Although most people find it easier to pick a career they love and pursue it; there are also those who’ve to deal with a dilemma. In all honesty, thinking “no career interests me” makes it harder to decide.
The good thing is that you can take steps to find something that tickles your fancy. So, I’ll be sharing some things you can do to pick the right path for yourself.
You should start by thinking about things you want to achieve in the short, medium, and long term. After that, take the vision and match it with suitable careers. Once you compile a short list, it’d be best to get out there and check out the opportunities.
Here are some steps to take.
It all starts with your life vision
Decide what you want to build over the coming years, and pick a career path capable of making your vision become a reality. Although this may be the reverse of what many people think when making critical career choices, I believe it’s the best way to do it.
If you want to get it right, you ought to define your values and life mission. Knowing your values will help you identify things that matter to you. Meanwhile, a personal mission statement guides your actions as you try to link your overall goals to a career path.
Your values and life mission should make it easier to identify what you’re good at, things you love, and how you can make a difference in your community or the world. Likewise, you can then see what you can get paid to do. As you work out these things, you should reach a point where things make sense.
Because of this, you may start to get ideas about some field you’re passionate about. Once you’ve got a few career options, think about how each can help you achieve your life mission and make a difference. As you dig deep into what excites you, think about things you enjoyed as a child.
Experiment with career paths
The next logical step is experimenting with the career paths that you shortlisted. You can do this by learning a lot about them. I recommend testing things out by doing the following.
- Freelancing
- Signing up for an internship
- Volunteering
- Conducting a few interviews
- Doing contract work
By taking any of these steps, you make an informed decision about how a particular career fits into your plans. While you’re exploring career options, it’s important to pay attention to your feelings. Reflecting on your feelings and how you perceive a career path after trying it out provides useful insights. In the end, you’ll get some clarity on what really excites you and helps you achieve your goals.
I believe the trick lies in finding a job that keeps you interested for many years to come. You should also be good at the type of work you want. When you find something that ticks the right boxes, it’s easier to break pessimistic views, and the “no job fits me” narrative.
Additional tips
Take personality tests
Another tip I can give you is to go for personality and Enneagram tests. The good thing is that you don’t have to pay anything. Tests like these can prepare you for career quizzes. Doing so provides a surefire way to understand your personality traits before thinking about “what job interests me”.
A personality test reveals a lot about you. For instance, you’ll know whether you’re an introvert or the opposite. With this information, you can select the right career to suit you. You’re less likely to find a salesperson role interesting if you’re an introvert. Instead, you could consider information technology and accounting jobs. Artistic roles may work just fine as well. So, it’s not always about the perks that make you happy and content.
Talk to a career coach
Booking a session with a career coach could also help you pick the right career. A coach opens your eyes to things you might be missing and help you understand yourself better. Making the most of your professional and personal potential is possible with the advice you get.
In turn, you’ll understand what you like to do and dispel myths that hold you back. Coaches also look at what fascinates you, which may be the key to finding the perfect career.
Take a career quiz
A career quiz or aptitude test points you in various career directions so you can start looking closely at what suits you. One of the things I find useful about this type of quiz is that you may discover job titles you didn’t know existed. You learn about various industries and fields available in the job market.
With this quiz, you explore your work style, personal interests, and what you’re good at. The insights you gain from the quiz may surprise you.
Read about different careers
If you want to get a feel of what it’s like in various careers, look up personal accounts from people who do the jobs you want. You may learn that certain careers you didn’t find interesting are actually more exciting and fulfilling. Personal accounts written by other professionals can open your eyes by giving structure to a particular career path. On top of that, you get useful information on how to get started.
The internet is overflowing with useful information about careers. So, reading as much as possible via web platforms is practical. There are reviews of various fields and industries. Even social media has videos with content you can use to make the right decision.
Feel free to ask your family and friends for advice
Talking to people you trust about career options can be useful. I recommend taking this step if you want to expand your perspective. In most cases, you’ll be talking to people who know you well enough to understand your personality and interests. So, it’s possible that your uncle, aunt, long-time friend, or brother suggests something right for you based on what you’ve always enjoyed.
But, you should examine the input carefully by making sure that the suggestions really make sense to you. So, ask people who understand the dynamics of choosing a career path and aren’t biased.
Identify your strengths and hobbies
When it comes to what to do when you have no career direction, think about your strengths and hobbies. If you like baking and are good at it, you may find a fulfilling career in the food sector. You might want to think about your hobbies and strengths for a moment. Then, link them to particular fields and industries.
I’ve seen many people turn hobbies and interests into successful careers. If you enjoy decorating your home, you could thrive as an interior designer. Maybe, you love spending time on glorious open seas. In that case, you could be happier working in the cruise ship or freight shipping industry.
It’s for this reason that keeping an open mind is so crucial. You should think about things that energize you. And linking those things to a career can help you find a job that keeps you inspired.
If you enjoy spending time outdoors, it may be prudent to consider jobs that involve working outside. Law enforcement and geology are fields to consider. As you try to figure things out, you may want to look back at your childhood interests. It’s possible that the solution to your “no career interests me” dilemma lies there.
No career interests me, and I never had a job I liked. The hard truths
Feeling unsure about your career plans can be daunting. Your situation differs greatly from your childhood days when you could blissfully drift from wanting to become a scientist, an astronaut, a doctor, and a pilot. As an adult, you’ve to deal with hard facts that are more likely to blow your bubble.
Sometimes, you just can’t decide which job you want or can’t get the position you really like. Once you get caught up in this maze, the unhappy cycle begins. For some, it’s a tale of working in an unfulfilling career only to look back after many years thinking, how did I get here?
Achieving a delicate balance between earning a comfortable salary and keeping yourself inspired takes some effort. If you feel that your career inertia is too daunting, it’s wise to seek help from a career coach or other people.
At the end of the day, you should find out why you don’t find any interesting career paths. Maybe you tell yourself “I have no skills or interests”. You just need to do a little introspection; what you see will most likely surprise you.
While weighing up your options, don’t forget that work is more than just something that ends when you knock off. You should see it as something you often take home. There are many times when you focus on work-related tasks after hours. Also, you ought to decide whether you’re happy with all the meetings with stakeholders, including your bosses and clients and your colleagues after hours.
Read More:
- Thinking “My Job Is Making Me Miserable”? 7 Best Things You Can Do Right Now
- How To Stop Overthinking And Relax: 15 Easy Ways To Get Back Your Life
- I’m 32 and Have Never Had a Job. How Do I Start?
- Taking a Career Break at 30: 7 Things to Consider to Avoid Mistakes
- How to Set Long-Term Career Plans After a PhD: 13 Actionable Tips
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