How to Figure Out Your Next Career Move (Without Losing Your Mind)

If you’ve ever caught yourself daydreaming at your desk, wondering what exciting possibilities lie ahead, you’re in good company. Whether you’re eager to grow, explore something new, or align your work more closely with your passions, figuring out your next career move can be an energizing journey.

The good news when it comes to figuring out your next steps is it doesn’t require a crystal ball. You just need a little reflection, a bit of research, and a dash of courage. Let’s walk through a practical guide to mapping out your next chapter.

Step 1: Ask the Big Questions

Before you polish your resume or dive deep into job boards, hit pause. Start by asking yourself:

• What’s making me want to leave my current role?
• Is it the work itself, the people, the culture, or the lack of growth?
• Do I want to enter a new industy, or just find a new environment?

Sometimes we think we need a new career, when what we actually need is a new context. According to a survey from Apollo Technical, 70% of workers are actively considering career changes, and nearly 40% cite the desire for higher pay as the driving force.

So, be honest with yourself, are you looking for purpose, a paycheck upgrade, or both?

Step 2: Conduct a Career Audit (No Calculator Needed)

Once you’ve clarified your motivation, it’s time to take stock. List out your:

• Strengths (think beyond “detail-oriented”, what do people always come to you for?)
• Interests (what gets you talking at parties or, at least, in Slack threads?)
• Values (what matters more: flexibility, mission, salary, or stability?)

One great tool for this is the classic "Flower Exercise" from What Color Is Your Parachute? which helps you connect your skills and personality to real job options. Spoiler, it’s more helpful than another BuzzFeed quiz.

Step 3: Talk to Humans (a.k.a. Network Like a Normal Person)

Here’s a stat you can’t ignore, up to 60% of jobs are filled through networking, not cold applications. 

Start with low-pressure chats, reach out to a former colleague, a friend of a friend, or someone in a role you admire. Ask for a quick coffee (virtual works too) and learn about their path. These aren’t job interviews, they’re data-gathering missions, and they might just lead to your next big thing.

Step 4: Upskill with Intention

If your dream job requires skills, you don’t yet have—there’s no need to panic!. Thanks to platforms like Coursera, edX, and Google Career Certificates, learning a new skill doesn’t require going back to college.

Visit tools like MyNextMove.org from the U.S. Department of Labor to match your interests with growing fields and explore what education or training may be helpful.

Pro tip: Don’t just upskill randomly. Pick something aligned with where you want to go, not just what’s trendy.

Step 5: Test Before You Leap

Before you quit your job to become a marine biologist, try testing the waters first. Volunteer, freelance, or start a side hustle. It’s a low-risk way to figure out if your dream job is, well… dreamy.

Be experimental. Treat your career change like a science project, not a leap of faith. We love that energy.

Step 6: Get a Thought Partner

Still stuck? Consider working with a career coach or mentor. Sometimes we’re too close to our own story to see the path forward. A good coach won’t give you all the answers, but they’ll help you ask better questions. Plus, they’ll also make sure your resume has an updated objective.

Making a career move isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about taking one intentional step at a time. Start with reflection. Ask the right questions. Talk to people. And most importantly, give yourself permission to explore.

You don’t need a five-year plan. You need a next step.