Common mistakes career changers make

Sure, many of us are thankful to have a job this year. But a steady paycheck usually isn't enough to rekindle the love for a career you soured on long ago -- regardless of whether you're willing to admit this in mixed company.

Today's lack of job security has even the most practical, risk-averse folks dreaming and scheming about their next career move -- from taking an exploratory Vocation Vacation, to returning to school for an education or a nursing degree, to purchasing a franchise.

But what about those of us who have no idea what we'd like to do next, beyond "anything but the last thing on my resume"? How do we figure out where our so-called passion lies?

"When people think about passion they tend to think, 'I'm passionate about cooking,' or 'I'm passionate about travel.' But that's inherently limiting," says Seattle-based career coach Curt Rosengren, who spends his weeks helping people plot their next career move (his official title is Passion Catalyst).

Being passionate about cooking doesn't mean you have to make food for a living in order to follow your bliss, Rosengren says. "It's not about what you love. It's about why. What is it about cooking that you love? You have to do some reverse engineering."

While one cooking enthusiast may love the chemistry of sautéing a bunch of spices and seeing what happens, the next may love "the whole MacGyver thing, the creativity," Rosengren explains. By dissecting all the activities that energize you -- be they work or play -- you can better pinpoint the ingredients needed for a career that lights your fire.

For recent grads or those with a shorter resume of jobs, volunteer gigs, and recreational activities, such soul-searching can be a bit tougher. That's why it's important to realize that you don't have to stick with one job for the next 20 or 30 years.

"Make your best guess, and then for the next five years make your career an R&D experiment," Rosengren says. "As you're working, ask yourself, 'What do I love about this? What's driving me crazy about this?' Keep asking, 'Why?' so you get a solid feel for what works for you and what doesn't."

"There's really an opportunity to sculpt your career path on the fly as you go forward," Rosengren says. And, he adds, if you're lucky enough to do this right out of school before you have a family or mortgage to consider, you'll be way ahead of the game.

Freelance writer Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail her at ninetothrive@nwjobs.com.