MINDIE’S MUSINGS

Mindie is available for in-person and virtual wellness therapy sessions via her Executive Health by Mindie Barnett wellness coaching practice. Her expertise is in interpersonal relationships, overcoming depression, coping with anxiety and avoiding and overcoming burnout among many other wellness areas. Life coaching and career coaching are also areas she excels in. For more information or to schedule a session
visit mbexecutivehealth.com

Dear Mindie,

I am at such a crossroads! I recently got fired from my job, but since it was in a field I didn’t like and a position I do not wish to return to, I am not overly upset. Other than the significant loss of income, I’m at peace with the fact that I’m unemployed. I’m trying to use my time to figure out a path that will better suit my personality and passions, but I cannot seem to figure out what that may be.

The hiring pace is slow, so I have some time to figure things out, but I am worried that I’ll still feel stuck going into 2025 with the same confusion and insecurity I feel now. How do I determine what career path is best for me? How do I avoid making another career mistake and wasting more time? Please help!

Please help me!
Lost

Dear Lost,

There is no such thing as a career mistake or wasted time. At the very least, you’ve gained experience in a field you do not want to reenter. You’ve learned valuable life skills and the ability to understand what is not right for you. Sometimes, you must try something and fall to stand up and fly.

To try and pinpoint the best career for your next attempt, I would advise the following steps: give some deep thought to those who inspired you as a child—what types of careers did they have? What were their values, and what did they stand for? What personality type do you believe you have? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you enjoy problem-solving and producing fast solutions? Or do you like to think with your senses and employ passion? There are no right or wrong answers, but the way you lean toward should determine what field you may find the most joy.

I recommend taking a personality assessment online to get a clearer idea of your true personality type. What you see on paper (or a computer screen) may differ from how you envision yourself. This information will be extremely useful in pinpointing career direction: sales, public relations, teaching, or something in the helping field, for instance.

This information will be extremely useful in pinpointing career direction: sales, public relations, teaching, or something in the helping field, for instance.

Next, I recommend taking some of this downtime you say you have and shadowing some professionals in the field you deem desirable. That will help you better understand what the day-to-day operations are like and what your daily regimen may be. Another effective way to make connections and learn about any given field is to spend time connecting on LinkedIn and social media. Many platforms have groups specific to industries to learn from and network with.

Lastly, reading and researching a field, including income brackets, necessary education, and more, are all great ways to strengthen your understanding of the fields you can pre-determine what you may be interested in via the personality and childhood assessment strategies. If you wind up taking a step only to realize it may not be a fit, that will not be wasted time. It will just be a step bringing you closer to your calling and, hopefully, destination.

I hope these suggestions help! Wishing you luck and love!

Love,
Mindie xo