Working in the business sector can provide a variety of different roles to explore, and while having many options is great, it can also be overwhelming to decide which path to pursue. When it comes to picking a job, ideally, you want to know that it can offer you security and stability, progression opportunities, and be something that you have some level of passion or interest for.
While you might have an idea of the kind of roles that you think can provide this for you, it isn’t until you begin working in those positions that you might realize they aren’t quite the right fit. This is why picking a path in your business career to pursue can be daunting at times but below are some tips that could help you to figure out what you want a little bit easier.
It can be incredibly overwhelming when you are trying to decide what to do next in your career, and there is often a lot of pressure attached to these decisions. If you are at a stage in your business career when you are looking for a change but you’re not sure about which path to pursue, consider these tips and see if they could help you figure out what you truly want from your career.
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Make a List of Your Transferrable Skills
If you are feeling as though you are at a crossroads in your business career and are unsure of which road to take, making a list of your transferrable skills might be useful to you. This can help you get a better understanding of what you have to offer as a candidate and how you can utilize your current skillset to your advantage. It’s also a good opportunity to see where there might be gaps in your skills that you could work on.
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Do Your Research
You can’t figure out what next career move will be right for you without doing some research first. When you have determined what your transferrable skills are, this can be useful to see which paths might be suitable for you at this time. It is a good idea to look at options that you might not have previously considered as you might be surprised to find that they have a lot to offer you.
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Consider Returning to Education
Another option you could look at if you’re trying to figure out what you want from your business career is returning to educational pursuits. You could look at courses like this online DBA or a master’s program, and they could help you to get a deeper insight into business administration or another subject that you’re interested in.
You could also meet new people on your course, or learn about other options for your career that you might not have known about before. It could be a great opportunity to develop your knowledge, but also take some time to figure out what your next steps might be when you are more informed.
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Reach Out to Your Peers
Sometimes talking your options through with those who have been in your position before can be helpful. Reaching out to your peers, whether that is a few close colleagues that you trust, or other business professionals on forums or social media channels, can help you get the opinion of someone who has that experience.
This is great if you think that you might be interested in pursuing a particular career path, but are still unsure if it will be the right fit for you. Talking to people who did choose that path can help you to get a more honest view of the pros and cons of the role, and perhaps even some useful tips when it comes to taking those first steps towards making that career move.
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Shadowing Opportunities
This might not be available all the time, but if there is a particular role that you are interested in, you could see if you can find any shadowing opportunities to help you get a better idea of if it could be right for you. This might be easier to organize within the company that you currently work at, but you might be able to find ways to arrange this outside of your current place of work as well.
Shadowing another professional can allow you the opportunity to see what a typical day in this role will look like, and give you a better view of what responsibilities you will be expected to take on. It’s also a good chance to ask questions and get responses from someone who has that wealth of experience.
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Attend Conferences and Networking Events
If you are feeling unsure about what your next move should be in your business career, you might find inspiration when attending a conference or organized networking event. The former is a great place to learn more about what is going on in the business sector currently, and what changes you can expect in the future.
You might hear of some innovative ideas from companies that would you like to get involved with, for example. Networking can also be useful when you are trying to figure out what to do next, and it can also allow you the opportunity to meet people who might be able to help you on this journey.
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Take Some Time Away
When you’re trying to determine what to do next with your career, the idea of taking time off might be the last thing you are thinking about. However, this can be an excellent way to gain a fresh perspective. Taking some time out to switch off and relax will mean that you come back feeling refreshed, and these breaks can also be used as a time of reflection. You can contact your HR and ask for leave. They must have leave management software to manage employees’ leave perfectly.
Sometimes it does help to take a step back to help you see the bigger picture and decide what it is that you are looking for when it comes to your business career. You might not be able to take an extended period of leave, but even a week or two on vacation can help you to start seeing things differently.