Don’t leap into the unknown. Use small-scale experiments, side projects, and informational interviews to learn about your next step before you take it.
Test-drive your next career move. Learn how to use low-risk prototypes. Explore side projects and experiments. Gain clarity and knowledge about a new field or role.
Have you ever found yourself at a pivotal moment in your professional life? Faced with a significant career decision, that familiar pang of apprehension can be quite unsettling. I know the feeling well. Early on, I distinctly remember weighing up a major shift into an entirely different sector.
While the idea was certainly exciting, the sheer size of the unknown was daunting. I felt an immense pressure to make the ‘right’ choice. I had to commit to something huge without truly understanding its daily realities.
It was precisely then that I encountered the powerful framework of career prototyping. This concept entirely transformed how I viewed professional evolution. Instead of one monumental leap, I learned to take small, intentional steps. These allowed me to test my assumptions and gather concrete insights about where I was heading next.
Key Takeaways
- Embrace Small Experiments: Before committing to a full career change, consider conducting low-risk professional experiments.
- Leverage Side Projects: Use side projects as a practical sandbox. Develop new skills and gauge your interest in potential career paths.
- Conduct Informational Interviews: Gather invaluable insights. Expand your network by speaking directly with people in your target roles. Connect with professionals in your target industries.
- Prioritise Self-Reflection: Regularly assess your experiences to understand what truly energises you and aligns with your values.
- Cultivate a Curious Mindset: Approach career exploration with genuine curiosity, allowing yourself to learn and adapt based on real-world feedback.
Why Big Leaps Are Risky: The Case for Prototyping
In our society, there’s often an expectation to have a linear career path or to make bold, decisive moves. We’re encouraged to “take the plunge” or “burn the boats”. But what if that plunge leads to a pool you don’t actually like? What if those burnt boats leave you stranded?
Many talented professionals make drastic career changes. They base these changes on assumptions or fleeting interests. Later, they find themselves disillusioned after several months. They invested significant time, money, and emotional energy into a new direction without adequately exploring it first.
This is where career prototyping shines. It’s about borrowing a concept from design thinking and applying it to your professional life. A product designer wouldn’t launch a new product without rigorous testing. So, why should you launch a new career path without doing the same?
Prototyping minimises risks and maximises learning. It’s about making your career change an iterative process rather than a single, high-stakes decision.
Understanding Career Prototypes
A career prototype isn’t about quitting your job tomorrow. It’s about designing mini-experiments to learn more about a potential career path with minimal commitment. Think of it as a series of small bets.
Through these prototypes, you gain firsthand experience rather than just theoretical understanding. You get a genuine sense of what performing aspects of the role entails. You also engage with the industry and absorb its unique culture. This practical feedback proves significantly more insightful than merely reviewing job descriptions or consulting just one individual.
It’s a way to engage in curiosity-driven growth, turning your career exploration into an exciting journey of discovery.
Common Career Prototyping Strategies
There are several effective ways to prototype your career, each offering unique insights. I’ve personally experimented with many of these, and each has given me clarity I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
1. Side Projects and Freelance Gigs
This is the most accessible form of professional experiments. Have you got an idea for a new skill you want to develop or a service you want to offer? Start it as a side project.
For example, when I considered getting more into content creation, I didn’t instantly quit my day job. I started a small blog in my spare time. I experimented with different writing styles. I also offered my services to a few friends pro bono. This allowed me to develop skills, gauge my passion, and understand the practicalities without risking my primary income.
Side projects are excellent for:
- Skill development: Learn new tools, techniques, or industries.
- Interest validation: Do you actually enjoy doing the work, day in and day out?
- Network expansion: Connect with people in your desired field.
- Portfolio building: Create tangible evidence of your capabilities.
Think about what small project you can start this week that aligns with a potential career move.
2. Informational Interviews and Shadowing
This is about deeper discussions and direct observation. An informational interview is not a job interview; it’s a conversation where you’re seeking to learn. I’ve found these invaluable. I remember speaking to someone who was doing exactly what I thought I wanted to do. They gave honest opinions about both the daily grind and the political aspects of the job. They also revealed the true demands of the role. Their answers helped me either confirm my interest or pivot before making a mistake.
When conducting informational interviews:
- Prepare questions: Focus on their experiences, challenges, and what they enjoy or dislike.
- Listen actively: Ask follow-up questions to investigate further about their diverse perspectives.
- Be respectful of their time: keep it concise and offer to buy them a coffee.
Shadowing takes it a step further. If possible, ask if you can spend a few hours or even a day observing someone in their role. This immersive experience can give a granular understanding that no amount of conversation can replicate.
3. Volunteer Work and Internships (Even as an Experienced Professional)
Don’t underestimate the power of volunteering or a short-term internship, even if you’re an experienced professional. It’s a fantastic way to gain practical experience in a new field without the pressure of a full-time commitment.
I once volunteered to help organise a local community event. This experience gave me hands-on experience in project management. It also involved stakeholder engagement in a non-profit context. It revealed a passion for community building I hadn’t fully appreciated.
For those contemplating a significant career change, a short-term unpaid commitment can offer profound insights. It can also show genuine interest to future employers. It shows you’re willing to do the work to learn and adapt. It’s a powerful way to illustrate your proactive attitude towards personal growth.
4. Short Courses, Workshops, and Certifications
While not a direct “test drive”, these can be excellent prototypes for assessing genuine interest and aptitude. Enrolling in a short online course or workshop gives you a taste of the academic demands. It also lets you understand the practical demands related to your potential new career.
I remember signing up for a coding boot camp’s free introductory weekend when I thought about a tech-oriented role. It quickly showed me that while I appreciated the logic, the day-to-day coding wasn’t for me. This small investment saved me from a much larger commitment down the line.
These experiences teach you fundamental skills. They help you decide if the subject matter genuinely captivates you. This process assists you in refining your goals.
Reflecting and Iterating: The Heart of Prototyping
Prototyping isn’t just about doing; it’s about learning from your experiences. After each experiment, take time to deeply think about it.
Ask yourself:
- What did I enjoy most about this experience?
- What did I consider challenging or unenjoyable?
- What skills did I use, and what new ones did I acquire?
- Did this experience align with my values and long-term aspirations?
- What did I learn about myself and the industry?
This process of reflection is critical for building self-awareness, which is crucial for making authentic career choices.
Remember, a prototype isn’t meant to be perfect. Occasionally, an experiment will confirm your suspicions. Other times, it will reveal that the path you thought was for you isn’t. Both outcomes are successes, as they offer valuable data. It’s about having the courage to learn from failure and pivot.
The beauty of career prototyping is that it gives you permission to be imperfect. It lets you try things and change your mind. It encourages an iterative approach to career development. Each small step informs the next one. This gradual process reveals a path that truly resonates with who you are and who you’re becoming. It lets you navigate career change by embracing uncertainty with confidence.
Wrapping Up
Moving through a career transition can often seem like a daunting task, fraught with unknowns and significant risks. Yet, by adopting a prototyping approach, we can fundamentally alter this experience. We can reshape it into a series of actionable, illuminating investigations. This strategy empowers us to take initiative, fostering a mindset of curiosity and foresight. It lets us uncover what genuinely fuels our professional drive. We can align with our deeper ambitions. This process ultimately paves the way for more assured choices.
🌱 Prototyping Your Career: The Growthenticity Connection
The core ideas explored in this article aren’t just isolated concepts; they deeply resonate with the principles of what I call ‘Growthenticity’:
“The continuous, integrated process of becoming more oneself (authentic) through leading with questions, learning through action, and growing by embracing uncertainty and imperfection, all fuelled by curiosity.”
Career prototyping is Growthenticity in action. It directly encourages us to ask questions about our professional desires. It challenges assumptions about what our next career move should be. We then engage in learning through action by designing and executing small, real-world experiments.
This process inherently involves embracing uncertainty and imperfection. We acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. Some prototypes “fail”. Yet, these failures are rich learning opportunities. Ultimately, this approach is fuelled by curiosity. It allows us to discover what truly energises us. This discovery aligns with our values and guides us towards a more authentic professional self.
👉 I encourage you to check out my paid Substack offerings at Lead, Learn, Grow. You can further explore concepts like ‘Growthenticity.’ You will also gain access to practical tools and connect with a supportive community. This community focuses on fostering authentic and impactful growth. Join us as we unpack these ideas and support each other on our journeys.
🌱 Learn more about me and what I offer my free and paid Substack subscribers.🌱
Here is some information about me and how to connect with me on different platforms.
Your Turn
What small prototype can you launch this week to explore a professional interest? What do you hope to learn from it?
nom@d learning 
Leave a comment