Back in 2016, I said goodbye to a 20 successful years in Corporate HR lived in some of the most prestigious fashion brands such as Burberry, Christian Dior and Michael Kors.
With success, however, came burnout, unhappiness, a lack of real fulfilment and ironically poor quality of living; a price I all of a sudden was no longer ready to pay for my career. I had the grief, confusion, overwhelm and frustration you feel when you fall out of love from the career you have devoted your entire life to.
One thing I knew; to remain stuck somewhere I didn’t belong any longer was not an option and I was determined to give myself a new opportunity, to connect my career to who I really was and what I really believe in and to create a brand new chapter for myself that respected my values and new priorities in life.
But, how did I transition from Corporate HR to entrepreneurship?
Having come out the other side now, here are my tips to anyone who is pivoting in his career right now:
1.- Start by knowing you.
A successful career change starts with you – as opposed to updating your Linkedin profile!
You need to think how you want to live your life and figure out how your career fits in it (and not the other way round).
You need to raise your awareness around what is it that you are doing when you feel at your best, what are your natural abilities that make you stand out from the crowds and what are your “non-negotiables” (aka, your values) so to create a career that is in full alignment.
For me, creating a great career is creating a project that makes you jump out of bed every morning. Knowing and accepting yourself is the very first thing to do when re-inventing and re-launching our careers.
2.- Proceed by knowing who do you want to work for / with?
Whether it is new clients or new employers what you desire next, you need to know who do you want to work for / with and why.
Besides the joy that comes from spending your working hours with people you genuinely like, it is all about getting crystal clear about who do you want to connect through your marketing and positioning. Why? Because when you are clear around your target audience, your messaging will be more specific and targeted and you, consequently, will be more likely to attract the opportunities that are right for you.
3.- Do your due diligence and find out “who” can help you to go from where you are to where you want to be.
This person will most likely be a mentor coach and ideally will be ahead of you in the same journey.
The person you choose can be a real game changer in your career transition as your partnership will allow you to tap into new resources, expertise and experience and this will accelerate your progress and the results you get. It will give you that accountability you need in order to keep pushing forward and it will help you to scale beyond your own level of thinking and expand your vision.
4.- No, you are not starting from 0!
I see in many of my clients that insecurity that comes with the feeling of “starting all over” again when stepping into a brand new career chapter. With insecurity comes self-doubt and that’s when we under value, drop our prices and give away our time for free.
When you are doing a mid-life transition, you carry with you a wealth of life and work experiences and many transferable skills.
You de-valuing yourself in this important time of your journey makes no one any favours! Tap into your own story, reflect around what parts of the career you are leaving behind are taking with you and leverage on them.
5.- Surround yourself by the right tribe.
This current world we live in is full of well accomplished professionals who decided to not settle for their second best and who are crushing it right now. Do your research, find them and connect with them so you can see what is possible and what can be accomplished. A high tide raises all boats!
Career reinvention is not only possible, but it’s a must if you want to stay relevant in today’s competitive work environment.
As motivational speaker Michael Altshuler said, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” So, chart your course, fasten your seatbelt and prepare for take off!