How Advertising Account Manager Anna's * sideways career shift to a marketing management role recalibrated her professional and personal lives.

'I am still in the same industry but on the other side of the fence. I've re-defined what I want from work and what I expect from myself.'

What sparked your career change?

I realised that I couldn't continue working the way I was. I was burnt out, and work took priority over every other aspect of my life. 

What work were you doing previously?

I worked in Advertising, running a large account at a creative agency.

What are you doing now?

I'm Head of Marketing for a coffee company, so I've shifted client side.

Why did you change?

I was good at my job. It suited my personality, and I loved the fast pace of it.  I got great satisfaction from the highs and worked incredibly hard to minimise the lows.

But eventually, I saw that the deadline-driven environment and constant pressure to deliver brought out the worst aspects of my driven and perfectionist personality.

I lost perspective on what was 'normal' at work and what really mattered outside of work. I needed to re-set my habits, boundaries, and work-life balance. To do that, I had to remove myself from an environment I loved that had stopped working for me.

What process did you go through to decide to change?

The process began with the huge decision to leave my job. I planned to take extended time off to give myself space to figure out what to do next. Then I contacted Jo.

What was the hardest part of changing careers?

The uncertainty of a blank canvas and lack of confidence coupled with imposter syndrome. The feeling that I wasn't qualified to do anything other than what I'd been doing for the past ten years! 

How did you go about making the shift?

Initially, I drew on support from my friends, family, husband, and therapist to leave my job. It turns you can only ignore people telling you that something isn't right for so long!

Once I'd left and taken a holiday to decompress, I knew I needed structure and professional support to find the confidence to pursue this new path and avoid:

• Spending aimless hours doom-scrolling on LinkedIn

• Panicking and going back to another creative agency job because that's what I knew

What help did you get?

I signed up for weekly sessions with Jo, which helped give me structure & clear goals to work towards. It provided a fresh and insightful perspective to shake me out of some bad habits (and keep me accountable).

What have you learnt in the process? 

• To trust my instincts

• To have confidence in my skills – they exist independently of my previous role, and I can apply them in different roles and situations

• That people want to help – asking for help was incredibly out of my comfort zone. But the insight and new connections I gained were 100% worth it

• It's not always about taking a step up. It's fine to step sideways to build new skills, learn new things and enjoy life outside of work  

Are you happy with the change?

YES! I am still in the same industry but on the other side of the fence. I've re-defined what I want from work and what I expect from myself.

What do you miss, and what don't you miss?

I miss the energy and expertise of my team. I don't miss being constantly stressed. Nor do I miss cancelling every social engagement or turning up late and completely distracted by yet another work emergency.

What do you enjoy most about your new career?

Learning – new industry, new role, new people! And combining 'old' skills and knowledge with new ones, I'm learning in my current role

Balance - I have consciously chosen to work for an organisation that values the life people lead outside of work, as well as what they deliver at work.

What do you wish you'd done differently?

I wish I’d had the confidence to do it sooner. 

What 3 tips would you give others in the same situation?

• Trust your instincts. You know more than you think you do. Question things you accept as "given."  You may not think so at first, but skills and attributes we take for granted can reveal more about who you are, what you are good at, what you should avoid, and where you should focus

• Seek advice (people are flattered to be asked!) and talk to as many people as possible.

• No one judges you as harshly as you do. I held myself back out of fear of what people would think. It turns out no one cares, and ultimately everyone I encountered was supportive and helpful.

*Name changed to protect Anna's anonymity.

By Jo Green, Career Change Coach

I know that when you find what you love, heart and soul, your life changes. I work every day with people who are reshaping their current careers, starting new enterprises or searching for a new direction. Basically I help people who don’t like their job to figure out what to do instead!

As a Careershifters and Firework Advanced Certified Coach and experienced career changer myself, I can help you figure out what fulfilling work looks like for you.

Drop me a note to organise a free 20 minute consultation to chat about your career change and how coaching could help.