On being fully clothed

Career change can make you feel naked.

Why? Because your level of expertise in your new area doesn’t yet match the knowledge, experience and expertise accrued over years or decades in your old area of activity. Well, how could it, at this early stage?

You want to stand proud in your new space, but you’re inclined to lurk in the shadows, or hunch over a little, because you feel like you’re not wearing enough. You feel exposed in front of your new colleagues and clients, and your old ones, too.

But that bit of new clothing isn’t all you're wearing.

For example, a client was recently at the point of putting her new business out there in the world, and fearful of feeling ‘naked’ in this way. But, as we discussed, that’s not the only thing she’s got on. She’s going to be applying her new expertise in her old area of work, where she knows the lay of the land, speaks the language, knows how things are done and not done, and knows what needs doing and how to position it. And so she is wearing far more, in reality, than any expert in her new area who knows nothing about the particular environment in which she's going to be deploying this new expertise. On top of that, she's got 30 years' experience of work, full stop.

No-one’s going to shout that she isn’t wearing any clothes. They’re going to marvel at the fresh, creative and inspiring combination that she’s sporting and know that she is different in the most useful way.

Yes, in the early days of a new venture you can feel you haven’t got enough on to cover you up. But take it from me, you’re decent. You’ve got the best pieces from your old wardrobe, revamped with a couple of new items. Just add some nice accessories to pull it all together and you’re good to go.

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I work with people to sit up and sort out their career futures at 50+

If you need help with that, get in touch. Let’s see what’s in your career wardrobe and pick out a nice outfit for you.