The career questions that matter more than your resume

Recently, two friends have made brave decisions. Instead of waiting for a major life event to shake things up, they decided to scale back their busy work schedule and make a right turn in their careers. They started paying more attention to where they wanted to spend their energy and time, questioned whether their values were aligned with their current jobs, and chose to make some changes.

I’ve been inspired by their choices in my work, as many of my clients are in the midst of a career transition — some starting their first job, others making a big shift. 

When faced with a job search, or any change, it’s often easiest to focus on the concrete tasks — like updating resumes, drafting cover letters, and sending applications. However, that’s not the entirety of the work — or even the hardest part of a job search (although writing a resume can feel like a struggle!). 

The harder part — and the part that deserves more of our time and attention — is sitting with internal questions and taking time to reflect. 

Questions like:

• Is this actually what I want, or am I doing this for someone else?

• What feels energizing? What drains me? 

• What feels aligned and what doesn’t?

• Am I staying because it’s right or because it’s comfortable? 

And the truth is, these aren’t just “career change” questions. They’re life questions.

Even if you’re not contemplating leaving your job, pausing to notice when something feels off — or when something is quietly working well — is a great practice. Most of the time, we just don’t pause long enough to ask these questions unless something forces us to. 

So, whether you’re on the precipice of change or not, it might be worth asking: If nothing changed, how would I feel a year from now?

You don’t have to make any big decisions.

Just noticing is a meaningful place to start.