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Updated November 19, 2025.
If you have a goal to move career paths, but you’re not sure where to go from here, you’re in the right place. This guide will show you how to identify your ideal job, plan your transition with a realistic timeline, and start going after a more fulfilling career.
The second hardest part of changing careers is admitting to yourself that it’s time for a change. The actual hardest part is doing something about it — but you’ve got this!
Key takeaways
- Figuring out your ideal career requires a deep dive on your interests, values, and skills. We’re talking dedicated time for introspection and self-reflection!
- Goals are great, but action plans are where it all comes together. So to hit your goals, it’s essential to develop a realistic timeline outlining your next move in detail.
- Support is everything! Accountability looks different for everyone, but whether it’s a person or a plan, don’t skip out on building an accountability system.
- We’re good at planning for external challenges, but we don’t always notice when we get in our own way. Coaching can help you recognize these patterns and learn ways to move past them.
6 smart steps to move career paths
1. Identify your ideal career with self-exploration
The first piece of any career change is to identify what your ideal career looks like. Yes, even before you update your resume or polish those interview skills!
Think about it: how can you optimize your resume for a career you haven’t identified yet? How can you anticipate common interview questions for a mystery role?
Starting here may seem daunting! But if you’ve been procrastinating on a career change because you don’t know where to start, this is the best way to prevent wasting your time. Navigating a sea of job posts isn’t so overwhelming and time-consuming when you know exactly what you’re looking for!
By the way — the more you customize this process, the better your outcome will be.
Why dedicated time for self-exploration is key
Dedicating a few hours on a single day can really expedite this process, saving you weeks or even years of continuing to spin your wheels.
How? Well, here’s what you’re probably doing right now:
On the treadmill Tuesday night, you reflect on exactly why you loved your first job so much. Then you go home, eat dinner, and head to bed.
The next Thursday, during your lunch break, it occurs to you that what bugs you most about your boss is actually something you’ve experienced at other jobs — you just hadn’t noticed until now. Then you sit back down, finish out the day, and do nothing with that information.
Weeks and months go by like this, with little bits of information scattered in your head. It seems like you never stop thinking about everything you hate about work! So why haven’t you had a giant breakthrough by now? Here’s why:
You haven’t taken specific time and space set aside to process all that information at once — to finally connect the dots.
With a distraction-free environment, you can focus on reflective exercises and prompts to not only uncover new information about yourself, but also identify patterns and themes among your findings.
This is the step most people miss! But it’s an immensely powerful way to solidify your understanding of your wants, needs, and values for more informed decision-making.
Want support for your dedicated self-reflection day, and beyond? Here’s how I can help.
About quizzes and assessments
Career tests can be useful, but take them with a grain of salt. Results can either be too broad (a long list of potential careers, which doesn’t feel much different from browsing job boards) or too specific (one exact role that, as it turns out, you aren’t really interested in).
And even if there are dozens of possible outcomes, quizzes aren’t a personalized approach — you still end up with a predetermined result.
This isn’t to say you should avoid assessments and quizzes entirely! I’ve taken plenty of paid assessments and found many of them to be accurate and helpful, including:
- CliftonStrengths, assessing what motivates you and how you like to work in order to rank your biggest strengths (choose from your Top 5 or see how all 34 Strengths show up for you)
- Kolbe A, revealing how you act under pressure and how to maximize your time and energy
- OPgig, delivering lists of jobs you may enjoy based on your input
(Not affiliated with or sponsored by any of these; I simply recommend them to my clients.)
You’ll also find plenty of free job quizzes online. Just know that you get what you pay for (which, in this case, is nothing), so some of them are pretty obvious.
“Would you enjoy building cabinets?” Hmm, I definitely can’t guess which job you’re hinting at with that one… 🙄
But if the process of elimination is helpful for you, these might be!
Check out:
Assessments can be a useful tool in your search for your ideal next career move. Just approach them with a healthy dose of skepticism!
The better you know yourself, the better you can identify which portions of a quiz result actually resonate with you — and discard anything that doesn’t.
2. Reflect and plan
It’s easy to lose steam here, but using your insights for action is the only way forward. So after gathering insights from your exploration phase, reflect and plan your next steps!
What were the most stunning or jarring realizations from your reflection? What did you think was obvious at first, but actually revealed more nuance? What patterns felt like the best reflections of who you really are?
Exploring these realizations can help add layers to the work you did on your dedicated reflection day. You can journal, discuss with a friend or accountability partner (like a coach), process out loud to yourself, draw, collage (hello vision boards!), or any other way you prefer.
This is where your ideal career really starts to take shape! Now that you’ve identified what’s most important to you, what you want to do more of, what you never want to do again, and why (your values, wants, and needs), it’s easier to understand what roles and companies fit you best — and why.
With clarity on the duties, expectations, and qualifications of your ideal path, you can build a realistic roadmap for your career change. Your plan can be as specific as you need it to be, and paced based on your priorities.
Others will have opinions, but your unique plan and timing will depend on your unique life! So try to resist the pressure to move more quickly than you’re comfortable with.
And don’t simply choose what feels easiest, unless it’s aligned with what you really want!
3. Learn about your new path
A successful career move means learning new things, but you don’t have to learn on your own. Building a network of professionals in your new industry can lead to valuable connections, including experienced mentors or even job leads!
Even before you make a decision, infomational interviews can establish connections and provide firsthand knowledge about specific roles, offering insights for making more informed decisions.
Whether from articles, courses, or connections, the knowledge you gain helps you make strategic decisions and put your proverbial best foot forward. So embrace the changes and get ready to learn!
You’re not starting from scratch: transferable skills and more
It’s easy to get hung up on transferable skills (such as only considering jobs where your existing skills clearly apply), but if you won’t enjoy what you’re doing, that’s the wrong approach.
Just because you’ve never been a project manager doesn’t mean you won’t be a great one! Diverse backgrounds bring unique perspectives and skills to the workforce, making your work history valuable in any situation.
You might be surprised to find that prioritizing finding a path you’re interested in doesn’t mean discounting your transferable skills. Starting with your interests ensures you’re moving in the right direction; then, the way your existing skills fit in will become clear.
Beyond the skills you’ve gained in each of your jobs, your unique experiences also shape who you are and what you bring to the table.
In other words, you don’t need to have done something for years — or even at all — in order to succeed at it! Your skills and experiences are more widely applicable than you think.
4. Plan ahead
We’re wired to avoid risky situations when possible. When it comes to career changes, that can mean staying stuck in a field you hate simply to avoid your fear of the unknown.
But at a certain point — and only you can decide what that point is — the reward begins to outweigh the risks. And that’s when you’ll decide to go after what you really want.
Designing a concrete plan can help you mitigate risk and prepare for bumps in the road. If things go better than expected, you may be able to move faster! And if not, you’re prepared to handle whatever comes your way.
Since there are plenty of unknowns, it’s important to stay realistic about your career change. You need to understand the financial implications, pick a timeline you can stick to, and keep your options open.
For most of us, an impulsive leap into the unknown isn’t realistic — but if a break feels required at this point, planning ahead could allow you to quit without another job lined up!
Your action plan will be highly personalized, so don’t expect to follow a template. Your required actions, the order you take them in, and the pace you go will depend on many factors: the role you have now, your new ideal role and the qualifications required to get there (potential training, certifications, licenses, or degrees), and your unique considerations (other life events and priorities, finances, etc.).
That’s another reason working with a coach can be more beneficial than any article or how-to guide! You get support in developing a fully customized approach to your career transition — not how it “should go” or the experience of someone you admire.
5. Create accountability systems
An accountability system is crucial. This doesn’t mean you have to send a report card to your best friend or work with a coach if you don’t want to! Your accountability system can be as personalized as your ideal career path.
There are all kinds of accountability systems:
- Write down your goals and keep them visible
- Set a recurring event to work on your goals each week (resist the urge to schedule over it!)
- Attach rewards to each goal
- Partner with a friend or family member (maybe they have a goal of their own — you can keep each other accountable!)
- Work with a coach
You might be tempted to do this on your own, and if that works for you, you can do that! But an accountability partner can provide the motivation and support you need to consistently work toward your goal.
And I should know, because I tackled my career transition alone, adding years to the journey — don’t make my mistakes!
Regular check-ins with your partner or coach help you make consistent progress and identify opportunities to tweak your approach. Together, you can reflect on your progress and adapt based on personal milestones and setbacks. This helps you stay committed to your plan!
6. Take action and handle challenges
With your ideal career identified, a clear sense of your next steps, and a support system in place, it’s time to take action.
Along the way, you’ll encounter challenges. With the right planning, you can anticipate many of them. But in addition to external problems, like not getting the job offer you were hoping for, you may face internal battles, too:
- Doubt about whether you chose the right path
- Self-confidence issues
- Not believing you deserve a better career
- Losing motivation to keep going
These challenges are the reason that your accountability system is so crucial! It’s about knowing what keeps you going when the going gets tough.
And if you’re feeling stuck or can’t figure out what’s holding you back?
Career coaching services can help you explore more deeply, asking targeted questions that help you get to the bottom of the challenges you’re facing. Clarity will give you a renewed perspective and the energy you need to keep your eye on the prize.
Ready to move career paths? Frequently asked questions
What is a career move?
A career move is a big change in your job. Here, we’re discussing a change in industry, but it can also refer to a promotion or lateral move to a different team. You may make a career move for more responsibility, money, fulfillment, job security, work-life balance, or a variety of other reasons.
How do I start identifying my ideal career?
To identify your ideal career, start with self-exploration. Career tests and quizzes can help, but don’t rely solely on them to understand yourself better! Instead, reflect on your current situation; past jobs; and current interests, values, and skills to gain clarity on what will fulfill you professionally.
Next, identify patterns, narrow down your ideal next move, make a plan, build accountability systems, and begin taking action!
How much time should I dedicate to exploring new career options?
For the most effective exploration, try to dedicate 4-6 hours in a distraction-free environment. This structured time will help you uncover valuable insights about your interests and potential paths — and most importantly, it’ll be easier to make connections and spot themes, making your ideal next move easier to identify.
What are some effective ways to create accountability systems?
The most effective accountability systems vary from person to person and include keeping your larger goal and/or action steps visible, finding an accountability partner to meet with regularly, joining a group of other career-changers, or working with a coach. No single accountability system is required for success; choose what works best for you!
Is 37 too old to start a new career?
You’re not too old to change careers at any age, much less at age 35, 37, or any time in your 30s. If a career change will bring you the type of life you crave, then embrace the opportunity to tackle new challenges!
Time for an exciting career move?
A successful career change involves several key steps:
- Identify your ideal career
- Set aside time for exploration
- Reflect and plan
- Create accountability systems
- Manage risks
- Take action
Each step is essential in guiding you toward a fulfilling and rewarding career transition.
The journey can be tough, but finding a career that aligns with who you are is worth the effort. Stay committed, stay flexible, and embrace the opportunities that come your way!
Need support to discover a career path you truly want? 1:1 career coaching could be the right move for you.
