Virtually no one finds this easy. We stay with the familiar, fearing the unknown. The real problem is how we make decisions about the unkown - staying inside our own heads, navel gazing. What is your decision making style? Try the quiz on this subject.

It's easier to know what jobs you like doing than what you might like about work you've never experienced.

Nor can you know if you like food you haven't tasted.

You can't make such decisions in your head.

As with strange food, you need to try new things first.

But you can't sample new jobs like you can sample new foods.

So how can you decide what new career to pursue?

• By getting as much of a taste of the new short of trying it.
• Ask people about their jobs - ones that interest you.
• What are the upsides and downsides about it?
• What types of people succeed in such roles
• What do they like, dislike about it?
• What's it like to work in their organization, context, culture?
• Can you visualize yourself in their shoes?
• It's like doing market research.
• Don't restrict yourself to just one career avenue - explore at least 2 options. Your decision will feel more solid if you don't close down on the first option you explore.

This process can be a revelation if you really apply it.

People using this decision making approach get enough insight into something new to know they could do it and would like it.

Those who have made major career changes know that, having got through them in the past, they can do so again.

If you haven't made a major career change, the decision to jump will still feel scary. You won't be fully sure until you're there.

Can you convince yourself that, even if it doesn't work out, you will have gained some valuable experience to take to something else?

Can you see this as a positive step rather than failure?

You will have learned how to survive a major change and gained some valuable strengths for future changes.

Any decision to step into the unknown combines gaining some prior vicarious experience of it and a leap of faith.

Your leap of faith is based on your self belief that you can emerge from the change stronger no matter how it works out.

Opportunites closer to home

Don't resign simply out of career frustration.

Feeling powerless is frustrating and causes many to leave.

But if you think like an entrepreneur, you have a lot of internal customers who know you on your doorstep.

Instead of waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder, talk to your internal customers about likely changes in their areas.

Brainstorming with them might uncover a new role for you that you would not have thought of on your own.

---

See also An Engaged Employee's Career