Career Change Guidance

I wasn’t a quitter. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. So I stayed. Stayed in meetings where my ideas stayed locked in my throat. Stayed chasing goals that no longer meant anything. Stayed convincing myself it was “just a rough season.” But the truth was, I’d outgrown the role more times than I can count. I see it daily as a career coach working with hyper busy, high-achievers: Brilliant leaders whose careers look flawless on LinkedIn, but inside, something’s quietly dying. They tell themselves they’re “just tired.” But what if it’s not exhaustion? What if you’ve simply outgrown where you are? Here are seven subtle signs your role has become too small for your career growth: 1. You’re Constantly Editing Yourself → You hold back ideas or hide too many parts of who you are. 2. Small Wins No Longer Feel Satisfying → Milestones fall flat and even praise feels hollow. 3. You’re Overly Invested in Distractions → Planning your “escape plan” is more thrilling than your work. 4. You’re More Irritable Outside of Work → Frustration spills into personal moments and loved ones notice. 5. You Fantasize About Drastic Changes → Quitting, relocating, starting over feels necessary, not crazy. 6. You’re Numb to Both Good and Bad News → New crises or changes barely register. 7. You Avoid Making Long-Term Plans → The future feels blank, or suffocating. If even one hits home, know that outgrowing a role doesn’t make you ungrateful or unfocused. It makes you 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯. Your career growth didn’t stop. Your environment did. Becoming The C.H.O.I.C.E.®  means having the: → Courage to face the discomfort of moving on. → Humility to admit what’s no longer working. → Openness to imagine new paths. → Integration of lessons learned into your next chapter. → Curiosity to explore what’s possible. → Empathy for yourself as you navigate change. ✨ Staying small to avoid change costs more than leaving. Ask yourself: Have I outgrown where I am, or just forgotten how big I’m meant to be? Which of these signs speaks loudest to you right now? ♻️ Share to help others ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for more #Careers

Struggling to change careers? Here are 7 steps I used to jump from healthcare to Microsoft: 1. Start With Foundational Knowledge I started by learning the basics of my new field. I scoured the web for the top 3 introductory courses on marketing. I devoted a month to taking all of them. But education doesn't get you hired, results do. This was just the starting point. 2. Create A Sandbox Next, I set up my own website. I explored all the digital marketing channels: I published articles (SEO). I ran small paid campaigns to it. I started social accounts for it. I made an email newsletter. This let me get hands on with real tools I'd use. 3. Volunteering Now it was time for the real deal. I reached out to 100s of local businesses. I told them about my goal to transition industries. Then I offered them my services for free with an out to cut ties at any time. This gave me "real" experience and testimonials. 4. Consulting Next, I started charging for my services. I started with a low monthly retainer. Then I used my volunteering case studies to get clients. As I helped more clients, I increased my rates. I also expanded my experience and skills. I was getting paid to learn! 5. Documenting The Journey As I learned, I shared. I created content about: - Strategies I was testing - Mistakes I made - Results of tests I ran - Big wins Writing helped me cement what I learned. It also acted as a "resume" where employers could see how I operated. 6. Action-Oriented Education I didn't stop taking courses after Step 1. I used my "real world" work to guide me. If a client gave me a task I couldn't do? I'd take a course on it. If I realized I needed a skill to level up? I read a book on it. Action refined my education. 7. Packaging It All Up This process allowed me to create my own experience. I put it on my resume, in my LinkedIn, and used the examples during interviews. When I started, I was working in healthcare. By the end, I'd landed my dream job at Microsoft. I hope it helps you too!

I used to think career success was a ladder – until life taught me it’s more like a winding path. Embracing detours has been one of the most valuable lessons in my career journey. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝟭𝟬 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿: ➡️ Be Open to Unexpected Opportunities Growth often comes from roles you didn’t plan for. ↳ Say yes to projects outside your comfort zone – they may lead to your next big move. ➡️ View Setbacks as Stepping Stones A career “pause” or shift isn’t failure; it’s redirection. ↳ Reflect on what a setback taught you and how it prepares you for what’s next. ➡️ Build Skills, Not Just Titles Skills you pick up in one role can unlock opportunities in another. ↳ Focus on mastering transferable skills that keep you versatile. ➡️ Network Beyond Your Industry Career paths often connect through unexpected people. ↳ Invest in relationships outside your current role – it’s often who you know that opens doors. ➡️ Prioritize Personal Growth Over Promotions True career fulfillment comes from alignment, not titles. ↳ Ask yourself, “Is this role helping me become who I want to be?” ➡️ Accept the "Side Step" as Forward Movement A lateral move can be strategic if it brings you closer to your goals. ↳ Seek roles that build critical experience, even if they aren’t an immediate step up. ➡️ Stay Curious About New Fields Sometimes your passion doesn’t align with your degree or background. ↳ Explore areas of interest, even if they don’t “fit” your current role. Curiosity can lead to big shifts. ➡️ Create Value Where You Are Meaningful impact can open doors faster than climbing ladders. ↳ Focus on making a difference in your current role, even if it’s not your end goal. ➡️ Pace Yourself – There’s No Deadline Success is a marathon, not a sprint. ↳ Trust your timeline and avoid comparing your progress to others. Career paths are deeply personal. ➡️ Remember – Growth Can Be Nonlinear Each role and experience adds layers to your unique path. ↳ Embrace every twist and turn; they’re all part of your story. The straight-line career is a myth. Embrace the detours – sometimes, they’re where you find your greatest success. Quote: Gary Tan -- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost to remind others that career paths are unique. ➕ Follow me Nico for tips on designing an intentional and fulfilling career path.

Career transitions aren't about finding a new train track to ride to career advancement—they're about mastering the rock climb. Here's the framework I use with clients to help them pivot successfully: Step 1: Identify Your True Pain Point Before making any move, ask yourself: Is it your boss you dislike or the actual work? Is it the industry or just your company culture? One client was ready to leave her entire field until we discovered she only needed an internal transfer away from a toxic boss—saving months of job searching while keeping her seniority. Step 2: Apply the W.I.S.E. Framework Don't jump straight to job applications. First, analyze: Workplace needs: What motivates you at work? Industries: Which sectors will you thrive in? Skills/Roles: What work uses your skills/strengths? Experience: What experience can you leverage in your transition? Step 3: Become the Entrepreneur of Your Career The ultimate goal? Complete ownership of your professional destiny. This mindset shift is everything. Your experience is your product, and you must position it differently for different opportunities. Feeling stuck? Successful job seekers prioritize and compromise.  Use “forced choice” to help you prioritize what’s most important to you and narrow down your options. Here's a question for deeper reflection... How does your past experience prepare you for the roles you're targeting now? #Careers #JobSearch #LinkedInTopVoices

Here’s how to actually pivot into a new career successfully 👇 (As someone who did it 6 times) Yes, the job market is tough, and changing careers makes it even harder. But it’s totally doable. The key is clarity and strategy: 1. Get specific: ➞ The clearer you are about what you want, the easier it is to get there. ➞ Pick a role that excites you, research what it takes, and align your skills. 2. Rebrand yourself: ➞ Tell the story of why you’re the right fit for this new path. ➞ Highlight transferable skills, quantify your impact, and use keywords. 3. Build real connections: ➞ 80% of jobs aren’t even posted. ➞ Show up where the right people are. ➞ Comment on LinkedIn posts, join industry groups, and connect. 4. Play the long game: ➞ If you keep hearing “you don’t have experience” start creating it. ➞ Take on freelance projects, build a portfolio, get certified. 5. Apply smarter, not harder: ➞ Leverage referrals. ➞ Customize your resume for each role. ➞ Prepare for interviews like it’s your full-time job. 🧡 BONUS TIP: Get a mentor in your target industry. Find someone who’s already made the switch and learn from them. A quick 20-minute chat with the right person can save you months of frustration. Who here has successfully pivoted? Share your best tip below! 👇 PS: If you need help mapping out your next career move, make sure to steal my FREE Career Clarity Journal from my profile. I've got you covered.

Ever heard the term "transferable skills" but not quite sure what it means or how to leverage them? Being able to identify these skills is critical when navigating career changes from breaking into new industries, job/role families, seeking leadership positions and more. Here's the breakdown: 1)What are Transferable Skills? Transferable skills are abilities and talents that can be applied across different roles, industries, and even job functions. They're the core strengths you've developed through your experiences, whether it's from previous jobs/internships, volunteering, class projects, and even hobbies. Examples include communication, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking. 2) Identifying YOUR Transferable Skills: The first step is recognizing your own set of transferable skills. Here are some tips to identify them: - Think about specific situations where you excelled. What actions did you take? What were the positive outcomes? Did you lead a team to success? Did you resolve a complex issue? Did you effectively communicate a challenging idea? - Use online resources: Many websites and career platforms offer skills assessments and inventories to help you identify your transferable skills. Check out Google's new #CareerDreamer tool. [grow.google/careerdreamer] 3) Assessing Skills Required for Target Roles: Aligning Your Skills with Employer Needs - Once you have a clear understanding of your own transferable skills, the next step is to research and analyze the skills required for the roles you are targeting. This involves a combination of research, networking, and careful analysis of job descriptions. 4) Strategic Integration of Skills into a Resume: Showcasing Your Value Proposition - The final and crucial step is to effectively communicate your transferable skills on your resume in a way that resonates with potential employers. This involves more than simply listing your skills; it requires showcasing them through concrete examples and quantifiable achievements. Throughout my career pivots (public relations, sales, scrum master, program management) across various companies, each solving different customer problems since graduating college, I've had to complete these steps listed multiple times and will continue to do so in the future to help elevate my resume content. I don't see this as a one-time assessment, but something you may do quarterly, annually, or whatever cadence works for your goals. #transferableskills #careersuccess #jobsearch #resume #skilldevelopment #careertips #careergoals #professionaldevelopment #noceilings #blackintech

I’ve enjoyed reading reports and LinkedIn recaps from the recent World Economic Forum’s annual conference in Davos. One of the most discussed topics was the future of work, as professionals worldwide are re-evaluating their careers, seeking more fulfillment, flexibility, and financial security. I am glad to see people talk about financial security in this context. When you make a career change, the financial implications have to be top of mind. Several years ago, at the height of the Great Resignation I wrote an ‘Ask Carrie’ column to guide people through the financial implications of leaving their job. These core principles still apply today:  ✅ Clarify Your Why: It’s important to first envision where you want to go and what you are ultimately striving for. Visualize what your life and career looks like 5 years, 15 years from now and build off of that vision. It's one thing to be dissatisfied or want to make a change; it's another to know what will make you happier. Dig into the details of any new position and define your real motivation to ensure your next move aligns with your long-term goals. ✅ Assess the Financial Tradeoffs: Leaving a job often means leaving behind benefits and depending on the position you’re leaving, they could be significant. Employee benefits can encompass everything from health insurance and matching retirement contributions, to paid time off and childcare subsidies. And don't forget about things like stock options and restricted stocks. You may be walking away from good money! ✅ Plan for Learning & Transitions: If you're looking for a new job in your current field, making a change may be pretty straightforward. But if you want to do something completely different it's going to take time and money—and upfront planning. Map this out in advance and plan for the investment required to make a smooth transition. ✅ Strengthen Your Financial Safety Net: You may be emotionally ready to make your move, but be sure to give yourself a smooth financial path before you do. I recommend you: 1. Shore up your savings—Building your emergency fund is key. I suggest having enough cash to cover 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. Things don’t always go according to plan. 2. Pay down debts—If you're carrying credit card balances, try to bring those close to zero to free up the cash you’ll need for necessities during your transition. 3. Rethink your budget—Wants and non-essentials may need to take a backseat while you're in transition. Take a good look at where you can cut back short term. 4. Review your insurance—This is crucial, especially health insurance, no matter your age Whatever you do, make sure you and your family have continued coverage. The job market is evolving, and there are many opportunities to consider—but making a career move from a place of financial strength ensures both professional fulfillment and long-term security. Are you rethinking your career right now? What’s driving your decision?

STOP underestimating your "unrelated" skills and experience when you're looking for a new job. When I was in college, I had a bunch of odd jobs including working at UCLA’s Campus Call Center. My main objective was to jump on cold calls and convince high schoolers who got accepted to UCLA to come to the school. I knew I really wanted to work in sports, media and entertainment. And this job at the time didn't make any sense to my career growth, but I had to make some money one way or another to pay the bills because my financial aid only got me so far. But with this job, I didn’t see any route or direction that would lead me to my goals. Up to that point, my only "real" jobs were working at Forever 21 as a summer retail associate, YMCA as a referee, and as an afterschool assistant for an elementary school. So each day I’d dial 100+ of calls for work. Then I’d get home and apply for 100s of jobs for me. And it'd lead to rejection after rejection. I couldn’t figure out what I needed to say or do differently to get noticed by organizations. It wasn’t until I realized my current job wasn't just about me making calls. It was about me using skills like: - Relationship management  - Persuasive communication - Marketing strategies By reframing my experience, I transformed my “unrelated” job into a stepping stone for my career. This mindset shift was what helped me finally land a job at UCLA Athletics in student-athlete recruiting where I was now convincing high school athletes recruited by UCLA to commit to our programs. So keep in mind that every experience you’ve had, no matter how small, may already be the game changer you’ve been looking for. The key is identifying those transferable skills that align with your dream opportunities. Questions to ask yourself: - What skills am I truly developing? - How can I articulate these skills to potential employers? - Where else could these abilities be valuable?   What are “unrelated” skills / past experiences that have helped you in other roles? #CareerAdvice #SportsBiz #Media #Entertainment 

I pivoted from finance to sales and I've helped 100+ people pivot their careers. Here's how to switch careers (without going insane): 1. Don't make too many pivots at once. 2. Choose either industry pivot (easier) or role pivot (harder). 3. You HAVE to know your value proposition. 4. Certifications (mostly) don't hold a lot of weight for employers. Do your research. 5. Going back to school is helpful in some pivots, but again positioning is more important. 6. Expect it to take longer than a linear job search. 7. Yes, if you're older...you CAN pivot! 8. You have to network. 9. Did I mention networking? Most people rely on education or certifications to validate their pivot. (Which sure, it can give you some confidence.) But really, that time and money is MUCH better spent on your personal brand. (Find a career coach/strategist you trust and invest the dollars. Massive ROI.) When I pivoted from finance to sales, I knew I didn't have the direct experience. I really didn't. But I could see my indirect experience could be valuable to the team. I got clear on my value. Showed them I understood their needs. Explained how my unique, weird background would actually help them. And landed the job. Positioning > Experience. P.S. Yes, that's Jeff Gordon. Yes, I'm towering over him. Yes, he was super nice. -- ♻️ Found this helpful? Reshare with your network. 🔔 Follow for more career content like this.

🎯 Looking for a clear framework to guide your job search? Here are 9 practical steps to build a strategic career transition plan: 1. Assessments: Use tools like Gallup StrengthsFinder or YouMap® to identify your strengths, values, and preferred skills. This insight helps ensure alignment with company culture and roles that match your interests. 2. Leadership Style: Whether you lead teams or contribute individually, prepare to explain how you influence outcomes, especially in today’s hybrid world. 3. Career Story: Write out your full career journey. What prompted each move? What did you learn? Identify patterns and tie them back to your strengths and values. 4. Career Results: Gather your top achievements. Quantify your impact using metrics—%, $, # to shape a strong resume and LinkedIn content. 5. Career Narrative: Can you deliver a compelling 3–5 minute “Tell me about yourself”? Break your story into thirds and note key themes to keep it focused. 6. Resume & LinkedIn: Use your story and results to build a targeted resume. Optimize your LinkedIn profile with keywords and messaging that speaks to your ideal audience. 7. Interview Prep: Deconstruct job descriptions. Craft SOAR stories (Situation, Obstacles, Action, Result) and practice clearly delivering them. 8. Job Search Strategy: Skip the “apply and hope” method. Be intentional. Prioritize relationship-building and outreach over volume. 9. Thought Leadership: What are you known for? Share your insights. Build a personal brand that reflects your expertise and values. — This is the foundation of my upcoming book, "Qualified Isn't Enough," which will be published on 9/9/25. 💡 A strategic search starts with knowing yourself. Take the time to build your foundation before jumping in. 🔗 Here is the link to my Forbes Coaches Council article describing this in more detail: Career Velocity: The Nine-Step System To Help You Win Leadership Roles #CareerVelocity #QualfiedIsntEnough