How to Know If You’re On the Right Career Path — Or Just Stuck in a Job

Let me tell you a story.

A few years ago, I was sitting at my desk in a sleek tech office, sipping coffee from a company-branded mug, and asking myself the kind of question that tends to hit you at 3 PM on a Wednesday: “Is this really it?”

From the outside, it looked like I had it all figured out. Good salary, solid job title, swipe card access to a building with kombucha on tap. But on the inside, something felt...off. I wasn’t energized by my work. I wasn’t learning. I didn’t feel like I was building my future—I felt like I was building someone else’s.

Sound familiar?

If you’ve ever wondered whether you're truly on the right career path, or just stuck in a job that looks good on paper, you're not alone. And this post is here to help you untangle that feeling and decide what comes next.

The Difference Between a Job and a Career Path

First things first: there’s nothing wrong with having a job. In fact, it’s a crucial part of the journey. But a career path is more than just a paycheck—it’s a direction. It’s progress. It’s a feeling that what you're doing today is building toward something you actually care about tomorrow.

A job says, “You’re making money.”
A right career says, “You’re making progress.”

The question is: which one are you in?

Signs You Might Just Be Stuck in a Job

Let’s get honest. If you're nodding along to any of these, it might be time for a gut check:

1. You Dread Mondays (and Tuesdays, and Wednesdays...)

It's not just about having a rough day now and then—everyone has them. But if you're waking up with a pit in your stomach most mornings, that’s a red flag. It may not be burnout. It may be misalignment.

2. Your Skills Are Collecting Dust

One key sign you’ve stopped moving forward is when you realize you're no longer learning. If your job isn’t challenging you or helping you grow, it might not be the right fit long-term.

3. You’re Not Excited About Where It’s Leading

Look at the people who are 5–10 years ahead of you in the same role. Do you want their life? If the answer is no, that’s telling. A true right career path should lead you toward a version of yourself you actually want to become.

Signs You’re On the Right Career Path

It’s not all doom and gloom. Here’s what it feels like when you’re headed in the right direction:

1. Time Flies When You’re in Flow

You’re so absorbed in a task—whether it’s coding, designing, strategizing, or solving a tough bug—that hours go by without you noticing. That’s not just “being busy.” That’s engagement.

2. You Feel a Sense of Purpose

It doesn’t mean you’re curing cancer, but the work matters to you. You feel like you’re contributing to something bigger, or at least building skills that align with your bigger vision.

3. You’re Invested in Your Growth

When you’re on the right career track, you care about improving—not because someone told you to, but because you want to. You read articles, take courses, seek mentors. Learning feels like fuel, not a chore.

For Students and Career Switchers: How to Choose the Right Career Path

If you’re still a student—or starting over in your 30s or 40s—the pressure to choose the right path can feel overwhelming. But here’s the truth: there’s rarely a single “right” path. There are many directions where you can thrive. The key is to start where your curiosity naturally leads.

Here are a few steps that helped me (and many others) figure it out:

·         Explore widely, commit gradually. Try internships, freelance gigs, or side projects before locking into one thing. Especially in IT, hands-on experience tells you more than any job description ever could.

·         Follow interest, not just income. Yes, money matters. But in the long term, loving what you do tends to create more success—and less burnout.

·         Talk to real people. Reach out to people working in roles you’re curious about. Ask about their path, their day-to-day, and what they wish they had known when choosing.

What To Do If You’re Not on the Right Career Path (Yet)

Let’s say you’ve realized your job is not your calling. That’s okay. The good news? You don’t have to quit tomorrow. You just have to start asking better questions:

·         What do I enjoy doing—even when no one’s paying me to do it?

·         What kind of problems do I love solving?

·         What do others come to me for help with?

These aren’t just self-help questions. They’re breadcrumbs. Follow them, and you’ll gradually move closer to the kind of work that feels like you.

Final Thoughts: You Deserve More Than “Just a Job”

You don’t have to settle. Whether you’re a student trying to choose the right career path, or a mid-career professional wondering if you took a wrong turn, remember this:

It’s never too early—or too late—to course-correct.

Start small. Stay curious. Trust your gut.

And most importantly: you deserve a right career path that feels like it's yours—not one that was handed to you, expected of you, or accidentally landed in your lap.