Career Change Guide: Finding Your Next Path

Is It Time for a Career Change?

Career dissatisfaction can stem from many sources — burnout, misalignment with company culture, lack of growth, or simply evolving interests. If you’re asking, “Is this all there is?” you may already be ready for change.

Common signs include:

• Constant fatigue or dread before work
• No passion or motivation to improve in your current field
• Your job doesn’t reflect your values or interests anymore
• You feel stuck, underutilized, or invisible

Step 1: Revisit Your Career Aptitude Results

Your aptitude results are a window into your personality, values, and ideal work environments. Use them to reflect on what matters most to you at this stage of life.

Ask yourself:

• Do my dominant types (e.g., Artistic, Social) align with my current role?
• Which of my strengths are being underused?
• What types of work environments would suit me better now?

Step 2: Identify Transferable Skills

Changing careers doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Identify skills from your current or past roles that are valuable in other fields. These include:

• Project management
• Communication and collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Data analysis or reporting
• Leadership and delegation
• Industry knowledge that’s cross-functional

Match these skills to roles that align with your career type and values.

Step 3: Explore New Paths Based on Your Type

Here’s how you might pivot based on your RIASEC type:

Realistic

From technician to operations coordinator, or construction to HVAC specialist

Investigative

From research assistant to data analyst, or nurse to health educator

Artistic

From graphic designer to UX/UI designer, or copywriter to brand strategist

Social

From teacher to career coach, or customer support to HR specialist

Enterprising

From salesperson to business development manager, or retail manager to account executive

Conventional

From administrative assistant to operations analyst, or data clerk to compliance specialist

Step 4: Research and Narrow Your Options

Use job boards, informational interviews, and career platforms (like O*NET or LinkedIn) to explore industries that align with your new direction. Look for job titles that combine your career type with your current skills.

Ask questions like:

• What qualifications are required?
• What’s the day-to-day work like?
• Does this align with my desired lifestyle and values?

Step 5: Fill the Gaps

Once you’ve chosen a target path, identify any gaps in knowledge or credentials. These can often be filled without going back for a full degree:

• Short courses or certifications (Coursera, Udemy, Google Career Certificates)
• Bootcamps (tech, marketing, design, etc.)
• Professional networking or mentoring
• Volunteering or freelancing in your new field

Step 6: Rebrand Yourself

Your resume and online presence should reflect the new direction you’re moving toward — not just where you’ve been.

• Update your LinkedIn headline and summary to reflect your target field
• Highlight transferable skills and relevant projects
• Create a tailored resume for each role

Don’t be afraid to share your career change story. Framing your decision as intentional and values-driven shows clarity and motivation.

Step 7: Prepare for Interviews

Expect questions like “Why are you changing careers?” or “How will your past experience help you in this role?”

Use your career aptitude results to show self-awareness. For example: “I realized through assessment that I’m a strong Investigative type, which is why I’m pursuing data analysis.”

Step 8: Start Where You Are

You don’t need a perfect offer to get started. Consider:

• Part-time freelance work in your new field
• Internal transfers within your current company
• Side projects to build experience and credibility

Every small step counts. Don’t wait for the stars to align — progress fuels momentum.

Real-World Examples

• Mark: A sales manager who discovered a Social-Conventional blend and transitioned into HR operations
• Jasmine: A science teacher who leaned into her Artistic side and became a UX researcher
• Leo: A warehouse technician with a Realistic-Investigative type who trained in industrial automation

Final Thoughts

Changing careers isn’t about abandoning your past — it’s about building on it to create a better future. By combining self-awareness with strategy, you can move toward a career that energizes and fulfills you. Let your aptitude results be your compass, and trust that it’s never too late to realign with your true potential.