What To Ask Yourself Before You Change Careers

Kimmy Schmidt may be unbreakable – she’s alive, damnit! – but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t had more than her fair share of adversity. From the Bunker to NYC, Kimmy’s success has always been her willingness to reinvent herself.

She’s done it all: babysitting, sales advising at a year-round Christmas store, cab driving — and she almost worked as a state-licensed crossing guard. As she begins her new life as a career woman at GizToob, she’s taking a moment out of her busy schedule to help answer the 6 questions you MUST ask yourself when you’re thinking of shifting careers.

So, Giztoob, let's channel Kimmy in answering 6 questions you MUST ask yourself. Ready? Go!

1. Have you taken an "I'm so great at this!" test?

You might be great at decorating your super-cool backpack, though it's important to find out what you'd be good at professionally. You might want to consider taking a test to find out what you're great at (i.e., an aptitude test), which you can buy at any used book store. These tests are amazing — they know all of the jobs, and after you take them, they know all of you too! Kimmy would never have known that her unique skill set made her the perfect candidate to be a crossing guard had she not gotten serious and taken the test. What are YOU waiting for?! Take a test to find out!

2. Do you like Christmas?

Don’t overthink it; if you like Christmas, work at a Christmas store! Love babies? Babysit! Love to analyze finances? Be a financial analyst! Love bossing people around? Be a boss! Kimmy’s time as a sales associate at the Christmas store reinforced what she already knew: It’s important to do what you love.

3. Is it time to go back to school?

Why not? Books are fun! Just like Kimmy, one moment you might be without a high school degree, and the next you may be at the Robert Moses Community College! And the NEXT thing you know, you might be at freakin' Columbia University owing to your ace rowing skills. (All those hours grinding that crank in the bunker didn't go to waste). With an education, the world is your Noodles and Butter! It will only cost you a million dollars!

4. Are you the master of your own destiny? (Heck yes, you are!)

Ask yourself: Who is in charge of your life? If the answer is you, congratulations, you are your own boss! Now that you’re the boss of you, you need to take charge of you. Taking charge of you means making your own decisions for yourself. So, what do you want to do, you? Once you figure it out, do it. And remember, you’re the boss now, so make sure you actually do it!

5. Do you want to do real good in the real world?

OK, this is an important one; it’s what led Kimmy to pursue her passion to be a crossing guard! There are lots of people in the world who need help, and you can help them by finding a job that pays you to help them. Some jobs allow you to do more real good in the real world than others, like working at a nonprofit, which you actually do get paid for, which is confusing ...

6. Do you have emotional intelligence?

As Kimmy learned at the end of last season, emotional intelligence is a real thing. Emotional intelligence allows you to forge connections with people and understand their motivations, which can be a big help in any career. As workplaces are increasingly dominated by Yukos and tech bros, people with emotional intelligence are in high demand. If you have emotional intelligence, make sure to put it on your resume so people know. Good luck!

Want to find out what your true professional destiny is? Take our quiz to find out!

This article is sponsored by Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, now streaming only on Netflix!