Is Your Lack of Confidence Keeping You Stuck in a Job You Hate?
When we don’t know what we’re good at doing, or what our strengths and skills truly are, we can feel stuck, unhappy, and frustrated in our job. This is the story of Aidan (not his real name to protect client confidentiality), and how through coaching, he became aware of his strengths, learned how to communicate them to others, and ‘networked’ his way into a new role with a leading tech company.
The Issue
After spending 10 years in the same medical research job, Aidan felt stagnant. There was little room for growth and he didn’t feel like a valued employee. He wanted to change industries but wasn’t sure of his strengths and skills, or which area to pursue. Aidan felt deflated and stuck. That's when he reached out to me.
What we did in our coaching sessions
We identified Aidan’s strengths – the parts of his job in which he excelled. He did an amazing job at ‘client care.’ People in the research study raved about him. He listened to them, and really worked to make sure their experience was positive.
Once we figured out his strengths and skills, the next challenge was how to talk about it. Aidan lacked confidence after repeatedly being turned down for promotions. We developed an ‘elevator pitch,’ a personal brand statement and a way to comfortably talk about himself.
The Plan
Aidan set up regular ‘coffee chats’ and learned how to reach out to folks to find out more about their career path. How did they reach their current job? What did they like best? What was challenging? What advice did they have? Were there other people he should be talking to? This helped Aidan narrow down possible areas of interest. He also became more confident talking with people, being curious, and building his network.
It wasn’t easy. In fact, here’s what Aidan says now about that process:
“At first this was quite difficult. I’m a person who thinks his work ethic should speak for himself. Now I realize that it’s important to be able to let others know what you bring to the table.”
What shifts happened?
Aidan was surprised that even though he’s an introvert, he can still enjoy meeting people and having conversations, if for no other reason than to “just be curious.”
More importantly, he realized just how much he has to offer to others. Aidan no longer thinks of himself as an employee of a company, but rather that he’s working “with” a company. This mindset shift has helped him realize he has more choices and autonomy than he previously realized.
Results
Aidan, in his words says, “I no longer view my path as a bystander but as an active participant. You never know what doors will open and lead to unexpected places.”
Because of his great client care skills, Aidan moved from medical research to a position in ‘user experience’ at a startup company. He gained valuable leadership experience there, and about a year later, a leading tech company recruited him in UX. He’s also recently earned a graduate degree and plans to open his own practice as a mental health therapist.
About the author: I coach achievers on confident communication. I love working with clients to help them break through the limiting beliefs that are keeping them stuck, and then confidently communicating the best parts of themselves so they can achieve their goals. Please visit www.margomyers.com.