DID YOU ARRIVE into 2025 with a resolution that this year will be different in work? This was the year you’d earn more money/gain more respect/make that crucial move you’ve sought for so long. A new report has indicated that 40% of workers plan to seek new employment in January.

We spend between 40 – 50% of our waking hours focused on work, so it makes sense to want that time to be meaningful and pleasant. When work frustrations arise, people often feel their options are to either switch companies, make a more drastic career change or go gung-ho for the promotion they are certain they deserve.

I support people through these options and often find that those looking to move companies will seek help so that they can make the right next step. Change can be daunting, especially when some aspects of the job you hold work well for you. The salary or work-life balance could be right, but the feeling that you have nowhere to go within a company could be niggling in the background. Or you might work with some great colleagues but cannot afford to manage on your salary anymore. Then, the fear that you could make a move into a place that just isn’t right for you, and what if you regret the move? Work is a complex and important aspect of our daily lives, it permeates our sense of self, so making moves can be overwhelming. 

For those looking for an entire career move, it’s important to take care in the decision-making process, so in that case, I help clients with clarity and visioning. Why they want to change, what direction they wish to go in and why. For those determined to gain a promotion, I support them with a strategy. For all of them, I support them with limiting beliefs, mindsets and confidence. That internal dialogue can be the biggest obstacle to making positive changes. It’s the fear-based part of you that holds you back.

Having made two career pivots myself, moved roles several times and successfully job-crafted a few positions (shaping a role I already had to work for me), I resonate deeply with career dilemmas. At 28, and after a number of false starts, I “finally” figured out what I wanted to do when I grew up. After five years of nighttime study, I began my HR career, taking a salary and status cut, but never regretting it. That decision set me on the path toward my dream career.

Then at 50, I left a well-paid, secure job that had lost its sparkle and took a leap to start my own company. In what feels like a very short year, I now do deep, fulfilling work with companies that share my values. I feel like I’m making a difference, being authentic and delivering on my clients’ strategic goals. It can be done, you can find fulfilment in the workplace. 

Where to start

Is there a formula for making such a big decision? No. However, I can offer a set of building blocks that create a solid foundation for making career decisions, giving you key vocabulary and confidence to market yourself and find work that brings real fulfilment:

Action: Feeling desperate or trapped in your career can be overwhelming, and it often leads to paralysis. Action restores your power, creates momentum and helps you move past the stressful fight-or-flight response. How do you act when you’re unsure of the next step? Start by grabbing a pen and paper and converting your thoughts into an action plan. Even writing down a few small steps can help bring clarity and a sense of purpose. Use the below building blocks to get you started.

Values: I’m a self-confessed “values nerd”. Living in alignment with your core values is like switching on a light in a dark room. It helps guide your decisions and ensures you’re being consistently authentic. When I decided to leave my job, my values were crucial in that decision. Luckily, they happen to be the perfect values for an entrepreneur. If there’s one thing to take from your current dilemma, it’s to discover your core values. Trust me, doing so will empower you to make confident, authentic decisions. It’s a process that’s helped both me and my clients in ways I can’t overstate.

Transferable skills: Transferable skills are essential whether you’re changing careers or looking to update your CV. They help with job crafting, where you reshape your role to align with your strengths, passions and values. Many employees, particularly those who have worked for a number of years in a role, may not even realise what their transferable skills are. They are also critical in reframing your experience if your desire is to change industries or careers entirely. For example, project management is a skill that transfers easily. If you’re in project management, think about how you drive innovation, anticipate challenges and create collaborative team environments. Make a list of your transferable skills, then add specific ways you apply them. The more detailed you are, the more you’ll realise how your skills can shape the future direction of your career.

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Analysis: To make strategic decisions, it’s important to reflect deeply. Use your notebook to break down the following:

• Long-term vision: This is helpful as an ‘audit’ of where you are and where you want to go. What is the dream in one, three, or five years? Create the entire picture: career, lifestyle, where you put your energy etc. Create that vision and break it down into actionable steps. Include any education options that could help you reach those goals.

• Market awareness:  What’s happening in the industry you want to enter? Who are the thought leaders? What jobs are available, and are you ready for them? Is it the right time to make a change, or should you wait a bit longer?

• Your network: Analyse your network. Get creative and open-minded about your connections. Some of my clients will say “I’m allergic to networking” so if that concept of networking feels uncomfortable, think of it more as “connecting.”  Connecting is fun, it doesn’t have an “agenda” and it’s as much about the other person as it is about you. Reach out to people whose advice or knowledge you value and ask for a 20-minute conversation. Be specific about how they can help. Afterwards, ask if they can introduce you to anyone who might be interested in that same field. To help with any “victim mindset” you may be carrying, make it reciprocal and offer them help. Try this 3–5 times to find your groove.

• Financial readiness: If you’re considering a career change, do some financial analysis and modelling. Determine the minimum salary you’d need and what sacrifices you’re willing to make. Understanding your financial situation will give you confidence in your decisions.

Changing careers, or even just changing companies, is a big decision that doesn’t have to paralyse you. The building blocks outlined can help you regain clarity and confidence.  They may even help you to make the decision to stay for now. Act, evaluate your values, assess your transferable skills, and reflect on your options carefully.

Your dream career is achievable, but only if you take the first step. What’s holding you back? 

Steph Brady creates strategic, high-impact HR initiatives that foster growth and engagement at every level of an organisation. Supporting clients to build workplaces that thrive. She is also a Business and Personal Coach to private clients. More on LinkedIn and Instagram.