Thinking about a career change doesn’t automatically mean going back to school. In fact, before investing time and money in another degree or certification, it’s smart to research your options and determine whether a career is actually a good fit.
Our Ideal Career Model™ is a helpful place to start. Instead of choosing a career based on one factor—such as salary or job availability—look at the bigger picture. Consider your interests, skills, values, preferred work environment, and the type of work you find meaningful. A career that looks appealing on paper may not be a good fit for you personally. Watch the video about the Ideal Career Model to get started.
Research the work, not just the job title
Start by looking beyond job titles. Read job descriptions to identify common responsibilities, skills, qualifications, and career paths. Government resources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook and CareerOneStop provide information about job duties, wages, education requirements, employment trends, and skills.
Pay attention to multiple sources of information. Look at current job postings, professional association websites, industry publications, and profiles of people who already work in the field. This can help you identify trends and determine whether your existing experience could transfer.
Use AI as a research assistant
AI can make career research much faster. Ask it to:
Identify careers that use your existing skills.
Analyze several job descriptions and identify the skills employers repeatedly request.
Suggest related occupations you may not have considered.
Compare the responsibilities, work environments, and qualifications of different careers.
Help you develop questions for people working in the field.
You can even give AI your resume and ask, “What skills from my experience could transfer to these careers?” Just remember to verify important information with reliable sources. AI can help you explore possibilities, but it shouldn’t be your only source of career or labor-market information. Current BLS data now also includes occupational skills information and AI-exposure data that can add another perspective to your research.
Talk to people doing the work
One of the best ways to test your assumptions is through informational interviews. Talk with two or three people working in careers that interest you. Ask what they actually do, what they enjoy, what they find challenging, which skills matter most, and how they got started. CareerOneStop recommends informational interviews specifically for learning about the real-life experience of working in a field.
Most importantly, research before you retrain. You may discover that you already have many of the skills you need—and that the next step is targeted experience or professional development rather than another degree.
Need more support? Join our Ask a Coach Q&A group for $25/month.
