When self-doubt is driving your career

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

We need to talk about our thoughts, feelings and whatever else is holding us back from feeling happy and fulfilled at work. The stories that follow are the ones that my clients bring to our sessions, things I’ve witnessed as a headhunter and how I’ve helped as a coach.

If you’ve tried sweeping your concerns under the carpet, avoiding the elephant in the room, I want you to know that you’re not alone. These thoughts and feelings may feel crippling at times but there are solutions.

When self-doubt is driving your career

Behind the scenes 

Behind the scenes of my career services, it's not all CVs and job search strategies. I'm helping people to figure things out, work out their career options, and work through self-doubt and all manner of concerns.

Take Julia* for example, who contacted me when she wanted to switch jobs. It wasn't so much that she was worried about her CV or how to go about it. She felt stuck and frustrated at work and had lost sight of herself in her job.

Like many women with young children, Julia had stayed at the same company longer than expected. But now that her children were older and less dependent on her, she was ready to work on her career plans.

She was in her early 40s and concerned that she'd left it too late but with my experience in recruitment and talent management, I could see her potential. I crafted a personal career elevator package for her and this is how it worked:

Stuck in a cul-de-sac

Julia lacked a sense of direction and was missing motivation and self-trust. She described her situation as being stuck in a cul-de-sac. She'd worked for the same company (a well-known luxury brand) for a long time but with each year that passed, she felt her experience was devaluing.

“I felt lost because I couldn't think of anything new I'd love enough to pursue as a career.”

When self-doubt is in the driving seat

“I was very concerned with my age, my transferable skills, my viability in the job market.”

Despite her obvious success in the company, she didn't feel successful. Self-doubt was in the driving seat and that's no way to tackle a job search.

I knew that there were no real problems at work and that self-doubt was holding her back. Like many emotionally intelligent people, she was quick to see her flaws and put herself down.

I could reassure Julia that she was amazing and so were her skills and experience but she needed to feel that for herself and I helped her to do that.

You need to feel good first

To get behind a job search you need to feel good about yourself and what you can deliver.

Being headhunted feels good – it gives you that initial boost. But when you're out there proactively looking for your next job the motivation and confidence have to come from within.

You need to feel good about yourself and your achievements and when I say feel – I mean really feel.
It's not thought, it's not a wish or a dream, it's in your guts, it's a knowing.
When you know that you and your experience are valuable then you don't need to show off about it. You will ooze it.

So in our sessions, alongside conventional career coaching (CVs and job search strategy), we explored the thoughts and feelings that were getting in her way.

Julia is curious, and a deep-thinking person. We delved into the personal stories and situations at work that she was trying to navigate. She was thorough and strategic, she made good use of our time together. She loved having that space for herself, she listened, she reflected, and she rose to the challenge. When she felt good we started mapping out her options and next steps plan.

The transformation

The best part was the transformation. She saw her current situation in a new light – how it was a platform for her career rather than something to run away from.

Running away from a difficult situation isn’t necessarily the best solution. Applying for a few jobs online isn't much of a strategy but like many people, Julia thought that the lack of progress with her job search was confirmation that she wasn’t good enough.

I helped Julia to map out her options and a career strategy based on her experience and personal skills. As well as an incredible platform to build her profile at her company, she now has a vision for the next few years.

It was rewarding to watch her confidence and self-belief grow and how this changed her perspective of her current role.

“My perspective, on myself and the company, my idea of self professionally, the way I look at my job, as well as the way I live it every day has changed.”

And now she's in the best place to tackle that search (if she wishes). 

* Name changed because I value trust and confidentiality

Ready to create some space to elevate your career?

Get in touch to discover how I can help you.

ABOUT ME

I’m Tracy, Career Consultant, and Executive Headhunter and I help senior executives and leaders land great jobs and be successful at work through 1:1 coaching. I work with clients around the world from my London-based Zoom office. If you’re ready for help and career guidance get in touch – let's start the conversation.

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