Careerless and Unfulfilled

Dear Lara,

I have a little issue I'm wrestling with -- finding a job/career that I care
about moderately and can make a decent living doing. I've had 'career' type jobs
since college, but have never felt fulfilled or that I was utilizing a good
chunk of my talents and gifts. It is a huge question that I don't expect you to
answer, but I would LOVE some sort of steps I could take to start chopping this
huge question down to more moderately-sized ones.

Basically Lara, how can I start matching myself to a more fulfilling position
without a) going back in time and completely getting a different education or b)
going back to school?

Sincerely,
Careerless and Unfulfilled...


Dear Careerless and Unfulfilled, 


How well do you feel you know yourself?  I think that is the first step in figuring out what may be next for you in terms of your career.  It also sounds like you have had several positions over the years that may also help guide you to your ultimate goal.  You will need to spend a good amount of time assessing these past positions to determine what you liked and disliked about them.  Be specific.  Did you like working with a team of people?  Did your prefer to work independently?  What things about a position motivated you or got you excited to get up and get to work?  What things about a position kept you up at night or contributed to feelings of anxiety and frustration?  


We all know that there are good things and bad things about every job.  However, feeling fulfilled is extremely important and I believe that taking a look at your past may bring you closer to feelings of fulfillment in your future endeavor.  I also think it is important to acknowledge that each of your prior positions have helped you in some way to determine your ultimate fit.  


Have you taken any career tests?  This may be another option for you in assessing your career needs based on your personality.  There are a number of options that you can take online like this test found here.  Check a few out and see if they help you to learn something about yourself you don't already know. 


You can also take this a step further and meet with a career counselor who is licensed to offer specialized career testing that will be analyzed by a professional.  While this would be an investment, it should help you with the process in determining where you belong in the working world.  Two tests that are well-known and offered by a number of counselors are the The Birkman Method and the Myers Briggs Personality Test.


I hope these offer some places to start in your search for a fulfilling career.  Good Luck!


Best,
Lara