01. Start with evidence, not a job title
List three situations in which you did useful work. They can come from employment, study, caring responsibilities, volunteering or a personal project. For each situation, note the problem, what you did and which part you found engaging.
02. Name the skills behind the experience
Look for verbs in your examples: organising, explaining, analysing, resolving, creating or coordinating. Write a short example beside each skill. Concrete evidence is more useful than a long list of broad strengths.
03. Describe a working day that suits you
Think about the balance you want between collaboration and independent work, structure and variety, remote and in-person contact. Separate essential conditions from preferences. A direction is easier to evaluate when you know the conditions that matter.
04. Explore one realistic direction
Choose a role or field to investigate. Read several role descriptions and record the skills they repeatedly ask for. Distinguish essential requirements from preferences. Note which skills you can demonstrate and which need further practice.
05. Prepare a useful conversation
Ask someone in a relevant role about an ordinary week, common challenges and the skills they use most. Avoid asking them to choose a career for you. Your purpose is to test assumptions and understand the work more clearly.
06. Choose a small next step
Pick one action you can take in the next seven days: revise a CV section, arrange a conversation, practise a skill or investigate a programme. Define what completion looks like. Put a review date in your calendar.
Your reflection prompts
What did I learn about my strengths? Which assumptions changed? What evidence do I still need? What will I try next? Keep your answers short enough to revisit. Career direction is a working hypothesis, not an irreversible decision.