I Don’t Know What Job I Want

“I Don’t Know What Job I Want” — Read This Before You Apply Anywhere

If you feel stuck, lost, or unsure about your next move — you're not broken. You're not behind. You're just at the part of the journey no one talks about enough.

This post is for people who wake up and think:

“I know I need to work. I just don’t know what I actually want to do.”

Here’s how to figure that out without applying blindly to every job you see.

1. Forget Job Titles — Focus on Tasks

“Marketing Assistant”, “Project Coordinator”, “Product Specialist” — titles are inconsistent and vague. Stop starting with the label.

Instead, ask: What kind of tasks do I actually enjoy?

• Do I like organising or building?
• Do I enjoy talking to people or solving things quietly?
• Do I prefer writing, designing, or analysing?

Tip: Write down 10 tasks you've enjoyed doing — from past jobs, hobbies, volunteering, school, anything.

2. Don’t Chase Passion — Chase Patterns

Forget waiting to “find your passion.” Most people don’t find it. They notice patterns in what they’re good at — and build from there.

"You don’t find your thing. You try things. And then one of them clicks."

Look at your past work. What did people compliment you for? Where did you get results? What came easy to you but felt hard for others?

Tip: Ask 3 friends or ex-colleagues what they think you’re naturally good at. You’ll be surprised what comes up.

3. Test Before You Commit

Don’t waste time guessing. Instead of applying to 50 jobs in panic, test your interests in low-risk ways:

• Take a free course (YouTube, Coursera, Skillshare)
• Shadow someone for a day (virtually or in person)
• Freelance one small gig in the field you’re curious about
• Interview someone who already does the job

Think of it like dating. Don’t marry a job idea until you’ve taken it out for coffee.

4. Define What You Need — Not Just What You Want

It’s not just about what job sounds exciting. It’s about what lifestyle, pace, environment, and structure suits you.

• Do you want remote or office?
• Fast pace or steady routine?
• Big company with structure or small team with variety?
• Do you want upward mobility or work-life balance?

Tip: A job isn’t good if it doesn’t suit you — even if everyone else thinks it’s “great.”

5. You’re Allowed to Try — and Change

Your first choice isn’t permanent. Your current job isn’t permanent. Your CV isn’t locked. You are allowed to change paths, even completely.

Don’t let pressure from parents, past decisions, or social media freeze you.

"It’s not too late. It’s never too late. It’s just your next step."

Final Word

If you don’t know what you want yet, it doesn’t mean you never will.

It means you’re in the space between confusion and clarity — and that’s where most real change happens.

Start small. Get curious. Take one action. Then take another.

Before long, you won’t be stuck anymore. You’ll be moving — in the right direction, this time.