Explore a different career
Investigate the role cheaply first: speak to people who do it, try a small sample task and check which of your current skills transfer. Only then decide whether study is needed.
Ways to investigate a role
- Read five real job adverts and note repeated requirements.
- Ask someone in the role for a 20-minute conversation.
- Follow an industry body or association for a month.
- Volunteer or shadow for a day if possible.
Try a sample task
For bookkeeping, reconcile your own monthly bank statement. For project management, plan a family event with a timeline and budget. For logistics, map how a parcel moves from order to doorstep. Notice whether you enjoyed the work, not just the idea of it.
Transferable-skills questions
- Which tasks in my current job would still matter in the new role?
- What do colleagues regularly ask me for help with?
- What would I need to learn from scratch?
Career test-drive checklist
Copy this into a notebook or your phone.
- Role I’m curious about:
- People I could speak to:
- Sample task I tried and how it felt:
- Skills that transfer:
- Skills I’d need to build:
- Decision: explore further / pause / move on