Career Change Clinic: I have many interests that could become possible careers. How do I choose which one to pursue?

Careershifter Question: "For as long as I can remember I’ve been 'looking' for whatever it may be that might keep me excited, as I get bored so easily. I have hated my job as a corporate administrator for the past seven years. I am at a point where I am desperate for a change, but it is so difficult to know what I might enjoy. I have thought about doing reflexology, or maybe becoming a pet-sitter. I used to paint and write when I was younger, so have a creative side too. I read loads of books on self development and spiritual matters, which I am drawn to. I know I would enjoy a job where I had freedom and perhaps be my own boss, but I don't know exactly what I want to do, or where to start. How do I make up my mind?"

Here is my answer...

Identify the things you truly enjoy and would want to keep doing

It’s important to focus on work that will keep you interested with a level of variety and change. Identify what it is that truly bores you, and what tasks are you happy to do repeatedly. There will be some things that you are happy to do again and again. For me, that’s dancing. For you, it could be exploring spiritual ideas and discussing them. When you identify the things that you are happy to do, it means you won’t get bored with them (generally speaking!).

Try out your potential ideas on a small scale

If you don’t yet feel that you have found anything that you would love to do again and again, I’d keep exploring. Try out drop-in classes in things that interest you, or short weekend courses. Make sure you do these things rather than read up about them. It might help to think back to what you did as a kid - you mentioned creativity. How do you best like to express yourself, and what do you like to create? Try these things out on a small scale or take a class in eg writing, art etc to see if you still enjoy these things.

As a start could you find some ad hoc dog-walking jobs to see how you like it?

Establish your niche in the areas you are interested in

Get clearer on what aspects of your interests you love the most and find your true niche. For example, exactly what kind of writing do you truly enjoy doing? Fiction, plays, journaling, journalism etc? This can really help. I used to think I wanted to be a novelist as I enjoy writing, but I actually discovered that I was happy enough to write for myself (as a way of processing my thoughts) which I don’t get paid for. And now I write Careershifters blogs too!

When you can really get down to the nuts and bolts of what you enjoy doing, you can start to decide for yourself whether you’d be happy to turn it into paid work or whether you want to keep it as a passionate hobby (for now).

Consider a portfolio career

You may find that a portfolio career, where you do a few different things part time, would suit you. That way you could spend say one day a week dog sitting, one day a week seeing reflexology clients, one day a week painting & selling your work etc.

If you really enjoy learning about spirituality and self development you could look into it as a potential area for work, and within that area do a few different things. For example you could spend a third of your time doing reflexology, a third giving yoga classes or group workshop on your favourite spiritual area, and a third of the time coaching or working on to one with clients around their spirituality. That way you get the variety and are doing different things, but they’re unified with a theme. You may find that in your spare time you can still pursue your creativity.

I would say rather than freaking out about the one thing you can do, either

• Pick three things you’d like to do and try them all out if possible (dog walk, a reflexology taster session…) to see if you like them
• Explore an area that you’re most drawn to (this could be healing/spirituality) and look at a few things you’d like to do within that. For example, hands-on healing therapies, counselling/talking, art therapies etc. You can do a few different things within the healing area.

Hopefully these suggestions can help you see that you don’t have to pick just one thing and stick to it - unless you truly love it.

Here are a couple of articles that could help you:

• Creating Multiple Income Streams
• Portfolio Careers

Start by letting go of any ideas that don’t truly excite you and get really clear on what you would LOVE to do. Don’t worry about picking one particular thing, just make small moves towards the things you’re really interested in and enjoy doing. Bring them more into your life. The more you do them the more easy it will be for you to see if you want to keep doing them / pursue them as a career area.

And don’t worry about trying things then deciding they’re not for you — it’s all part of the process.

Do you have a career change question you would like answered? Email me at sab@careershifters.org. I will answer as many as I can and your question may be used anonymously on the site.