A lot of people are unhappy at work. It might be a micromanaging boss or crazy coworkers. They know they want to leave, and they want to leave now. The problem is they don’t have a clue as to what they want to do next.

If they do want to stay in a similar position, there’s the question of what type of company? Would a smaller company be better than a large corporation? Or vice versa?

The trick to getting unstuck is to change your approach. Instead of trying to figure out what you do want, decide what it is you don’t want. Begin by listing all the jobs you’ve held.

Next, consider every aspect of each position. Write down everything that you didn’t enjoy, things that made you unhappy. Pretty soon you will see some patterns, patterns that will help you define your new job.

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Even if we don’t want the job, most of us want to get the offer. When you actually do want the job, getting a “pass” can be downright devastating. I’ve been there too.

Sometimes knowing the reason, you weren’t hired is easy. Maybe you didn’t have most of the “requirements” but you decided to apply anyway. Perhaps you didn’t click with the hiring manager. As soon as you left the interview your gut told you that you wouldn’t be moving forward.

Other times, you leave an interview feeling great and are stunned to receive a “we went another way” letter in the mail. You go over every interaction over and over trying to figure out what went wrong.

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Finding a new job isn’t easy. Finding a new gig that’s also a good fit is even more difficult. It takes time, tenaciousness, and a little bit of luck.

If you hate your job, despise your boss, or have been out of work for six months or more it can be tempting to jump at the first job offer that comes along. But taking a job without doing your due diligence can end up being a big mistake. BIG mistake.

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