Are you having trouble figuring out what to do with your life? Then, keep reading; I’m sharing some real-life tips for finding your career path.
Do you know how some people grow up knowing what they want to do from a very young age? Yeah, well, that wasn’t me.
Whenever people asked me what I wanted to do with my life, I would answer something different: a school teacher, nurse, mom, model, secretary, or flight attendant (I grew up in the 1970s, can you tell?).
Even when I got to high school, I still had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I dabbled in art, Spanish, sociology, and psychology, but I didn’t feel a strong pull in any one direction.
My College Years
When I went off to college, I started out as an undecided major. I took my basics along with a lot of social sciences. And while I enjoyed my classes, I still had no idea what I should do for a career. I ended up switching majors numerous times until I finally settled on anthropology for a major with a sociology minor.
What did I plan to do with those?
No clue. All I knew was that if I got my bachelor’s degree, everything else would fall into place.
After college, I took two months off from my waitressing job to backpack around Europe and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Throughout my travels, I kept thinking back to the folklore class I had taken. In this class, we learned about the varying birth practices from around the world… Then, all of a sudden, it hit me—I wanted to be a midwife!
When I returned to the US, I started researching midwifery and labor and delivery nursing and decided to apply for nursing school. I felt so proud that I had finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life.
Working as a Nurse
Fast forward a few years, and one nursing degree later, I found myself working in a hospital on a pediatric unit (Yup, it turns out I didn’t enjoy labor and delivery like I thought I would).
There were many things I enjoyed about nursing, such as the critical thinking involved, the joy of helping others, and working with a great team. But there were more things I disliked about nursing than I liked, such as staffing shortages, odd and long working hours, dealing with doctors who were demanding, demeaning, and condescending, and don’t forget the stress of having patients’ lives in your hands. In the course of one short year, I went from idealistic and excited to totally burnt out.
From there, I went on to prior authorization for Medicaid, then to surveillance and utilization review, and finally on to clinical research for pharmaceutical companies. These roles were better than my hospital days, but they didn’t bring me joy. I often dreaded going to work every Monday morning.
Becoming a New Mom
As soon as I got pregnant with my daughter, I planned for my departure from the work world. Since I knew I’d be unemployed for an extended period, I saved as much money as I could during my last nine months working as a nurse. I saved $15,000, which I thought would last me a couple of years. But my savings dwindled much faster than I anticipated. Even though my husband’s income covered our major expenses, I still wanted to have money for mommy and me classes, play-dates, and my regular coffee fix at Starbucks. It was during this period that I started looking for work at home gigs.
I had no clue what I wanted to do. What I did know was that I didn’t want to put my daughter in daycare, and I didn’t want to return to the nursing field. My goal was to make just enough money so my daughter and I could continue participating in our outside activities.
Finding My Career Path
I searched online for work at home opportunities but encountered a bunch of scams. I read tons of books on changing careers, starting a business, and working from home. I talked with friends and family about different career options and had even considered starting a personal concierge or virtual assistant business. I also asked past employers and friends who were self-employed if they had any work that I could do from home. My networking efforts finally paid off, and I started working from home, 10 hours a week for a small publishing company, completing marketing tasks.
Starting a Blog
Once I had money coming in, my mind was free to focus on other things. And that other thing that kept popping into my head was starting a blog. If I had such trouble finding a home-based career, there must be other people who were facing the same issues. It was at this time that I decided to create The Work at Home Woman.
For months, I researched work at home ideas, wrote content, and brainstormed monetization methods. Eventually, I bit the bullet, hired a graphic designer, and created the website. I officially launched on March 19, 2009.
For six years, I continued to do freelance work for the publishing company and work on my blog, which continued to grow by leaps and bounds. But I was stressed out. My position with the publishing company evolved into a much more dynamic role, as did my blogging business.
Even though my blog was making a good amount of money, I was afraid to let my freelancing gig go because it provided consistent income each month (never base decisions on fear). I finally decided to part ways with my freelance gig and focus on my blog full-time. I should have made this break sooner, but live and learn.
Fifteen years later, I still have a career that I LOVE. I never dread Monday mornings; in fact, I look forward to them. Regarding income, I make way more money now than I ever did working as a full-time nurse. When you have a career that you adore, there’s no limit to what you can do.
So, what tips do I have for finding your career path? Keep reading; I’m getting to the good stuff!
11 Tips For Finding Your Career Path When You Feel Lost
1. Do Some Self-Discovery
When you’re having trouble finding your career path, you need to do a deep dive into what you want your life to look like. To figure out your life purpose, start by asking yourself some self-discovery questions.
- When are you happiest?
- What drains your energy?
- What areas are you naturally skilled in?
- Are you willing to go back to school?
- What topic do people always ask to pick your mind on?
- If money were no object, what would you be doing right now?
- What makes you feel fulfilled?
- What causes you anxiety?
- What do you think your dream job is?
- Would you like to start a business?
- What are your short-term and long-term goals?
By going through this list of questions, you’ll begin to see patterns develop, and you can use this information to explore possible career paths. Conversely, if you find areas that make you unhappy or stressed out, you can identify those careers and industries to stay away from.
If you need more self-discovery questions, check out this list from author Tim Ferriss, 17 Questions That Changed My Life.
2. Become a Voracious Reader
Now that you have a better idea of some possible career ideas, you can delve deeper into the topic by reading some books. Don’t worry if you haven’t figured out a possible career path yet; there are books that can help!
One book that I read when I was trying to figure out what to do with my life is What Color is Your Parachute? Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success. This book has sold over 10,000,000 copies, and it still remains a staple among job seekers today. The author, Richard Bolles, updates the book every couple of years, so it is still relevant in today’s job market.
Some newer career books that you may want to explore include:
Reading can spark new ideas, help you gain valuable insight, and learn new things. It’s also an inexpensive way (or free if you use your local library) to invest in your self-development. According to this TikTok video from Rachel Pedersen, the average person only reads four books per year. If you read one book a week for the next two years, you’ll be ahead of people for the rest of your life.
And if you’re interested in starting a business, I have a list of top-notch entrepreneurship books here.
3. Take a Career Assessment Test
Another way to find your ideal career path is to take a career test. There are many different online tests that can help you hone in on the perfect career for your personality. Some popular tests, like the Myers-Briggs (MBTIonline Careers) test, cost $79.95 and will help you find career satisfaction by matching your personality results to different occupations and how likely you’ll be satisfied in those roles.
Other career-related tests, including some Enneagram personality tests, are free. When you’re struggling to figure out which career path is right for you, these tests can sometimes shed light on new career ideas. I took an Enneagram test a few years ago, and it was very accurate in suggesting viable career paths for my personality: an entrepreneur!
4. Try New Things
One reason people get stuck in their career search is that they don’t leave their comfort zone. And believe me, I’ve been there. It’s so easy to get caught up in doing the same thing over and over again; after all, we are creatures of habit. So, get out there and try something new. Take a class, attend a networking event, take up a new hobby, sign up for an online course, and talk to people, lots of them. The more you open yourself up to new opportunities, the more ideas and information will flow your way.
When I began looking for remote jobs outside the nursing field, I immersed myself in the career space. I connected with people on social media, read career-related articles, attended networking events, and told anyone who would listen about my career search. The more I put myself out there, the more I learned, and the closer I got to finding my dream job. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Apply for a different job, start a side hustle, enroll in a free course, or go back to school. Each new step you take leads you one step closer to finding your career path.
5. Conduct Informational Interviews
If you have some insight into a career path you’d like to explore, start conducting informational interviews. With an informational interview, you talk to someone who is actually doing what you want to do. For instance, if you want to become a nurse, you would talk to nurses who are working in the area you want to work in, and you would ask them questions about their role.
Questions to ask may include:
- What is the best part of your job?
- What do you dislike about your job?
- What do you wish you knew before going into this field?
- What does a typical workday look like for you?
- What was the hiring process for company ABC?
The goal of an informational interview is to give you the inside scoop about an occupation and sometimes a hiring company. Getting a real-life account of what a role entails can help you determine if this is indeed the right direction for you. Informational interviews can also be valuable for creating new connections and getting your foot in the door with a company. Check out this post for more information on conducting informational interviews.
6. Listen to Podcasts and TED Talks
Just like reading books, listening to podcasts and TED Talks can help you generate new ideas, inspire yourself, and create positive habits. The great thing about this medium is that it’s readily available and can be done while you’re driving, cooking dinner, or exercising.
Not sure where to begin?
Check out these curated podcast lists for job seekers and aspiring business owners!
- FlexJobs – 10 Inspiring Career Podcasts to Add to Your List
- The Work at Home Woman – The Best Podcasts for Growing Your Small Business
- Vault – 10 Career Podcasts to Help You Find Your Dream Job and Unlock Your Potential
7. Search by Skills Instead of Occupation
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 867 different types of occupations. With so many different jobs you can do, it’s likely that you’re not familiar with some roles that you might be passionate about or qualified for.
To find these mystery jobs, try searching by your skills instead of occupation. You can use sites like Indeed or Robert Half to accomplish this task. Just type in your skill and see what other occupations pop up. For instance, I typed in fast typist in Indeed, and the following occupations popped up:
- Data Entry Clerk
- Chart Retrieval Specialist
- Document Care Specialist
- Office Clerk
- Administrative Assistant
When you search by skills instead of occupation, you’ll learn about new positions that you can explore further. If something piques your curiosity, you can conduct informational interviews to find out if it’s a good fit for you. In some cases, you may not need any additional training.
8. Volunteer
When my daughter was younger, she thought she wanted to be a vet and work with animals. So, one day, we volunteered at a cat sanctuary for four hours. During that time, we scooped hundreds of litter boxes and cleaned up cat vomit. As soon as we had cleaned all the litter boxes, we had to start over because they were dirty again; there were so many cats! By the end of our session, my daughter said that she didn’t think being a vet was for her.
Volunteering is an excellent way to give back to the community and find out if an occupation is really all it is cracked up to be.
There are tons of companies that are more than happy to have you work as a volunteer. I’ve volunteered for organizations like the Texas Conference for Women and Austin Women in Tech, doing social media tasks and roundtable talks. When my daughter was a freshman, she volunteered at our local library, reshelving books.
Volunteer opportunities are endless, and it looks great on your resume! Check out VolunteerMatch to find local and online volunteer opportunities.
9. Hire a Career or Life Coach
If you’re having a hard time finding your career path and you have the funds, hiring a life or career coach can be an excellent way to uncover new passions. A coach can help you figure out what you want to do with your life, establish a plan of action, and keep you accountable on your journey. Some coaches even help with writing your resume and interviewing skills.
Hiring a career coach will cost around $75-$150 per session (sometimes more), but it may be worth the price if you’re feeling stuck.
When you look for career coaches, you’ll want to do some research so that you hire someone who will offer you a lot of insight and value. Look at things like their training, testimonials, reviews, and years of experience. This article has some helpful tips for determining if hiring a career coach is right for your situation.
10. Test a Side Hustle
Sometimes, finding the right path involves testing the waters, and what better way than to test out a side hustle? With technological advances, you can start a side hustle for little to nothing, so there’s not much pressure to invest large sums of money.
If you’re talented in graphic design, video editing, or writing, set up an account on Fiverr or Upwork and start freelancing. If you love creating content for Instagram, try monetizing your efforts through paid sponsorships and affiliate marketing. If you love animals, try pet sitting and dog walking with Rover.
There are thousands of ways to launch a side hustle, and this gives you the opportunity to explore your desired occupation without quitting your day job or going back to school.
If you decide you love the side hustle you started, great, scale it, and make it your full-time business. Don’t love your side hustle? That’s no problem. Close up the shop and try something new.
11. Watch YouTube Videos
You can learn just about anything by watching YouTube videos!
Not only is YouTube a great way to learn new skills, but you can also gain clarity about what you want to do.
My daughter, a senior in high school, had been waffling between engineering and architecture as a major in college. After watching YouTube videos in her free time, she learned important lessons from others who have gone down these potential career paths and decided on a major based on real-life examples from other people.
Finding Your Career Path Wrapup
There you have it: 11 simple tips for finding your career path!
One last piece of advice. It took me 30+ jobs and 37 years to find my ideal career path. Don’t let other people’s expectations steer you down the wrong road. Keep taking baby steps forward, try new things, and learn everything you can. As long as you remain consistent in your efforts and keep an open mind—you’re on your way to finding your career path, too!
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Originally published on September 6, 2018. Content updated March 2025.