Are you following the right career path?

I live at the end of a road that, many years ago (14 to be exact), was a through road. Today there are bollards – erected by the council – across the road to stop cars using this single-track lane as a shortcut.

There is a sign as you enter from the main road which reads "No Through Road". At the bottom of our garden, as a last resort, the council has put up even more signs. There is a "Dead End" sign, a second sign saying "No Access", and a third explaining that the only access beyond our house is for pedestrians and cyclists.

And still, around six times a day, people whizz past our house, drive all the way up to the bollards, then slowly reverse back down the hill, turn around in our drive and descend the mile or so to the main road to reset their satnavs...

I know we've probably all ignored signs along the way (we're only human after all), but it just goes to show that when we're set on a particular course of action, we often only see the signs we want to see. It doesn't seem to matter how many signs there are pointing us in a different direction.

I regularly meet people, both personally and professionally, who are unsure about the career path they now want to pursue. Increasingly, I'm coming to the conclusion that many of them, deep down, actually know what they want to do. Ironically, that certainty can sometimes hold them back just as much as not knowing.

In the same way that signs can stop us from taking a wrong turn (if we choose to read them), they can also point us towards the right path.

The challenge for some people is accepting the obvious signs because, when you're looking to make a big change, it's easy to believe that the search needs to be just as difficult and that pursuing the obvious route somehow feels like taking the easy option.

That isn't to say you shouldn't explore every possibility, but it does help to remain open to all the signs – including the obvious ones.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater

Just because you may dislike what you're doing right now doesn't necessarily mean you couldn't enjoy doing the same thing somewhere else.

Before making a complete career change, consider whether it's actually a different job, a different employer or perhaps a different industry that you're really looking for.

Could you use your existing profession in a different setting? Is there another role within your current organisation that would suit you better?

If you're certain that a bigger change is what you want, think about the expertise and experience you've already built. Which of your skills are transferable? Is there a passion or talent that you could develop into a career or use in a different way?

Understanding the level of change you're genuinely comfortable with is important too. What feels practical given your circumstances? Could you afford to retrain or accept a temporary reduction in salary while you develop new skills?

All in all, you need to be sure you enter the process of change with an open mind and your eyes wide open.

Are you doing your research to confirm what you already believe, or are you genuinely open to discovering something different?

The challenge with research and advice is that there can be so much of it. Yes, you need to establish some filters, but the trick is to be honest with yourself about what your agenda really is.

Don't ask for advice only from people you know will tell you what you want to hear. Try to seek different perspectives – left, right and straight ahead.

Destination change

If you think about finding a new career as a journey, making the decision to go on that journey and deciding where you want to end up are only the beginning.

Enjoy planning the route towards your destination, make sure you pack some snacks and don't be afraid to ask for directions if you find yourself going off course.