RESULTS

This individual was an established leader, who’d already accomplished a lot professionally. Another client referred her as she’d been trying to get clear on her direction and what she wanted next in her career.

Despite all her success on the outside, on the inside this individual felt uncertain and was starting to question herself. Especially when everyone around her seemed to know exactly what they were working towards.

Through our work together, this client realised she knew WHAT she wanted — not just what she DIDN’T want. Within 6 months, she’d started to move in this direction via an internal secondment and second part-time position. She’s since fulfilled her goal of moving into an executive leadership role with her existing employer.

By the time we finished working together, this client was like a brand new person. She radiated confidence and felt a deep sense of satisfaction in both her career and life. A complete shift from when we first met!

CLARITY

This client’s biggest underlying challenge was a lack of clarity on her long-term career direction. She’d never had a ‘dream job’ growing up or career she was passionate about — and the quest to find it had consumed her for years. There was a sense she’d ‘fallen into’ her current role and career path, which was creating frustration and keeping her caught in indecision.

The first focus of our work together was letting go of the need to identify her ONE ideal job upfront. This is a common pattern I see with senior leaders — trying to fit themselves to a particular role before they’re clear on their direction.

My client detached from the outcome and expectation that clarity had to happen in a certain timeframe. This immediately removed the pressure for work to deliver the fulfillment she desired.

She then redirected her time and energy into the things she enjoyed — including those outside work: Her interests, important relationships and FUN! This reconnected her to her values, what she enjoys and sparked new ideas about what to do next.

One of the biggest AHA moments was unpacking what she didn’t want, as this revealed the opposite — what she DID want. Through a simple exercise, she shifted her perspective and identified the type of role she wanted: A more senior leadership role where she could create real change, make an impact and be recognised for her contribution.

Here’s the lesson for you: When you’re clear on what you don’t want, you will know what you want next in your career.

CONFIDENCE

This client was experiencing a high level of self-judgement, which stemmed from perfectionism. Self-doubt stopped her from putting herself out there, she’d criticise herself for not taking action — and the cycle continued. In her career, she was hard on herself for being uncertain about her direction and felt frustrated for not reaching her full potential.

One of her biggest breakthroughs was learning to limit negative self-talk and take action anyway — by doing the ‘uncomfortable thing’. She started to speak up and contribute more to meetings, instead of believing she had nothing of value to say. In doing so, she gave her brain the evidence it needed to challenge those limiting beliefs — and her confidence grew over time.

In one session, my client began talking herself out of applying for a part-time position in a new field. After addressing the worst-case scenario, she realised she had little to lose by submitting an application. She got the job — and was promoted 12 months later!

To this client’s credit, she repeatedly stepped outside her comfort zone. She took on two new roles with greater responsibility and successfully managed up to navigate a challenging stakeholder. This took courage — but she overcame each challenge, shifted her mindset and boosted her confidence.

When you take action despite self-doubt, confidence builds over time.

CAREER STRATEGY

Rather than defaulting to a job search, we focused on designing a personalised strategy.

Early on, I encouraged this client to follow her curiosity and keep taking action, despite the discomfort. We brainstormed different career ideas and identified practical ways to test these potential career paths. Strategies included job shadowing and exploring a part-time leadership position of interest.

Pursuing the part-time role was a smart strategy when the right leadership opportunity wasn’t immediately available in her core job. It led her to build a portfolio career and gain the leadership experience to support her progression. As a result, she received promotions in both roles within 12-18 months.

Yet when my client first applied to this position, doubt set in: What will I do if it doesn’t progress? And once we identified what she wanted next in her career, her mind immediately jumped to: But what specific job is this?

To let go of attachment to a particular position, the strategy I suggested was speaking to people doing work which interested her. The goal was to understand her options and validate these ideas from a place of curiosity, not commitment. It also helped build her network and generate new career opportunities.

But like many of my clients, she felt some initial resistance to reaching out to people to ‘ask for a favour’. So, we reframed these conversations as an opportunity to connect (or reconnect) with her network. She could seek out their insights and advice — and look for ways to support them in return.

This client also challenged herself to take on an internal secondment and learnt how to lead authentically, in line with her values. She’s also continued to invest in developing her leadership capabilities. All these strategies supported her to step up into the senior leadership roles she wanted.

When you test options instead of trying to pick the ‘right’ role upfront, you will reduce risk and get clear on your direction, faster.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

So what can you take from this client’s transformation? Here are my top 3 takeaways and how YOU can apply them to your career!

#1 — Realise change takes time

Release the pressure to identify an ‘ideal’ job upfront or to figure out your next move in a certain timeframe. Instead of trying to fit yourself to a particular job, focus on creating a career which ‘works’ for YOU! Trust that when you stay in action and let go of attachment to the outcome, you’ll get to where you want to be faster.

#2 — Shift your perspective 

To identify what you want next in your career, ask yourself what you don’t want. Create a ‘don’t’ list — and look at the opposite to clarify what you DO want.

#3 — Do the ‘uncomfortable thing’

Rewrite limiting beliefs and overcome self-doubt by doing the thing you’re most reluctant to do. When you consider the worst-case scenario, you’ll realise it’s unlikely to happen — and if it does, you can handle it. By taking action, you’ll shift your mindset and build confidence over time!

So there you have it. How my client went from going round in circles to having complete clarity on what she wanted next in her career. I hope this helps you gain direction, confidence and a clear plan to create a career by design too.

If you’re looking for an ongoing partnership to clarify your direction, build confidence and create a personalised strategy to take ownership of your career, I invite you to explore Ignite Your Career.

I’m now taking applications for the next intake, with 3 spots available starting in March. Apply for a complimentary call to get started here. ​ 

Stacey Back is The Career Planning Specialist, an executive career coach and speaker. She guides high-achieving senior leaders and organisations across the globe to design fulfilling, sustainable careers for long-term success.

RESULTS

This individual is ambitious, hardworking and had a clear progression path in front of him in his existing team. Seen as a high-potential leader, his employer was willing to invest in his development or support any move internally.

The only problem was, he had no idea WHAT he wanted to do next… At the suggestion of his leader, he reached out to me for help to find clarity on his career direction.

It became clear this client was prioritising work (and his employer) over the rest of his life. Because he was so focused on getting the job done, he was thinking very short-term. This meant he was operating on autopilot, without considering his own goals and development.

When we began working together, he’d lost touch with who he really was and lacked purpose in his career and life. Within a few months, he’d found clarity on his career direction and goals. He made the shift into his desired career — going from sales to a marketing role — via an internal move in his current organisation.

Best of all, this person is now driving his own development and taking responsibility for his long-term career goals. He’s prioritising his career aspirations, important relationships and life outside work. As a result, he feels much more motivated, positive and fulfilled in both his work — and life!

Next, let’s break down how this client found clarity, built confidence and the specific career strategies that got him these results.

CLARITY

One of the main areas we worked on and where this individual had the biggest transformation, was finding clarity. He developed a deeper level of self-awareness around who he was — rather than the person he thought he ‘should’ be.

My client started to understand his unique strengths, personality, values and the impact he wanted to make through his work. He also considered the relationships which mattered most and the life he wanted to create. Through this process, he was able to see what was and wasn’t working in his current career.

And THIS is the power of awareness. Once you know what needs to change, you can take steps to address it!

An example of this was clarifying his values and understanding variety and impact were important to him at work. This helped him realise the reason he felt frustrated in his current role. Because his organisation had become focused on short-term solutions due to COVID and global supply chain issues.

Knowing this allowed my client to stay motivated in the short-term. He also developed and led a new project focused on long-term initiatives. Finally, he found fresh mentors and opportunities to upskill to meet his desire for greater variety.

This insight also revealed what was important for him to consider when choosing a new career path or making future career decisions. Clarity simplifies decisions because it gives you criteria — not guesswork.

When you build self-awareness and have clarity on what matters most, you will make the right career decisions.

CONFIDENCE

This individual is an action-taker with plenty of confidence. But for someone who was so ambitious and full of potential, he admitted he was ‘coasting’ in his career. This looked like letting his career unfold and following the path in front of him — without considering his long-term goals or what he really wanted.

Now there’s nothing wrong with this. But in this person’s case, he wasn’t satisfied in his career and wanted to change it.

Here’s what we uncovered… The real reason he avoided making big commitments in his career and life was because deep down, he feared failing.

Because if he started dreaming bigger, declared his desired direction and went after it — what would happen if he didn’t achieve it? How would others perceive him? Especially when he was already seen as a ‘success’.

THIS is why it felt safer to coast in his current career. As a result, he avoided making commitments or taking action towards them.

Once this client became aware the fear of failure was holding him back, he had a choice… Stay on the same track — or step into the discomfort in pursuit of what he wanted. He chose the second option and overcame this mindset block by taking small, consistent actions.

When you face the fear and take action anyway, you build confidence over time!

CAREER STRATEGY

Now this client had clarity on why he was unhappy and what he truly wanted, we were able to identify a few potential career paths of interest. This happened early on in the coaching process which gave him plenty of time to test and validate his ideas. He did this via many informational interviews, job shadowing, upskilling and leading a new project in his career areas of interest.

My client was also very proactive about recording his insights from each of these experiences. He’d then bring them to our 1:1 sessions, so we could unpack them further. Data, not hunches drove his next steps and helped him find clarity on his direction.

Ultimately, he decided to make a slight pivot from a sales role into digital marketing. Within 4 months, he’d transitioned into this space via an internal job move — proof you don’t always need to leave your company to change careers. He secured the opportunity by using his internal network and the relationships he’d built through this process.

This client’s strategy is the perfect example of what it takes to get results — commitment, connecting with your network and taking action. And I believe THIS is what separates those who get the results they want through coaching and those who don’t.

Because when you’re proactive you will land the right role, faster.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

So what can you take from this client’s transformation? Here are my top 3 takeaways and how YOU can apply them to your career!

#1 — Go all in

If you’re serious about finding direction in your career and creating a strategy to get there, eliminate excuses. Commit to taking action, even when self-doubt holds you back.

Think you’re too busy? Dedicate 15 minutes a day or an hour a week to the process and focus on small steps, one at a time. Remember — consistency beats intensity every time!

#2 — Utilise your network

Talking to people doing work (or elements of work) which interests you is one of the best ways to find clarity on your direction.

Conversations with people outside your immediate network will show you new career possibilities. It’s also a great way to test out different pathways to reduce risk with your next career move. Plus, you’ll build your network and your connections will keep you in mind for any suitable opportunities.

And if networking feels awkward, reframe it as connection. You’re interested in their insights, stories and building a long-term relationship — not asking for a job!

#3 — Don’t discount internal opportunities

You don’t need to find a new employer to change careers — sometimes the fastest move is internal.

The biggest reason people stay stuck on the safe or familiar path is the fear of making the wrong move. You could believe doing something different means starting over or taking a big pay cut. But here’s the thing: There’s often less risk attached to an internal move within your existing organisation.

Never assume the career path you want isn’t available in your current company — or your employer won’t support it! Before moving on, always speak to your leader and/or HR to explore what opportunities exist.

In a market where it’s difficult to hire and necessary to upskill existing employees, organisations recognise the importance of developing their best people. They will support internal job moves or non-traditional career pathways.

Interested in coaching? Talk to your employer about the benefits of investing in your professional development — and see if they’ll cover the cost of your coaching program too!

So there you have it. How my client went from unfulfilled and ‘coasting’ in their existing role to changing careers in their current company. I hope this helps you to develop the clarity, confidence and strategy to create a career by design too.

Ready to create a career on your terms?

I invite you to book a free, no obligation 30 minute conversation with me to discuss your next career steps — and whether working together is right for you! Book here.

Stacey Back is The Career Planning Specialist, an executive career coach and speaker. She helps high-achievers at a career crossroads find the work that lights them up, increase their income, impact and create a career + life on their terms. Stacey works virtually with individuals and organisations based across the globe.​

RESULTS

This client had been with her employer for ten years and felt like she’d gone as far as she could go. She felt dissatisfied with her career situation and wanted to find clarity on her direction. It was something she’d been going round in circles trying to figure out on her own for YEARS.

She became so frustrated in her role, one day she jumped on LinkedIn and applied for the first job she saw — in a completely different industry. By the time I’d met this client, she’d accepted this role (the ONLY one she’d applied for) because it had to be better. BUT she didn’t know a lot about this career path, what she really wanted — or even if it was the right fit!

After working together, this client has complete clarity on her career direction and has ended up in a place of full self-belief. She’s clear on the work she enjoys and has made a strategic career move into this area — one which she plans to stay in long-term. As a result, she feels at peace, satisfied in her work again and excited for her future career!

CLARITY

My coaching methodology starts by helping my clients clarify what’s important to them and what they want. Then we look at career paths and opportunities which align to this. The goal is to design a career that ‘works’ for YOU, rather than trying to fit yourself to a specific role.

Because this client wasn’t sure what she wanted, we first got clear on her unique strengths, values, passions and long-term career vision. By better understanding herself and what she wanted her career (and life) to look like, this individual realised her new role wasn’t the right fit.

Once she had clarity on these internal factors, we considered the work-related aspects which were essential. She explored different career pathways, before identifying one which was a match for her strengths and values. This client now has complete clarity on her career goals, the area of work she enjoys and direction she wants to take her career long-term.

CONFIDENCE

When we first started working together, this client was experiencing a lot of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. She admitted wasting a great deal of time and energy comparing herself to others. I noticed this held her back from working out what she wanted next in her career for many years — because she couldn’t see what she was truly capable of.

The biggest mindset shift this person has experienced is recognising her unique gifts and the value she has to offer. She’s now focused on growing her strengths and wastes less time worrying about or trying to make up for her perceived weaknesses. As a result, she’s able to articulate her value and experience in an authentic way — and has developed a newfound sense of confidence too!

As a working mother, this individual also struggled to balance her work and personal life. She’d constantly think about work when she was at home and feel guilty when she was at work. This client fully committed to setting boundaries so she’s more present with family — and no longer feels guilty for taking time out for herself!

CAREER STRATEGY

This client was very proactive about following her curiosity and exploring career paths of interest. Her main career strategy was having career conversations with people doing work which interested her. Not only did this support her to clarify the type of work she enjoys, but these connections helped her secure a highly sought after role in this field.

In both positions, this person was intentional about observing other leaders she admired. By identifying what they did well (and what didn’t work), she was able to develop her own leadership style further. As a result of building her network, she’s also much more confident reaching out to others to discuss work options to further her career.

TIME was this individual’s greatest challenge — and the biggest barrier to working towards her career goals. Setting short-term goals and breaking tasks down into smaller steps kept her on track with her larger, long-term vision. This also reduced overwhelm and increased her productivity — which is music to my ears!!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Here are my top three takeaways from this client’s transformation — and how YOU can apply them to your career!

#1 — Start from the ‘inside out’

Before searching for a new job or your one ‘ideal’ career path, clarify what YOU want, first. Then you can explore career paths or roles which ‘work’ for you. This IS the way to design a career that’s fulfilling and sustainable.

#2 — Leverage your strengths, let go of your weaknesses

Invest time into developing your gifts and designing your work around your strengths. One way to do this is by outsourcing your weaknesses to a colleague who has strengths in areas you don’t. If you’re a visionary, big-picture thinker, delegate more detail-orientated tasks.

#3 — Follow your curiosity

Clarity comes through action, not thought. If you’re unsure what you want, explore the things which spark your interest: volunteer, take a class or have a conversation with someone. Every action gets you one step closer to clarity.

So there you have it. How my client went from a dead-end job and the ‘wrong’ role to transitioning into her dream career. I hope this helps you to develop the clarity, confidence and strategy to create a career by design too.

Ready to create a career on your terms?

I invite you to book a free, no obligation 30 minute conversation with me to discuss your next career steps — and whether working together is right for you! Book here.

Stacey Back is a globally recognised and certified Career + Leadership Coach. She helps high-achievers at a career crossroads find the work that lights them up, increase their income, impact and create a career + life on their terms. Stacey works virtually with individuals and organisations based across the globe.