Reader situation
You’re considering a career change but aren’t ready to commit. Reading about a role only gets you so far. Conversations with people who do the work can help, but only if you know what you want to learn.
Central idea
Peer conversations can help you explore a career direction before committing to it. This planner turns a broad interest into learning questions about the work, the experience required and practical next steps.
Practical steps
- Direction being explored. Name the role, field or type of work you are considering.
- Transferable strengths. List what you already bring that applies.
- Knowledge gaps. Note what you don’t yet know about the work or what it requires.
- Conversation questions. Write the questions you’ll ask the people you talk to.
- Reflection and follow-up. Record what you learned and what you’ll do next.
Tool: planner
Complete one section at a time. Revisit it after each conversation.
Direction being explored
- The role or field I’m considering: ________
- What draws me to it: ________
- What I’m unsure about: ________
Transferable strengths
- Experience that applies: ________
- Skills that apply: ________
- Evidence I could point to: ________
Knowledge gaps
- What I don’t know about day-to-day work: ________
- Experience or qualifications that may be required: ________
- What I don’t know about how people enter the field: ________
Conversation questions
People to talk to (aim for different roles and stages):
Questions to ask
- What does a typical week involve?
- What surprised you most when you started?
- What experience mattered most when you were hired?
- What do people from outside the field usually misunderstand?
- What would you do in my position to test whether this is right for me?
Reflection and follow-up
After each conversation
- Who I spoke to: ________
- What I learned: ________
- What changed in my thinking: ________
- Follow-up I promised: ________
- My next step: ________
Worked example
Fictional example
Ravi, a secondary school teacher, is exploring instructional design. He lists his strengths as designing lessons, explaining complex ideas and assessing learning. His gaps include the tools designers use and how they work with corporate clients. He talks to three people: a freelance designer, an in-house designer at a software company and someone who moved from teaching two years ago. After the third conversation, he notes that the most consistent advice was to build a small portfolio piece before applying, and makes that his next step.
Boundaries
- Conversations are for learning, not job requests. If a job comes up, let the other person raise it.
- Respect people’s time. Keep conversations to the length agreed and thank people afterwards.
One action to try with a professional peer
Fill in sections 1 to 3 of the planner, then ask one person working in the field for a 20-minute conversation.
Discussion prompt
What is one question you wish you’d asked before your last career move?
