Five months after graduation, unsure about career direction

[Eclair_de_XII]

not know what to do with my life. I mean, I have a modest job right now, so I'm doing something with my life at the present, but not much. But I cannot help but feel like some sort of insomniac compulsively watching their alarm clock late at night when I count the months that have passed since graduation.

 

[jrmichler]

Time for a self evaluation:

What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
What do you like to do? Why?
What do you not like to do? Why?
What are your priorities with respect to interesting job vs making money?
What are your priorities with respect to where you live vs making money?
What are your priorities with respect to ethics vs making money (are you willing to lie, cheat, or steal to get a better job?)
You will figure out more questions after you get started.

Give yourself a half hour per day to work on it. Set aside time every day with no disturbances - no TV, no music, no video games, phone off, no visitors. Expect to take several months if you want to do it right.

 

[russ_watters]

Time for a self evaluation:

What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
What do you like to do? Why?
What do you not like to do? Why?
What are your priorities with respect to interesting job vs making money?
What are your priorities with respect to where you live vs making money?
What are your priorities with respect to ethics vs making money (are you willing to lie, cheat, or steal to get a better job?)
You will figure out more questions after you get started.

Give yourself a half hour per day to work on it. Set aside time every day with no disturbances - no TV, no music, no video games, phone off, no visitors. Expect to take several months if you want to do it right.

Great assessment template. If I might add:
Is what you like to do a potential hobby, job, or both/either?

 

[Klystron]

An old saying attributed to different authors has relevance in assessing one's life goals:

No matter what you do, you will regret it.

IOW do not let doubt and past mistakes hold you back. Learn from them. Every important decision comes with regrets, particularly the path unwalked, the challenge left untried. Completing an education level gives you tools and templates but leaves planning and decision making to you.

 

[Eclair_de_XII]

You know, I don't think I'm doing this check-list correctly. Each of the three times I have done the check-list, I have had a tendency to diverge from the goal of focusing on finding a job I truly enjoy. Then I start writing pages of text describing health problems that prevent me from doing things properly, in addition to the usual complaints I have about life. The first check-list took me three days over three half-hour periods to complete, just so it is clear.

 

[russ_watters]

You know, I don't think I'm doing this check-list correctly. Each of the three times I have done the check-list, I have had a tendency to diverge from the goal of focusing on finding a job I truly enjoy. Then I start writing pages of text describing health problems that prevent me from doing things properly, in addition to the usual complaints I have about life. The first check-list took me three days over three half-hour periods to complete, just so it is clear.

Those are issues we really can't help you with except to say get your health issues figured out first - whether they are temporary or permanent. And if the issue is really how your health issues make you feel, that's a job for a psychologist.

I have done the check-list... the goal of focusing on finding a job I truly enjoy.

That's a fine goal, but make sure you aren't biasing the answers to try to make reality conform to your goals. Reality might not agree, and is usually correct, so you need to deal with the real answers, not make a plan based on fantasized answers.