How I Think About Career Decisions
Why experienced professionals struggle to see their own value clearly
Why applying for roles isn’t working (even when you’re qualified)
The difference between reflection and real progress in a job search
A lot of people spend time reflecting on their career, particularly at points of growth, change, disruption, or layoff. They think about what they’ve done, created, enjoyed, and what they want next, which is great for self-awareness.
When the stakes are high, the balance can shift from a manageable level of thinking about professional identity and what that means, into a “paralysis by analysis”: it can feel somewhat safer to plan, discuss, research, talk, and plan again, driven by concerns of getting it “right” for their next career move.
With all the tens of thousands of Coaching hours I have sat and thoughtfully listened to Clients, here’s what I know to be true: reflection on its own doesn’t create progress. Real progress comes from turning that reflection into something usable - something that can be communicated clearly, understood quickly, and acted on.
The gap I often see is this: people are thinking - but not translating. They have insight, but it isn’t yet shaping how they position themselves or how they approach the market, which means they remain in a loop. They spend more and more time thinking and questioning, but not moving forward in a way that changes the outcome.
Real progress comes when
You are able to move from reflection to articulate the problem, how you solve it, and proof of where you’ve solved it
You can confidently and clearly articulate what you’re aiming for, and your experience is positioned in a way that makes sense at the level you operate; and
Your conversations are focused and intentional
At that point, things start to shift, not because you’re doing more, but because what you’re doing is more internally (and externally) more authentic – and it shows.
Reflection creates awareness: progress comes from what you do with it.
What most people get wrong about “finding the right next role”
To some, the idea of “finding the right role” may sound straightforward: look online, look at job titles, industries, or job descriptions, and try to identify something that feels like a fit. People keep scanning the market, waiting for something to stand out.
In my work with Clients, I often see this leading people in the wrong direction - because they approach it as a search problem. At a more senior level, the process doesn’t usually work that way.
The right role isn’t something you simply find online: it’s important to resist the idea that job boards show you the truth of the labour market and who is hiring. Whilst this does offer you a data point, it’s far from being the whole story.
Who is hiring becomes visible once you’re clear on a few key things:
The level you’re operating at
The kinds of problems you solve
The environments where you add the most value
Without that clarity, everything can look either vaguely relevant or slightly off, both to you and the market. Once you’re clear on where you fit and how you want to position yourself, your visibility to employers (and the right opportunities) become much easier to recognise - and to pursue with confidence.
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Want to get clear on what your next move should be – and how to position yourself for it?