Reflections from 6+ Years of Career Coaching.

A few years ago, pre-pandemic, I compiled my top reflections from being a career coach during the first 3.5 years I ran my own practice. Most of these still hold up today - you can read them here - and lately I’ve been reflecting on how many things have shifted due to the pandemic. 

Now in my 7th year of running Pivot Journeys, and with the additional insights of another coach in my practice, I thought it was time to take another step back to share some of the trends and challenges we see professionals facing as they make transitions and grow in their careers.

People are Burned Out. And They Don’t Have Time.

The burnout was there a few years ago, but it’s more intense now. We’ve witnessed people’s mental, emotional and physical energy levels drop significantly. And this is not the kind of burnout that can be solved with a one or two week vacation. Scanning my list of clients over the last year, I can hardly name a single person who would say their life and work feel balanced and sustainable.

Granted, the people that come to a career coach are obviously more likely to be motivated to invest resources to make a change, but I sense the level has gone up for everyone. I frequently talk with other entrepreneurs or freelancers who feel higher levels of overwhelm than they did a few years ago. Even though many of us have clawed back 1-2 hours of commute time back at least a few days a week, somehow the time demands on all of us over the last few years have only increased. 

What does this mean aside from the sad reality that too many people seem to be hanging by a thread mentally and emotionally? It means that anyone considering making a career transition has hard decisions to make weighing the trade offs of time, energy and resources. 

I talk to too many people who are stretched so thin already they do not have time to do the work that a job search or big career pivot involves. And we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of people who quit their jobs and then embark on a coaching journey with us in order to have the time and space to dedicate to a pivot. 

My take on this: If you’re considering embarking on a career transition and you’re already feeling overwhelmed with how much is on your work and life plate, it’s time to consider what needs to come off your plate in order to make room for the work that is necessary to make a pivot successful. 

People Think in Binary Frameworks. And the Grass is Always Greener.

Maybe it’s the burnout that pushes lots of people to think that the only way to make things more sustainable would be to make a 180-degree pivot and change everything. But everyone always thinks the grass is greener all the way on the other end of the spectrum.

One day I’ll talk to a Chief Product Officer in the pharmaceutical industry who will tell me, “I’ve been thinking about shifting into the nonprofit sector - I know I’d take a big pay cut but at least I’d have more balance in my life and the work would be more meaningful.”  When I ask what that would look like, they say they imagine a 35-40 hour work week, less pressure and stress, and more joy and meaning in the day-to-day work.

The next day, I’ll talk to a Senior Program Manager at a respected nonprofit who will tell me, “I don’t actually feel like I really am having an impact, I work 50+ hour weeks and am so underpaid. I’ve been thinking of shifting into the private sector where maybe I’ll work the same amount of hours, but at least I’d get paid for it!”

I wish I could get these folks to hear what the other is thinking. 

Somehow there’s this binary framework of: 

private sector = lots of money, lots of stress, growth opportunities

&

nonprofit sector = less stress and work, less money, more meaningful work

And yet, if you talk to people in those sectors they will tell you how most of the time this is not true. I have tons of underpaid private sector clients who have average work/life balance and no growth. And tons of nonprofit clients who make pretty good money, but are stressed out and work a ton and don’t see the meaning in their work. 

We have got to stop perpetuating these binary frameworks!  

Questions that Uncover what Matters to YOU Become the Most Important Part of a Job Search.

Because there are so many individual differences for each company in a sector or each type of role in an organization, the real work of a successful job search right now is about asking the right questions and uncovering enough info about the team, culture, and boss you’d be working with to really know if it’s the right fit for you. 

There are so many great resources for ‘good questions to ask in interviews’ (here’s one) and many of them are the same for everyone, but everyone is different! So what we ask and care about during interviews should also be different.

I love helping people come up with individualized questions to ask in an interview process (and especially after getting an offer!) that allow them to really look under the hood and find out if this org/team/boss is going to work for them. 

For example, someone who values safety and security should be asking questions like ‘What’s the structure and system for xyz piece of work I’d be responsible for?’ or ‘How often would you and I meet as my boss and what would those meetings usually look like?’ and ‘How do you like to give feedback?’ 

Meanwhile, someone who values achievement and success should be asking different questions like, ‘How are goals set and tracked on this team?’ or ‘What would success look like for the first month, 6 months and year in this role? Are there specific metrics or indicators that you’re looking for?’ 

In order to know what questions to ask, you have to know what matters to you. I use a version of the Enneagram with clients who want to dig into this deeper and really unpack what motivates their day-to-day work the most. Sure, everyone wants to be valued, and paid well, and given opportunities to grow --- but do you really know what else uniquely motivates you? If not, it’s worth reflecting on. 

It’s All About Thoughtful Communication.

Hands down, the most successful folks we’ve worked with are those who put significant energy and time into how they communicate. From the initial cover letter, to networking and eventually a final round interview - the clients that we see get offers the fastest and easiest are those who really know what their hook and story is. The right framing shows an employer that both the role and the type of mission and company make sense for them, that the job is motivating to them, and that they’ll fit into the company culture. 

At a time when so many folks are looking to make ‘double Pivots’, (where they’re changing both their role (their job title) and the sector/industry/type of company), it becomes even more important to show how your experience translates as well as how and why the type of mission area or company is right for you. 

We’re bombarded by messages and prompts to ‘nail your elevator pitch’ and ‘craft your professional story.’ I’m not against having a general, standard story but if you’re like 99% of job seekers looking at lots of different roles and companies, you should never just have one story. What you communicate has to be tailored to the job and mission area you’re looking to pivot into. 

I can’t tell you how many times I start working with folks who share that they prepare for interviews and feel pretty good at interviewing. Then we get into it and they realize they’ve done their research on the company and the interviewers but haven’t actually thought about the answers to the questions they’re likely to get and they find their initial introduction isn’t as strong as they know it should be. 

Hands down: how you communicate is the most important part of a successful career transition. 

Just as I said three years ago, the most fun and fascinating part of my work has been learning about how many different types of roles and organizations are out in the world. No wonder someone looking to make a change can feel overwhelmed! From medical coders to Arctic researchers, to foreign service officers and wellness startup founders, I’ve gotten a window into the interesting work and challenges of people in so many diverse kinds of fields. 

There is so much that is different, but also so much that is the same across roles and sectors - and when you’re feeling hopeful, it makes the work of creating a meaningful career a great, fun journey.