When we want a change in our careers it can be very difficult to identify what specific change we’re looking for. Sometimes, you make a number of random job changes, only to find down the line that each move you made only satisfies you for a very short time. If this sounds familiar, then read on. This exercise will help you reflect on your career in a more meaningful way so that you can get unstuck and start moving towards a more fulfilling career path. These are the powerful questions you need to ask yourself if you want to get unstuck and find your dream career. 

At the end of the exercise, you will have a greater understanding of what’s important to you from your career and you will have more clarity on what your next steps should be.

1. Powerful Questions To Assess Your Present Career Situation

Firstly, reflect on your career so far. It’s important to establish what’s been going well, what you’ve enjoyed, and what you may not have enjoyed so much. This way you’ll begin to build a picture of some of the key factors that are most important to you when it comes to career and job satisfaction. 

  • What is the reason that you’re looking for a job or career change right now?
  • What do you enjoy/what have you enjoyed most about your current job/ career?
  • What one thing would you change in your current job/career that would make all the difference (If everything else remained the same)?
  • What would you like to do more of?
  • What would you like to do less of?
  • What do you want to stop doing completely? 
  • What are you most proud of having achieved in your career to date and why? 
  • What skills have you learned? 
  • What’s missing? 

2. Powerful Questions To Spark Your Imagination

It’s important to focus on the possibilities and what could be, just as it is impotent to examine your current situation and the way things are. By doing this, you make sure that you don’t close yourself off or limit yourself and your potential based on any limiting beliefs you may have ( which you may or may not be aware of) 

In order to really open up your mind to the possibilities, clear your mind, and then think about your perfect scenario. Answer the following questions. 

  • If you could have everything you wanted from your job/ career right now what would that be? 
  • If everything in your job/ career were perfect, what would be happening? (Write every detail)
  • What comes to mind when you think of your perfect job/ career? 
  • What will it mean to you to have a job/career you love?
  • What does career fulfillment mean to you?

3. Powerful Questions To Visualize your future 

Visualization is crucial if you want to get unstuck. In order for us to be happy in a job or in any career, at any given moment, we need to feel that the work we’re doing is aligned with the vision of the future which we have for ourselves. This doesn’t mean to say that your future plans can’t change. What it means is that it is important to conduct a regular review to check if what you’re doing in your job and the career path you’re on is taking you towards a future you want.  Whether that’s 1 year’s time, 3 years’ time, 5 or 10 years’ time.

Powerful questions for visualization

  • In your ideal world, what would you like to be doing in 1, 3, 5, and 10 years from now? 
  • Look at your answers to the questions above; how will you feel if none of these were true, 1,3,5 or 10 years from now? 
  • What would you like to achieve in your career within the next 1, 3, 5 years? List some of these career goals. ( TIP: State them in the positive as if you’ve already achieved them)
  • What will you be most proud to have achieved in your career?
  • What legacy do you want to leave behind?  

Once you’ve considered the inner focused questions, it is time to think about the more practical elements of your dream career. These are the factors that you tend to focus on most when searching for a new job. However, it’s critical to focus on the inner focused questions first because that way you’ll be sure to make decisions based on what you value on a deeper level. 

4. Powerful Questions About Location, Location, Location 

  • How important is the location for you? If it is important, what makes it important?
  • What would you be prepared to give up for a better work location?
  • Howling long/ what distance are you prepared to travel to get to work each day?
  • How do you feel about traveling during the working day?
  • How important is it to you that you have the flexibility to work from home? 
  • What impact has location had on your past job satisfaction levels?

5. Powerful Questions To Nail Down Your Style

Thinking about how you work best and the conditions that get the best out of you is important. This will give you an idea of the type of company and culture that would suit you best. 

  • When are you most comfortable at work?
  • In what conditions do you do your best work?
  • When are you happiest at work?
  • Do you prefer working with big groups, small groups or alone?
  • Do you prefer processes, structure, and order or are more comfortable with a more ad hoc flexible approach?

6. Powerful Questions About Money & Benefits

  • How high on your list career/ job priorities or values is money?
  • How important is money when it comes to your career compared to other factors? 
  • What are your financial expectations for your next career move? 
  • How flexible are you on this for the perfect role?
  • How much money would you like to be making within the next 3 years?
  • How realistic is this within your industry and current career path?
  • What other benefits have you received from your current job or previous jobs?
  • Which benefits are most important to you and why?

7. Holistic Powerful Questions

To be happy, any career or job you choose will need to fit in with the other aspects of your life that are important to you. If you’re super active and love going for evening runs, it’s unlikely you would soon get miserable in a job that left you absolutely no time for activity. So, Consider the lifestyle you want to live. 

  • What makes a great working day?
  • What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
  • Do you like routine in your days or do you prefer to take things as they come? 
  • In addition to your career, what else is very important to you in your life right now? ( think about family commitment, hobbies, and interests, any study you might be doing or might want to do)
  • Has your current job/ career ever had an impact on something outside of work that was important to you? If so, how did this make you feel?

Bonus Questions

Now that you’ve completed the exercise considers the bonus questions below.

  • What have you learned about yourself that you didn’t know before?
  • What one thing would most help you to move forwards in your career goals right now? 
  • What is the one action that you’re going to take as a result of completing this exercise? 

Ready to delve even deeper and get even more clarity? Then now read…

Why your Values Are The Secret To Happiness in Your Career 

The 3 Must-Do Exercises To Get More Clarity

7 Steps To Finding Your Dream Career & Making That Career Change