Changing your working identity: my personal top 4 steps
Inspiration on career transition from Herminia Ibarra
I have probably made five career moves in my nearly 20 years of working until now.
Some planned, some came as a surprise, and some were forced because of circumstances.
And I am at that crossroad again.
Or, as my friend Sue would say, my season is shifting.
I realized that when I got a reply to an email I wrote with the subject: "My Next Career Move."
The first line of the response was, "I am proud of you for acknowledging and making the decision to change." It was in that moment I understood—I am really at that point again.
Today I am writing this newsletter at the beach by the way. Because my toddler has decided to give me a huge gift: playing by himself for a bit.
Which hasn’t been the case for a while. And no, i will not go into details on this one. But let me just share: it is hard. Because there is more than just me as a mother. And I need all of it to not feel insane.
This summer, as much as I adore spending time with my son, I've come to miss parts of myself and the fulfilment that comes with having an impact through work.
Balancing these roles has made me appreciate the importance of personal and professional growth even more.
So, what's next for me?
I'm still figuring that out and will keep you in the loop. But I feel ready to dive back into a "real" job—whatever that means! If any of you have positions in people, culture, or DEI, I'd love to chat.
While contemplating this career shift, I revisited a book that had a profound impact on me during my INSEAD studies: "Working Identity" by Herminia Ibarra.
Ibarra's research emphasizes that we don’t have a single, true working identity. Instead, changing careers is a process of exploring various possibilities, engaging with different people, and reconfiguring our identities through our experiences.
The two key ideas from Ibarra’s book:
Our working identity comprises many possibilities: It's not a hidden treasure to be discovered but a mix of tangible actions and future potentials.
Changing careers means changing ourselves: It’s not about swapping one identity for another but about transitioning through various roles and possibilities.
At the end of her book, Ibarra outlines Nine Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career:
Act your way into a new way of acting and being.
Stop trying to find your one true self.
Allow yourself a transition period.
Resist the temptation to start with a big decision.
Identify activities that can help you get a feel.
Don't just focus on work.
Don’t wait for a cataclysmic moment of truth.
Change back—but not for too long.
Change happens in bursts and starts.
Why i love this book and the strategies it suggests, is because it is researched (so there is a good foundation) but also i resonates.
What resonates most with me are points 1, 2, 3, and 5.
Act your way into it: Don’t just sit and wait. Try on new roles and see what fits. I have put on many shoes. Would I do everything again? Well, it helped me understand my strengths (and the opposite of them).
No one true self: Embrace the many facets of who you are. I'm a mother, an entrepreneur, a wife, a friend, a project manager, a writer, a strategic HR professional, and so much more. And that is okay. Each role enriches the other.
Transition period: This has always been tough for me because you never know how long it will last. Even today, I still feel like I have been in a transition period for the longest time. But, looking at point 1, it’s becoming clearer that I am ready to act my way into the next phase.
Activities: This is a more challenging one, but it is all about thinking outside the box, being creative, and finding the activities to better define what I want to do and what I don’t. I love the writing. I am not a huge fan of the selling myself part, for example. But, there are many more activities I can do.
For anyone contemplating a career change or feeling stuck in transition, I hope this offers some inspiration.
It’s normal to feel uncertain.
Take a step back, reflect on your achievements, your strengths, and the moments when you’re in the flow. I am sure you will find the right path.
Stay positive, stay curious, think out of the box and keep moving forward.
Constanze
Tiny shifts over time to make a HUGE leap! I love following your journey.