You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Maybe the benefits are great, the role is exactly what you wanted a few years ago. You don’t hate it, but something feels a bit off and you find yourself asking ‘Should I just quit my job?’
That something has you scrolling through jobs on LinkedIn, saving the ones that look interesting. Maybe you even ping off an application to one or two.
‘How’s work going?’ has you responding with a ‘fine, but busy’.
Maybe you’ve started to find yourself wishing you had a bit more work-life balance.
But knowing yourself as well as you do, you can sense that something needs to change. You’re just not sure what to do next in your career.
Before jumping straight into job listings, let’s get curious about what you’re actually looking for
You’re not on your own. Over 12 years in the corporate world, I held 10 different marketing roles across four businesses and four different sectors. Whenever something felt off, I’d often look for the next big change - a change of sector, a move to a more purpose-driven business, a career break to travel, a new role just for the challenge of it.
With each new role, I’d feel like I’d found an important piece of what I was looking for. I’d ride high on the novelty for the first six months, then inevitably the same niggles would resurface, despite the move.
I’d been focused on the company or the sector being the issue. But looking back, there was more to the picture than that.
I loved the travel sector, but not the constant trading pressure. I loved leadership roles, but not back-to-back meetings. I love supporting people, but not in a prescribed tick-box fashion.
There were lots of clues I hadn’t stopped to notice.
Now, as a career coach, that’s exactly where I’d start with you: gathering clues before deciding what needs to change.
Because sometimes leaving is the right answer - but it’s not the only possible one.
And while work might be the thing prompting the question, it’s worth looking beyond your job too. How much space do you have for rest, friendships, hobbies or the things that make you feel like you? Sometimes the clues are in your working day; sometimes they’re elsewhere in your life.
Five things to try when you’re not sure what needs to change
Get a bird’s-eye view with the Wheel of Anything
Work might be where you’re feeling the niggle, but what’s happening across the rest of your life?
The Wheel of Anything helps you zoom out and notice which areas might need more attention.
2. Look back at your career story
Draw a timeline of your career so far, marking the highs and lows in each role. What was happening at those points?
Look for clues about what you’ve enjoyed, missed or found draining.
3. Ask yourself the magic wand question
Imagine you’ve got a magic wand (bear with me here). Imagine that you’ve cast a spell overnight and woken up in the morning in a career that feels really good for you.
What’s different? What does your day look like? What are you spending your time doing? What else do you notice?
4. Play dream-job detective
Gather a couple of those job adverts that have caught your eye, or think of someone doing your ideal role. What’s appealing to you about those roles? Is there anything you could bring into your current work set-up?
5. Try a tiny experiment
Pick one of the clues you’ve gathered and think about a small change you could try out this week. Could you have a conversation with your manager about workload, bring in something from your dream job, or make space for a new hobby?
Notice how it feels. You’re not committing to a big change - just finding out what helps.
What are your clues telling you?
Look back at what you’ve noticed. Are there things you’d like more or less of in your working day? Are there other areas of your life that need some attention too?
You don’t need to have it all figured out. These clues are a starting point for exploring what might need to change.
Found something you’d like to explore further? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with me.
FAQs
Do I need a new job, or do I just need a break?
It can be hard to tell when you’re in the thick of it. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and your nervous system is in fight-or-flight mode, making a big decision can feel even harder.
If you can, give yourself some space to rest, then notice how you feel. Does the idea of returning to work feel different, or are the same niggles still there?
A break might give you breathing room, but it won’t necessarily change what’s waiting for you when you get back. If you’re not sure what kind of rest you need, take a look at my blog on the 7 types of rest for busy minds.
What if I want to leave my job but can’t right now?
Not being able to leave right now doesn’t mean you have to put up with everything as it is. There might be smaller changes worth exploring, like a conversation about your workload, an internal move or making more space for yourself outside work.
And if leaving is still what you want, you can start thinking about what needs to be in place to make that possible—even if it’s not something you can do straight away.
How can a career coach help if I don’t know what I want?
You don’t need to come to coaching with a plan—or even know whether you want to leave your job. That’s what we’re here to figure out together.
We’d start by getting curious about what’s feeling off, gathering clues and spotting patterns across your work and the rest of your life. We'd also get to understand you - your strengths, values and what gives you energy. From there, we can explore your options and work out what you’d like to do next.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Book a free 30-minute discovery call with me.
