Your Values and Desires

Sometimes, doing a deep dive into your current life values and beliefs can help steer you in a good direction. What do you want your life to look like in the future? Where do you see yourself living? What is your desired income and work-life balance? Do you see yourself in more of a service role or something more behind the scenes?

There are many questions you can ask yourself to start narrowing down your potential career options.

Inventory Your Skills

We do a lot of activities in our daily lives. Take inventory of those you excel in and have built a skillset around. You can be passionate about many things, but do you have the necessary skills to turn this into something further? Competence in something can lead to job satisfaction.

Network with Others

If you’re still scratching your head about the direction you should go in career-wise, try networking with other people in the general areas you are interested in. Speaking with people who work in these fields can give you a perspective you wouldn’t otherwise get.

You may find opportunities to ask questions, job shadow, or even gain an internship. There is also the chance that people within a desired field can provide mentorship in the future.

Look Into Career Counseling

If you’re still finding yourself at a crossroads after doing some soul-searching and reflection, you have the option to consult with a career counselor to help give you some prompts and guidance for looking for ideas.

Seek Professional

Career searching can be a tough task, especially when you’re working in an unknown area. Working with a therapist can help you sift through any anxiety you may be having and allow you to best focus on your journey. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your process.