Comments on: Online career change exercises wanted

Question: Online career change exercises wanted

reenum — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:22:57 -0800

Are there any websites or online resources for people considering a career change?

I've been thinking of changing careers for a while, and after some recent events at the office, it's time to get up and start figuring some things out.

I'm going to get "What Color Is Your Parachute" and a few other recommended texts from other threads, but I'm wondering if there are any websites or other online resources (preferably free), that have exercises and other things I can use to try and evaluate what it is I truly want to do.

I have a lot of free time at work. For obvious reasons, I don't want to show up here with career change books.

Thanks!

By: scarykarrey

scarykarrey — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:46:34 -0800

There's an entire industry that has sprung up in the past few decades devoted to choosing or changing careers, and a simple google search will probably yield a lot of junk and money grubbers. I'd suggest a couple of things:

1. Take a few personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs personality indicator and "True Colors". I found it helpful to know more about myself in order to discover what kind of work I might like doing.
2. Your best resources for real career indicator tests are going to be found on the Career Development websites for your local community colleges and universities. You might have to pay in order to take the tests and interest quizzes, but locals schools will have done the work to cull the actual useful ones from the dreck.

By: dfriedman

dfriedman — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:20:41 -0800

A friend of mine recommended this book to me.

I didn't like the book, however other people seem to like it a lot. Perhaps it is worth checking out.

Why I didn't like the book: it is told as a parable. I don't like that rhetorical device. Your mileage may vary. Etc.

Possibly relevant disclaimer: the friend who recommended the book to me is friends with the author. I haven't met the author.

By: elmay

elmay — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:47:20 -0800

The canonical reference seems to be "What Color Is Your Parachute". There are a lot of exercises in that book that could look like work to a casual passerby.

There is also a website run by the author of that book.

By: Bron

Bron — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:18:05 -0800

I enjoyed the Po Bronson book, What Should I do With My LIfe? There's quite a bit of material about it / from it at his web site.

By: Kurichina

Kurichina — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:41:14 -0800

Some of the advice is UK specific, but found Career Shifters useful in the past.

By: CathyG

CathyG — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:14:28 -0800

If you google "Myers-Briggs free online" you'll get a lot of possibilities. I can't vouch for any one in particular, but it's a good way to just jump in and see what's out there without committing a lot of time/money.