Career Change & Exploration Worksheet
A comprehensive guide to discovering your next career path
Current Career Assessment
Begin by reflecting on your current career situation. Be honest about what's working and what isn't. This foundation will help guide your exploration process.
1. Describe your current job/career situation:
2. What aspects of your current work do you find most fulfilling?
3. What aspects cause you the most stress or dissatisfaction?
4. Rate your current satisfaction levels:
Values & Interests Exploration
Understanding your core values and genuine interests is crucial for finding meaningful work. Select the values and interests that resonate most strongly with you.
5. Which work values are most important to you? (Check all that apply)
Autonomy/Independence
Creativity/Innovation
Financial security
Helping others
Leadership/Authority
Learning/Growth
Recognition/Status
Stability/Security
Variety/Change
Work-life balance
Environmental impact
Collaboration/Teamwork
6. What activities or subjects genuinely interest you? (Check all that apply)
Technology/Computers
Arts/Design
Business/Finance
Healthcare/Medicine
Education/Training
Science/Research
Social services
Writing/Communication
Sports/Fitness
Environment/Nature
Law/Justice
Engineering/Manufacturing
7. What are your top 3 values and why are they important to you?
| Value | Why it's important to me |
|---|---|
| 1. | |
| 2. | |
| 3. |
Skills Assessment
Identify your transferable skills and areas for development. Consider both technical skills and soft skills that could apply to various career paths.
8. Rate your current skill levels:
9. What are your strongest transferable skills?
10. What skills would you like to develop or improve?
Career Vision & Goals
Envision your ideal career future. Think beyond just job titles to consider work environment, lifestyle, and the impact you want to make.
11. Describe your ideal work environment:
12. What would a typical day in your ideal career look like?
13. What impact do you want to make through your work?
14. Career fields you're curious about exploring:
| Career Field/Industry | What attracts you to it | Concerns or questions |
|---|---|---|
Action Planning
Transform your insights into concrete steps. Break down your career exploration into manageable, actionable tasks with realistic timelines.
15. Research and exploration activities (check those you plan to pursue):
Informational interviews
Job shadowing
Industry events/networking
Online courses/training
Volunteer work
Part-time/freelance projects
Professional assessments
Career counseling
Industry research/reading
Skills training/certification
16. Your action plan - Next steps with timelines:
| Action Item | Timeline | Resources Needed |
|---|---|---|
17. What support do you need during this transition?
18. How will you manage the emotional aspects of career change?
Reflection & Commitment
Key Insights
19. What are the most important insights you've gained from this exercise?
Your Commitment
20. What is one specific action you commit to taking within the next two weeks?
By when will you complete this action?
How will you hold yourself accountable?