Career Shifting

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Career Counseling August 4th, 2021

Career Shifting

A Guide to Pursuing Your Passions for Personal and Professional Fulfillment

If you’re feeling unhappy, bored, apathetic, or depleted of energy in your career, it may be time for a change — whether that means switching career paths or starting a business of your own. By identifying your greatest passions, you can earn a living by pursuing something you love, which will lead to more happiness and fulfillment in your personal and professional life. Here’s how you can get started.
 
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Find Your Passion

​Once you’ve come to the realization that you’re unsatisfied in your career and ready for a change, the first thing you’ll need to do is identify your passion and think about how you could make a living out of it. Ideally, the passion you pursue should contribute to society, be profitable, and fulfill you personally and professionally. However, you shouldn't be motivated solely by money or you could end up feeling unfulfilled in the future.
 
After finding your passion, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to turn it into a career. A few ways to do so include:

• Starting a business of your own.
• Offering products and services as a freelancer, consultant, online course creator, or coach.
• Exploring jobs and career paths that align with your passions, skills, and interests.

 
If you’re still struggling to choose a career path after identifying your passions, it may be helpful to complete a career quiz. The Muse shares 13 career tests and quizzes on its website, including the O*Net Interest Profiler from My Next Move, Career Aptitude Test from 123Test.com, and Big Five Personality Test from Truity. 

Learn New Skills Online

​Once you’ve identified your passions, you may want or need to expand your knowledge and skill set before pursuing a new career. To learn business skills, for instance, you could complete a free online course in business management, entrepreneurship, personal finance, or self-improvement. Some of the best websites to learn new skills for free or at a lower cost include Coursera, Career Contessa, and Udemy.
 
Alternatively, you could further your education by earning an online degree. There are many online degree programs to choose from, so you will likely find a discipline that aligns with your passions. With an online bachelor’s degree in nursing, for instance, you’ll learn useful skills in healthcare management, health services coordination, and more. 

Look For A Career Coach

​As you get ready to pursue your passions, you may also choose to enlist the help of a career coach. A career coach can help you to launch a new business, update your resume, boost your interviewing skills, and pursue the career of your dreams. However, it’s important to note that not all career coaches are created equal. As such, it’s best to obtain recommendations from friends and colleagues, as well as check professional references before hiring a career coach to guide you in pursuing your goals. 

Get Noticed

Once you’re ready to follow your passions and leave an unfulfilling job behind, you’ll need to market yourself and the products or services you’ll be offering. A few ways to do it are listed below:

• Building a professional website and/or portfolio.
• Updating your resume.
• Creating business pages on social media.
• Growing your social media following.
• Volunteering with local non-profit organizations.

​​When changing jobs, exploring a new career path, or starting a business, keep in mind that it can take some time to turn a passion into profit. However, it’s important to remain patient, use social media to your advantage, remember why you chose to pursue your passion in the first place, and — above all — never give up. 

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Author

This blog was written by Personal brander Amy Collett bizwell.org and author of You, Exemplified: The Role of Personal Branding in Your Professional Life.rview.