Feeling Stuck in Your Career? How Reflection and Career Coaching Can Help You Find Your Next Step
Career reflection takes time, but it’s worth it.
What are you great at?
What gives you energy?
What’s missing from your current work?
If you’re asking, “What’s next for my career?” Here are some tips for you.
You’ve checked all the boxes: earned the degree, landed the job, maybe even moved into management. But something doesn’t feel right. It’s not that you dislike everything about your current job; it just isn’t what you imagined when you took your first steps. You feel stuck.
If you have found yourself asking, “What’s next for my career?” you are not alone. Your role has run its course, you are craving something different, or you want to feel more energized in your current career path. The timing, and circumstances may vary, but the question is the same: “How do I figure out the next step in my career?”
As a career coach, I often hear from professionals at all stages who are ready for greater career clarity, growth, and purpose. They just aren’t sure where to start.
There is no quick fix or one-size-fits-all solution. Career transitions require a personal investment of your time and energy. But that investment is worth it. The reflection and exploration you do now can lead to powerful moments of clarity as you move forward with confidence.
Step 1: Take Time to Reflect on Your Experiences and Evaluate Your Unique Talents and Skills
Determining your next opportunity can be tricky. You must invest in yourself by setting aside time for self-reflection. We often move at 100 miles per hour, so pausing to set aside intentional time to reflect is essential. Thoughtful reflection helps you pause, take stock of where you are, and articulate where you want to go next.
The more you understand your abilities, the more clearly you can define your career direction.
Try reflecting on questions like:
When do people comment “how do you do that?”
What are you consistently great at doing?
What tasks give you energy? What drains you?
What thoughts, behaviors, or actions come naturally to you?
Which classes, projects, or past experiences did you enjoy most?
This self-reflection will help you identify the value you bring to an organization. This goes beyond a title and job description; it gets at your unique, natural talents and acquired skills.
Clients who take time to reflect on their experience often realize they’ve been overlooking many of the talents and skills that they use every day. Some don’t realize that what they are bringing to the table is a huge value and that they are able to accomplish things others can’t. Through reflection you can articulate the value you add to a team or organization.
Step 2: Think About How You Use Your Strengths
Once you’ve identified your natural talents and skills, think about how you currently use them. This starts with figuring out what you like to do and where you use your talents to add value. You should also consider projects, tasks, and interactions that energize you. I often explain to clients that finding satisfaction in your work doesn’t necessarily come from chasing a dream job or specific passion; it comes from effectively using your talents to find your flow.
Ask yourself:
Am I using my strengths in my current role?
What do I like about my current work?
What is my favorite part of the workday?
When am I absorbed in my task or project?
Pay attention to the moments when you lose track of time because you are so engaged in what you are doing. Identifying these instances of “flow” will be useful as you explore career transitions. This is how you find roles and environments where you will thrive.
Step 3: Consider What’s Missing
Feeling unsatisfied in your current role can be rooted in a variety of factors. Maybe you feel like you aren’t learning enough, or your organization isn’t investing in your career growth and professional development. It may be that what you thought was your “dream job” did not live up to your ideals. It could be that you just want to make a bigger splash.
Sometimes what’s missing isn’t a role or title, it’s alignment. If your daily work doesn’t connect with your personal values or long-term goals, it can leave you feeling stuck or unfulfilled. Reflecting on your values can guide you toward opportunities that not only use your skills but also feel purposeful.
If you can’t immediately identify what’s missing, take a closer look.
· Have significant life changes affected your career outlook?
· Did an organizational change impact your motivation or satisfaction?
· Are you over or underutilized?
· How does the physical work environment impact your day?
Determining what is missing from your current role helps to avoid those gaps or repeated patters in your next role. Considering the missing pieces, you can better understand what must be present for you to thrive. You won’t find career satisfaction if you move from one situation another that’s similar. When you identify the key ingredients for fulfillment, you can seek career opportunities that truly fit who you are.
Step 4: Partner With a Career Coach
Self-reflection is powerful, but working with a career coach can help you make sense of what you uncover. A good coach can provide you with structure, perspective, and accountability as you navigate your next steps. My coaching approach can support you in a career transition by offering a fresh perspective and helping you connect your insights to meaningful action.
Through coaching, you can:
Articulate your strengths and value
Explore career transitions with confidence
Identify growth opportunities
Create a plan that fits your personal and professional goals
If you’re ready to explore what’s next, career coaching can help you move forward with purpose and confidence. My coaching approach will provide you with a partner as you explore these important questions. I can help you discover the work that fulfills you, to build the life you imagined.
Final Thoughts
Career transitions don’t happen overnight, but with reflection, clarity, and the right support, you can move from uncertainty to confidence. Whether you’re exploring new opportunities or reimagining your current path, every step you take toward self-awareness brings you closer to meaningful, fulfilling work.
