How do you know when to make the next move in your career? How do you decide what that path might be? Find courage to take a step into the unknown? What to look for in a new role? How to regain control of your career? Invest in yourself and your business? Start again, again.
Recently, I resigned from Amazon. After three years at the company. a lot of personal change, some soul-searching, and many a conversation with my mentors and trusted friends, I knew it was my time.
I have been struggling with my workaholism in sobriety, my first acknowledged and joint-primary addiction, and found myself in 2024 burned out, again, with depression waiting in the wings, ready to sub in if I took another fall. This time, however, I knew that it would pass, that a low day, or week, does not need to take over my life, that I had more strength and resilience in me than I ever thought possible, and that I had so radically changed my life in 2023, that I could, and would, do it again if I needed.
I also knew that I couldn’t, and shouldn’t, do it alone. As a career coach I’ve worked first-hand with people trying to “do it all” and suffering. In my own life, I tried to control the outcomes of my career only to be forced on a different path with organisational changes, financial difficulties, business restructuring and leadership decisions all out of my control. So, I asked for help.
I am lucky to have the support of some wonderful, trusted, mentors and friends in my industry, both in tech and professional coaching, who I can turn to in these moments. I had many coffees, emails, texts, calls, tears, laughter, obsessive-research days and exhausted weekends figuring out my path. Realising that I needed to apply the same line of questioning I would ask a coaching client in the same position:
- Do you feel fulfilled in your day job?
- What does fulfilment and success mean to you?
- Do you have work-life balance? What does that look like?
- How do you measure success in your life?
- Do you have goals you’d like to achieve? What are they?
- Are you dedicating enough time to achieving your goals?
- Do you have time to do the things you enjoy?
- Where do you see yourself in one, five and ten years time?
- Do you feel confident to advocate for your needs and wants?
- Are you happy?
And, I wrote. Honestly and rigorously.
It was only in doing this exercise that I was able to apply myself properly to the next phase in my career. I decided that, although having experienced tremendous learning and growth at my current company, I needed to move on.
I started exploring companies that I believed aligned with my values. I read books and news articles from C-Suite and Founders at these companies, I reached out to my connections and asked for introductions across teams, I asked candid, open questions and explained my intentions, and, I declined several job offers because I knew in my gut something wasn’t right. Until the right one came.
In May, I accepted a job offer to work in Microsoft UK SMC team as a Data, Apps and AI specialist and joined the company in July. In a short time, I have been overcome by the warmth, kindness and drive shown by my new colleagues, and I am confident I made the right decision.
I am also continuing career coaching through Pathways Collective, with more free resources and tools to be announced soon! It is my aim to help as many of you going through career transitions or struggling to manage your productivity, wellbeing and work-life balance build a life for yourselves that you are proud of and happy in.
Success can only be defined for you, by you.
I hope this post sheds some light on the process I took to walk my new path, and encourage you to trail yours, one step at a time.
For more information on coaching and community events head to pathwcollective.com and for more frequent work-related content head to my LinkedIn.
Home 