Reposted from CareerAlley

“Stick to the knitting – stay with the business that you know.” – Tom Peters and Robert Waterman

Career paths do not always lead us to exactly where we want to go. Many of us take small detours (intended or not) and later in life very often wind up in a career that is very different from what we set out to do. Early in my career I opted to take a huge detour, which was more like an off ramp. Thinking that I always wanted to be a programmer (my education is Accounting and Finance), I took a job that would allow me to get my “foot in the door”. I quickly learned (the hard way) that, not only wasn’t I qualified to be a programmer, I was not very good at it. The “off ramp” scenario can sometimes be “career-threatening” and is very different from the occasional (and somewhat common) detour.

So that brings us to today’s quote, which is very famous in the business world. For those of you old enough to remember the management book “In Search of Excellence”, you will most certainly remember the quote. “Stick to the knitting” applies to job search as well. Always strive for your dream, but remember what you are good at and don’t stray too far. And that, my friends is the perfect segue to today’s topic – career research and transition (and finding the right career for you).

Career Research: Where do you begin?

• Finding the Right Career – Finding the right career can be a challenging task (as most of us know). This article, from helpguide.org, reviews the many reasons why you might be searching for the right career (job loss, limited opportunities, bored, etc.) and how you can discover “new possibilities”. The article also covers exploring new opportunities, overcoming obstacles to career happiness and identifying careers that match your interests. There are embedded links to free career tests as well as links for additional research. This is a good place to start, regardless of why you are rethinking your career.

• How Do I Choose the Right Career? – Question and answer. This article is from About.com and reviews some of the steps you may want to consider (such as a career counselor or a self-assessment). There are plenty of links for additional information and they range from planning for beginners to expert. Topics include careers by field, quizzes like “do I need a career change” and more related links.

Career Tests: Help on determining what might be right for you.

• Career Tests – Six tests and resource links from careerpath.com are listed on this page. The tests include: Career planner quiz, Job discovery wizard, career planner report, job satisfaction quiz and more. Some of the tests are easy and quick (like the career planner quiz) and others are quite comprehensive (like the Job Discovery Wizard). Try these tests to get started on understanding what you really are good at and want to do.

• Career Aptitude Test – Take Some Tests and Choose Your Career – This article is from ezinearticles.com and provides an overview as to why you may want to take a career aptitude test. The article is short and to the point, but also provides links to both career tests and career aptitude tests.

Career Transition: Moving from one career to the next (or no career to the first).

• Career Transition Guide – It’s not very often that I find relevant links from the US Government, but this is the exception. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management provided this link and is a guide to transition. Topics include: where to get more information, reemployment, transition services and more. The article is very comprehensive, with 56 questions and answers that will help you with a career transition.

• Career Choice or Change – Another list of resources from About.com, this article has links to career plans, career change quizzes, choosing a career development professional and so much more. There are quite a few links to additional resources, most are relevant and worth a read (how about “Make your hobby work for you”?).

Good luck in your search.