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Find A Job: Packing For Your Journey

Home-Find A New JobFind A Job: Packing For Your Journey

Do you have the right supplies in your backpack? Before looking for a job, you need some key components such as a resume, cover letter, references, and possibly a portfolio. This quest is a great place to start learning about the tools that are out there; to know what you need and why you need it; and to learn how to use these tools to your advantage. By not overburdening yourself, but ensuring you have the essentials on-hand, it will help you have a smoother journey along the way.

Let's Talk About The "Backpack" First:

When you are planning a long journey, you want to start with the right equipment – but just as important as the equipment in the backpack, you need to know that the backpack itself is extremely important. If the backpack is not comfortable, you aren’t going to want to carry it for long. If the backpack is cheaply made, it isn’t going to last the entire journey, and then how are you going to carry all the things you need to survive? The metaphor of the physical backpack is symbolic of the foundation of your job hunt and life on the job after you get it. The “backpack” represents the thing that is going to carry you to a successful future in the working-class world. It is the foundation, the cornerstone, and you cannot move forward on your journey without first having researched it and having selected it. What is it? Your PROFESSION. Without a profession in mind, you will waste a lot of time on your job search, your resume will be all over the place, and you will not have very good odds of finding a job you really like and that you have the skillset to do. We want you to succeed, so picking the right profession is the first step to packing for a long journey on this adventure into the working-class world.

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

What Is A Profession?

A profession is more than just a job. It’s the vessel that carries your skills, passions, values, and goals through the journey of your working life. Like a sturdy backpack, your profession is meant to support you — not weigh you down. It becomes the structure that holds your tools, protects your purpose, and helps you move forward with stability and confidence. Some backpacks are lightweight and flexible; others are built for endurance and long-haul treks. The right one feels just right for your path.

While a job might be something you do temporarily to earn money, a profession is something you grow into and develop over time. It often aligns with a set of learned skills, training, and values that allow you to serve others, solve problems, and build a meaningful life. Whether you choose a creative path, a healing path, a technical path, or something entirely different — your profession should support your unique mission, energy, and lifestyle.

When selecting the profession you want to pursue, it’s essential to find the right balance between what you can do, what you’re willing to learn, and what you truly enjoy. Whether you’re already equipped with the necessary skills or are prepared to train and grow into them, the key is to choose a path that feels sustainable — something you can see yourself doing consistently without it draining your joy or well-being.

Examples of high-level professions include:

  • The medical profession

  • The financial profession

  • The legal profession

  • The technology profession

  • The animal-care profession

  • The cosmetology profession

  • The creative/influencer profession

After identifying your high-level profession, you can narrow your focus to a specific job or role within that profession. This process helps turn a vague dream into a clear direction.

Select A Profession:

Selecting a profession is a deeply personal decision — and one that deserves intention, curiosity, and self-honesty. It’s not just about picking something that sounds good or pays well; it’s about identifying the path that fits your strengths, supports your needs, and aligns with your vision for a fulfilling life.

Start by exploring who you are. What are your natural talents? What environments do you thrive in? What values are non-negotiable for you? From there, think about your energy levels, health needs, family responsibilities, and long-term dreams. The best-fit profession doesn’t require you to become someone else — it empowers you to become more of who you already are.

When selecting a profession make sure it is something you will enjoy working with for a long time – you are going to live it, eat it, breath it. Fully understand that you are going to invest a lot of time at your job, thus you want it to mean something to you. That doesn’t mean you can’t change your profession later, but it isn’t easy to change a profession – it is time-consuming to adapt and grow in a field, so make your efforts count by selecting something you enjoy or can learn to enjoy right out of the gate. 

  1. Learn the tools available to help you pick a profession that fits your personality and skillsets.
  2. Use these tools to test your chosen profession against the current job market to make sure the field you choose isn’t a dead-end job.
  3. Make sure you have the required training to do the job. If you do not already have this training, you’ll need to sign-up for courses to get those skills. 
  4.  Create your job search templates that can be customizable based on a specific job. You’ll need things like a resume, cover letter, references, and possibly a portfolio. 
  5. Research available jobs to set training targets and to help improve your resume.

Choose Your Path:

That brings us to lesson 3, where it is time to choose your path for completing this quest. There is only one path we offer and that is the Independent Profession Selection Package. This package is currently free and all you need to do is is keep reading below to check out our recommendations on how to pick a profession that fits your personality and lifestyle.  

Path 1: Independent Profession Selection Package – $FREE

Find Your Profession

Upgrade: Purchase Our Profession Planning Guide to get our helpful tips, tools, and templates. (Coming Soon).

 

Already have your profession picked out or are you comfortable moving forward without having a set profession in mind? If so, click here to start looking at the tools you need to pack on this adventure to finding a new job. 

Find Your Profession

The Independent Profession Selection Package | 10-STEP GUIDE

Choosing a profession is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your journey toward purpose-driven work — and it should be intentional, self-reflective, and uniquely yours. This 10-step guide is designed to help you explore, evaluate, and align your career path with your life.

Step 1: Define Your Core Values

What truly matters to you in life and work? Start by identifying the personal values that guide your decisions — things like flexibility, stability, creativity, service, faith, or autonomy. When your career reflects your values, it becomes a source of strength, not stress.

Helpful Tools:

Helpful Tools:

Step 2: Understand Your Personality & Work Style

How do you naturally think, work, and connect? Your personality affects how you relate to tasks, people, and environments. The more self-aware you are, the easier it becomes to find professions where you’ll naturally thrive.

Step 3: Map Out Your Strengths & Skills

What do you do well — and what comes naturally to you? This step is about identifying both hard and soft skills you already have, and discovering how they might apply to different professions. Even hobbies and volunteer work count!

Helpful Tools:

Helpful Tools:

  • Create an “Energy Map” journal: track your energy levels over a week or purchase the Energy Map in our Profession Planning Guide here (coming soon).

  • Reflect on: What environments and tasks drain me vs. energize me?

Step 4: Identify Your Energy Patterns

How much energy do you have to give — and when? Especially important for spoonies and those with chronic illness: understanding your physical and emotional limits helps rule out professions that would lead to burnout and explore those that are sustainable.

Step 5: Consider Your Lifestyle Needs

What kind of schedule, income, and flexibility do you need? Think practically. Consider family responsibilities, health routines, travel limitations, income requirements, and whether you need remote or hybrid work. Your profession must support your life, not compete with it.

Helpful Tools:

  • Create a “Life Compatibility Checklist” on Google Sheets or Notion or purchase the Life Compatibility Checklist in our Profession Planning Guide here (coming soon).

  • Journal prompt: What does my ideal workday look like (realistically)?

Helpful Tools:

Step 6: Explore Profession Categories & Career Families

What fields and categories even exist — and which interest you? Start broad. Explore industry categories like healthcare, digital media, education, technology, trades, wellness, or entrepreneurship. See what sparks curiosity.

Step 7: Research Specific Roles

What exactly do people in these professions do? Once you've found a few career paths that interest you, dig deeper into daily responsibilities, work conditions, tools used, and skills required. Watch job-related YouTube videos or read day-in-the-life blogs.

Helpful Tools:

Helpful Tools:

Step 8: Compare Salary & Job Outlook

Can this profession support you financially and long-term? Look up average salaries, growth projections, and demand in your area. Some fields are growing fast, while others may be shrinking or becoming automated.

Step 9: Conduct Micro-Experiments

Test before you commit. Before fully investing in training or job hunting, try mini-experiments: shadow someone, volunteer, take a short online course, or do a small project to get a real feel for the work.

Helpful Tools:

Helpful Tools:

  • Create a Decision Matrix or purchase the Decision Matrix in our Profession Planning Guide here (coming soon).

  • Journal prompt: Which profession best supports the life I want to build — not just today, but 5 years from now?

Step 10: Narrow It Down & Choose Your Path

Make a confident, informed decision. Review all your notes and insights. Which path checks the most boxes for your values, energy, skills, and lifestyle? Pick one to pursue for the next chapter — knowing that your profession can evolve with you.

Helpful Self-Discovery Tools

  • 16Personalities (MBTI) – www.16personalities.com
    Understand your personality type and work preferences.

  • CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) – www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths
    Identify your top strengths and how to use them in a career.

  • CareerOneStop Interest Assessment – www.careeronestop.org
    Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor – match your interests to career options.

  • The MAPP Career Assessment – www.assessment.com
    A motivational appraisal of personal potential, offering career matches.

Helpful Job Market Research Tools

  • O*NET Online – www.onetonline.org
    Detailed insights into job roles, skill requirements, and educational needs.

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook – www.bls.gov/ooh
    Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — includes salary ranges and job outlooks.

  • Glassdoor – www.glassdoor.com
    Real employee reviews, salary ranges, and company culture.

  • Payscale – www.payscale.com
    Salary research tool based on your location, experience, and role.

  • Indeed Career Guide – www.indeed.com/career
    Career overviews, salary info, and resume/interview tips.

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