How to Test a Career Direction Without Quitting Your Job

Most people stay stuck in unfulfilling careers for one reason: fear of making the wrong move.

They fantasize about a different path—something that lights them up instead of draining them—but the risk feels too high. What if they quit and hate the new career? What if they have trouble finding a new job? What if they don't know what they want to do? What if they realize too late it wasn't what they imagined?

So they stay. Year after year. Comfortable but unfulfilled.

But here's what most people don't realize: you don't have to quit your job to test a new direction.

The "Leap of Faith" Myth

We're sold a story about career change: dramatic resignations, bold leaps into the unknown, burning bridges to force ourselves forward.

It makes for good movies. I remember watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and feeling that pull to try something new. Hollywood does a good job of taking us into dream worlds where anything is possible. But real life is a bit more, well, real.

The truth? Smart career pivots aren't leaps—they're experiments. Small, low-risk tests that give you real information before you make a big move.

I've seen this work firsthand—not just with clients, but in my own life and the people around me.

The Volunteer Path: Building Skills While You Explore

A few years ago, I started volunteering as a coach for my daughter's soccer team. I wasn't thinking about career development—I just wanted to be involved in her life.

But something unexpected happened. I discovered I loved the coaching process: breaking down complex skills, helping kids overcome frustration, watching their confidence grow week after week, season after season. The leadership and mentoring aspects reconnected me with something I'd forgotten—work that actually energized me instead of just getting through the day.

That experience helped me clarify what I wanted in my next chapter—and eventually led me to career coaching.

A friend of mine had a similar journey. He volunteered as a baseball coach while working a job he'd outgrown. Over time, that volunteer role turned into paid coaching and team management. Eventually, he leveraged that experience into a full-time position managing a baseball club - a position he genuinely loves.

Here's the key: He didn't quit first and hope it worked out. He tested it, built skills, and made the transition when the path was clear.

Volunteering isn't just about giving back—it's about exploring what energizes you without risking your income. Whether it's coaching, mentoring, board service, or community organizing, volunteering lets you test a career direction in a low-stakes environment.

And the best part? You're already doing things outside of work. The question is: Are you doing them with intention?

Job Shadowing: Reality-Checking Your Assumptions

Before you invest years retraining for a new career, spend a day living it.

Job shadowing is one of the most underused career exploration tools. It's simple: Find someone in the role you're considering and ask to shadow them for a day—or even just have a coffee conversation.

Ask them:

- What does a typical day actually look like?
- What do you love about this work?
- What do people misunderstand about this role?
- What would you tell someone considering this path?

You'll learn more in one honest conversation than you will from months of online research. Because job descriptions sell the highlights. Real people tell you about the daily grind—the parts that energize them and the parts that drain them. You need both.

Job shadowing saves you from expensive mistakes. Better to learn you hate something before you retrain for it.

Internal Exploration: The Career Pivot Hiding in Plain Sight

Sometimes the career change you need doesn't require leaving your company—it requires exploring different roles within it.

Most mid-career professionals have built valuable skills and relationships in their current organization. Throwing that away to start from scratch somewhere else isn't always necessary.

Instead, look for adjacent roles:

- If you're in operations, explore project management or strategy
- If you're in sales, explore customer success or product development
- If you're in finance, explore business development or analytics

Internal moves give you the chance to test a new direction without losing your tenure or benefits, existing credibility with people who already know and trust your work, and a safety net if it doesn't work out.

Talk to people in those roles. Ask your manager about lateral development opportunities. Volunteer for cross-functional projects that expose you to different work.

You might find the career change you need is closer than you think.

Making Sense of What You Discover*

Here's where most people get stuck: they explore, experiment, and gather information—but they don't know how to make sense of it.

Volunteering showed you enjoy mentoring. Job shadowing revealed the daily realities. Internal exploration exposed you to new possibilities. But how do you know which direction is right?

This is where structured self-reflection matters. Understanding your skills, interests, and values—and how they align with potential paths—turns exploration into clarity.

This is also where working with a career coach can help. Not because you need someone to tell you what to do, but because you need someone to help you see the patterns you're missing, ask the questions you're avoiding, and hold you accountable to making a decision instead of staying stuck in exploration mode forever.

The Real Risk Isn't Making the Wrong Choice

The real risk is spending another five years wondering "what if?"

Testing a career direction doesn't require quitting your job, going back to school, or making a dramatic leap. It requires curiosity, intention, and small experiments that give you real information.

Volunteer in areas that interest you. Shadow people doing the work you're considering. Explore roles within your company. Reflect on what energizes you versus what drains you.

Then, when you're ready to make a move, you'll do it with clarity—not desperation.

What career direction have you been curious about but afraid to explore?

Write back and let me know. I read every response.