It’s a funny thing owning a job site. You would think most people would ask for your help getting a job, or they would ask for you to help them with their resume. Those are the questions I can handle. “Sure I can connect you with (fill in the blank)” or “Of course Ill take a look at your resume, shoot it over.” What I was never (and still are never) prepared for is this one:

“But what should I do with my life?”

Uhmmm. Is it bad I always want to answer with, “well I don’t know, what should I do with mine?” There is something about us human types…we love to analyze. We love to ask these huge, over-arching questions, that are almost impossible to tackle in a lifetime, let alone over lunch. Yet we ask them anyway.

This question is a perfect example. With so much job loss around us you would think we would all turn our attention to landing our next job, but I have noticed a change. Although people are still sending in resumes, crossing fingers, and panicking before interviews, they are also starting to wonder… what job should they really be applying for?

That’s the thing about hitting rock bottom (economically and otherwise) you have the freedom to make big moves. We have talked about how this recession is a great opportunity for you inventors out there, you big-thinkers, you entrepreneurs, but don’t forget its also a great time for those of you bored out of your minds.

Yup, I said it…for those of you bored out of your minds. If you just laughed out loud, chances are this is you.

Luckily, because so many of us out there are feeling the itch for big change, there are also companies, websites, and groups wanting to help us out. Although I will always support the person who takes a huge leap of faith into a new industry or job title, I also caution them about doing so without researching first.

First suggestion...is the good old career assessment test. There are tons of them out of there.  One test worth checking out is the Career Key Test, which helps match your personality type with different industries. Another popular personality test is the Myer-Briggs Test, an accurate test that helps you better understand your temperament, drive, and goals.

After you have taken a few tests to better gauge what type of person you are the next step is to research companies that would be a good fit for you. The best online resource for career/company matching is called Jiibe.com, a user-powered service that helps people understand what company culture is best for them and then matches them directly with that type of company that is also hiring. It’s definitely worth checking out!

After you have done all the research, I suggest finding someone in your new career and seeking out a first-hand account of their day-to day activity. Testimonials are a great way to cut through the bull and see beyond the rose-colored glasses. A great site for this is, StreamingFutures.com, where they spotlight a different profession(al) every few days. They focus on the insider scoop of an industry, so you don’t enter a profession and get blindsided.  Great resource to look at when considering a new industry.

No matter how much research you do, a career change will always involve butterflies and anxiety. Just don’t forget there is an amazingly powerful energy that comes when you realize you need to change your road’s direction to lead somewhere else; toward something you love. Hopefully these resources have helped, and please feel free to leave any we missed in the comments below!