Are You in the Right Place? 10 Questions That Will Tell You
Questions that will help you find direction in your professional career
There are times, and I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say 80% of us go through this, when we find ourselves in a moment in our professional life where we're not sure if we're in the right place. I don't mean the company, but rather the position, the career, or the industry. Often, curiosity about exploring other paths makes us wonder what else we could be doing.
Twenty years ago, this was much harder. Nobody really thought about switching industries, careers, or roles, because it meant starting from scratch, and that felt nearly impossible. Today, pivoting your career is absolutely possible. But I won't get sidetracked: the real problem is that we often don't know where to pivot to. We know we want to explore, or that we're not 100% happy, but we don't know where to start.
I've found that asking certain questions, and taking a deep dive into our knowledge, skills, preferences, weaknesses, and opportunities, can give us a very clear guide toward where we can move next. This doesn't mean it gives us exact answers, but it does give us a starting point. And honestly, who hasn't felt like sometimes that's all we need, a guide.
Today I want to share some of the questions I work through with my clients to help guide them through this transition.
Disclaimer: these questions require reflection. They're not questions you can hand to an AI and ask for an answer. They take time. So if you're ready, let's begin:
What does a "good workday" concretely look like for you?
What trade-off are you no longer willing to make in your next role — not even in exchange for more money or a better title?
How much structure do you want from an employer: a clear job description with defined boundaries, or the freedom to build and shape the role yourself?
Think about your last few roles: what tasks made you lose track of time because you were so absorbed in them?
What do people constantly come to you for? What's the thing others simply assume you'll handle?
When have you felt most confident and "in your element" at work?
Do you prefer being the person who builds a new system, or the one who makes an existing one run beautifully?
Is there anything from your last few roles you'd actively avoid repeating?
Do you prefer working alone or on a team?
Is there something on your resume you're proud of, but that isn't getting enough attention?
Reflect on each of these questions. Identify your strengths, but more importantly, identify the activities that fill your happiness bucket. Those are your master guide, your compass (to start with).
Once you have your answers written down, review the following:
Is there a pattern between the things you love and the things you merely tolerate?
What's next?
With your answers in hand, here's your action plan:
Make a list. Write down the roles or companies that interest you and compare them against your guide. How well do they align?
Dig deeper. For the ones that do connect, talk to people in that field, read up on the topic, look at real job descriptions. Every conversation and every article brings you one step closer.
Act today. If you've already identified that new place, the question is no longer whether you can get there. It's what you're going to do today to build the path toward tomorrow.
As a coach, I can help guide you through this process. If you're ready, let's connect.
Daniela Diaz
DD CareerCoaching — Leading with Purpose: A Career Workshop
