Being Intentional In Your Career Transitions
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
This month, we are digging deep into career transitions.
Recent trends have confirmed that remote work & hybrid work is here to stay. There is an emphasis on up-skilling and re-skilling. There is a growing use of AI and automation, as well as the growing gig economy. Networks of experts have also become an integral part of our business community. By the way - I hope you are using them to your advantage!
What does this mean for those of you who are experiencing a change in career? Quite a bit!
At a time when we are experiencing macro and economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to be intentional about navigating one’s career and potential job search, making sure to stay connected within the community.
Shifts are happening across the board. There is a big shift from going it alone or being a part of a team towards staying connected and investigating overlapping communities. Another important change we see happening is that people are no longer searching for companies but rather seeking business relationships which realign with one’s purpose. Yet another shift I’ve noted is that people are no longer focusing on one company, but putting emphasis on the larger career path.
Last month, I brought this discussion to a panel of international women leaders who have worked and lived abroad and worked across international borders, to address the challenges of career transition. I’m sharing a few of their direct experiences below in hopes that they might resonate with you and help as you navigate your own career transitions.
Charmaine is a global business and human resources executive who has seen situations where companies have chosen cheaper and local candidates over more qualified and experienced ones. Charmaine started her consultancy which focuses on identifying and addressing people's challenges that hinder innovation, engagement, and success. DE&I is also an important aspect of the business. She did a pivot last year and formed her own company, deciding to " bet on herself” because no one else will.
She notes “you have to be the one betting on you. This transition was challenging. The role of an entrepreneur trying to build a business is quite challenging. Sometimes things are good other times they are not, but I do believe in the work and I do believe in what I am trying to address. This is helping to educate people like us who are in this community about the workplace experiences they're having, to help validate that, to assure them their experiences are not made-up, and also help businesses who are responsible for all of our work experiences to be better. I often say my twin sister and I do this, her background is in mental health and social justice and human rights. All these pieces we talk about just wanting to make people do better.”
I asked Charmaine what the connection was between her pivot and her north star and sense of purpose. She shared “the connection is to help educate communities that identify and share this intersection of the identity and how to navigate the workplaces and experiences related to work that they are having. For me, if I can have a bold goal - if I can educate over 1,000,000 employees who identify as intersectional about workplace experiences and how to navigate them - I will feel when my time comes that I did a job well done!”
Barbara shared her challenges in being new to the job search, after having been employed by the same company for over 17 years. She notes that “people are just exhausted with looking for openings and it's taking much longer than normal. This was even before the recession started to happen. There seems to be a disconnect between the media which is saying that there is a shortage of workers followed by people who are applying for work and not receiving any sort of response about their application.” As a German-American who has been traveling and working across borders for her entire life, she previously worked in international education helping US students study and intern abroad in over 20 different companies, as well as developing new business verticals and portfolios of global programs. Since international education and study abroad was highly affected by the pandemic, she took time off to figure out her next path. Now, she is attempting to transition into a more corporate, social and sustainable role in a global organization.
Lisa, whose international career includes 24 years in London and the last six years in the US, shared a few seemingly contradictory trends that she has heard from various coaching sessions. She noted the disconnect between headcount freezing, layoffs and there being plenty of jobs out there, including at the executive level, where she has heard that there are C-Suite executives resigning soon. She also discussed the challenges faced when articulating the value of having international experience. In an international context, globalization was a tidal wave for those with international experience, but now it seems to be in retreat due to geopolitical risk. However, companies not doing business internationally need international experience to understand and unpack geopolitical risks, and there are supply chain risks to consider. She suggested looking at companies with an international footprint and exploring the supply chain angle, even with seemingly domestic companies.
Elif reflected on her experience of going through a lengthy interview process with a Fortune 10 American company only to find out that the job was already promised to someone the hiring manager already knew. Despite feeling disappointed, she saw value in the experience as she was able to meet with very senior people in the company and gain insight into its culture. However, she also emphasized the importance of being aware of the risks and potential for disappointment in the hiring process, and consciously not working for, or avoiding companies that do not treat their employees well.
In summary, there is a lot happening for international business leaders facing career transitions. Some trends favor diversity, while others do not, and simultaneously, there is constant flux in economic conditions and the market, creating overall uncertainty.
My hope for you is that this community can be a resource and a beacon of support as you navigate this challenging time. Thanks to the wealth of global knowledge that we carry, we can connect together and transform challenges into opportunities.
Now I’d like to hear from you. What has been your experience with career transitions? What are the challenges you have been facing?
To Your Success,
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Take Action and Put it into Practice
Take a moment to reflect on the below and clarify your Vision, Mission, Strategy, Values, and Conditions of Satisfaction as you navigate your career transition.
Vision: What is your guiding vision when it comes to your career? How would you articulate it in a highly ambitious and inspiring way?
Mission: What impact do you want your vision to have in the world? Can you clearly define the desired outcome or result that your mission aims to achieve?
Strategy: What specific actions or steps will you take to accomplish your mission?
Values: What values are important to you in your career and life? How can you ensure that your values align with your vision and mission?
Conditions of Satisfaction: What are the essential "musts" or non-negotiables for you to feel satisfied and fulfilled in your career?