Career Change Guidance

🥊 “Jingjin, have you ever considered that women are just inferior to men?” That was her opening line. The lady who challenged me was not a traditionalist in pearls. She was one of the top investment bankers of her time, closed billion-dollar deals, led global teams, the kind of woman whose voice dropped ten degrees when money was on the line. And she meant it. “Back in my day, if I had to hire, I’d always go for the man. No pregnancy leave. No PMS. No emotional volatility. Just less… liability.” And she doesn’t believe in what I do. Helping women lead from a place of wholeness. Because to her, wholeness is a luxury. Winning requires neutrality. And neutrality means: be less female and suck it up! I’ve heard versions of this many times, and too often, from high-performing women who "made it" by suppressing. But facts are: 🧠 There are no consistent brain differences between men and women that explain men’s “logic” or women’s “emotions.” 💥 Hormones impact everyone. Men’s testosterone drops when they nurture. Women’s cortisol rises in toxic workplaces, not because they’re weak, but because they’re sane. 📉 What we call “meritocracy” is often a reward system for those who can perform like they have no body, no children, no cycles. None of those are biologically male traits. They’re artifacts of a system built around male lives. So, if you're a woman who's bought into this logic, here are some counter-strategies: 🛠 1. Study Systems Like You Studied Deals Dissect the incentives, norms, and bias loops of your workplace the same way you’d break down a P&L. Don’t internalize what’s structural. 🧭 2. Redefine Strategic Strengths Stop mirroring alpha aggression to prove you belong. Deep listening, self-regulation, and nuance reading, these are leadership assets, not soft skills. Use them ruthlessly. 💬 3. Name It, Don’t Numb It If your hormones impact you one day a month, say so, but also say what it doesn’t mean: It doesn’t cancel out 29 days of clarity, strategy, and execution. 🪩 4. Build Your Own Meritocracy Start investing in spaces, networks, and cultures where your wholeness isn’t penalized. If none exist, build them. 🧱 5. Deconstruct Before You Self-Doubt When you catch yourself thinking “maybe I’m not built for this,” pause. Ask: Whose rules am I trying to win by? Who benefits when I question myself? This post isn’t about defending women. We don’t need defending. It’s about calling out the internalised metrics we still use to measure ourselves. 👊 And choosing to rewrite them. What’s the most 'rational' reason you’ve heard for why women are a liability?

The Real Reasons Women are Exiting the Workforce As a senior leader at the intersection of policy, product, and advocacy, I've witnessed a critical trend that demands our attention. I've witnessed, firsthand, a disheartening trend: accomplished women, poised for leadership, choosing to exit the workforce. This exodus isn't due to a lack of ambition or capability but stems from systemic challenges that remain unaddressed. Top 3 Reasons Women are Quitting: 1/ Burnout Epidemic: Balancing high-stakes professional roles with personal responsibilities often leads to chronic stress and exhaustion. Many women find themselves at a breaking point, questioning whether enduring this relentless pressure is sustainable.The absence of adequate support systems exacerbates this fatigue, making the option to step away seem like the only viable solution. 2/ Comfort Zone Trap: Many talented women are paralyzed between known mediocrity and unknown potential. The fear of breaking away from 'comfort' keeps them stagnant. 3/ Stagnation in Career Advancement Despite their dedication and expertise, numerous women encounter barriers that hinder their progression into senior leadership roles. This glass ceiling not only stifles their professional growth but also diminishes their motivation to remain within organizations that fail to recognize and reward their contributions. I recall a conversation with a mentee—a brilliant product manager and mother of two. Despite her exemplary performance, she felt perpetually on the brink of burnout, unseen in her aspirations, and constrained by an inflexible schedule.Her story is not unique but echoes the experiences of many. The solution I proposed to her focused on three critical strategies: 1/ Speak to your manager about a flexibility and office timings that allow her to balance professional responsibilities with family needs. Manage your time more effectively and wisely 2/ Create a career progression plan in the current job that identifies opportunities available for exceptional impact and a future promotion, to break the stagnation she found herself in 3/ Contribute to organisation wide initiatives that establish open communication channels and implement policies that support work-life balance, in turn helping others through the same dilemma. This demonstrates commitment to her and her organisations collective success. Women aren't just leaving jobs—they're making powerful statements about workplace culture. It's imperative that we, as leaders and organizations, confront these challenges head-on. Creating structured mentorship opportunities can provide women with guidance, support, and advocacy, helping them navigate career challenges and advance into leadership roles. Mentorship isn't just support—it's survival. Your Turn: >> What trends have you noticed contributing to this issue, and >> How can we collaboratively create a more inclusive and supportive workplace for all?

This is HOW you recover from a toxic job (So many of you have asked me to cover this topic).   Save and study this cheat sheet. 10 steps you may need now, or in the future:   1. Find Closure ↳ Moving on from a job — toxic or not — is a grieving process, so give yourself time to process the loss. Consider writing a “goodbye” note (that you don’t send), deleting your work files, or shredding old documents as a ritual to release the experience and move on.   2. Take Control of What You Can ↳ Nobody deserves unfair treatment, bullying, or abuse, but self-blame often follows trauma. You might dwell on “what ifs” or feel shame. Rebuild your confidence with self-compassion and constructive actions like finding a better job.   3. Plan for Triggers ↳ Identify situations that could arise in a new job that will remind you of old stress reactions. Knowing your triggers lets you plan to deal with them.   4. Savour the Positive Moments ↳ Use techniques to focus on the positive experiences. Try spending 10 minutes a day reflecting on the enjoyable moments you had.   5. Take Time to Recover ↳ Leaving a job takes courage. Give yourself time to recover. Engage in activities that release tension and help your mind and body feel better. If you felt undervalued, find activities that remind you of your worth. If the job was physically demanding, be gentle with your body and seek medical help if needed.   6. Review What You Learned ↳ Reflect on why your previous workplace was harmful to avoid similar environments. Use this knowledge to guide future job choices.   7. Decide Who to Keep ↳ Maintain connections with positive and insightful colleagues. Let go of those who brought negativity to your workplace.   8. Decide on a Good Attitude ↳ Move forward with a positive attitude. Practice positivity and avoid gossip. Process bitterness on your own before making new connections.   9. Make a Plan ↳ Intentionally seek a healthy work environment using the knowledge you have gained. Set personal boundaries and evaluate your own professional behaviour and consider what you can influence in your next role. 10. Find Positive Influences and Mentors ↳ Seek mentors and positive leaders in your industry. Connect with supportive co-workers and foster a positive work culture.   ---   TLDR:   A toxic workplace is more likely to change you than you are to change it.  Embrace new beginnings, grow from past lessons, and seek positivity with every step forward.   Do you agree?   ♻️ Repost this to help others in your LinkedIn network And follow Rob Dance for more content like this!

When I was in a toxic workplace, I had no idea what to do. My anxiety was through the roof and I lived in fight-or-flight. If I could go back and give myself a roadmap, this is what I’d say: 1. If you feel bullied, harassed or discriminated against, write it down - Record what happened, who was there and when. Keep it private. You might need to use it later.   2. Don't overshare at work - I’ve seen people vent to a “nice” colleague… who then ran straight to HR or their manager. Save the venting for people you trust. 3. Know your rights - I’ve had clients call me after they have resigned blind, only to realise they walked away from serious entitlements. Find out what you’re owed e.g. leave, notice, entitlements and whether you might have a claim. 4. Take care of your mental health - Toxic jobs take a toll. If you can, speak to a therapist or GP. Not just for support but to document the impact in case you need it for a workers compensation claim or formal complaint. 5. Quietly plan your next move - Look for jobs. Save what you can, even if it’s just a little each week. Options = freedom. 6. Tell someone you trust - Loop in one person who won’t judge or gaslight you. Just having someone say, “You’re not imagining this” can be life-changing. 7. Leave on your own terms – Not when you're completely burnt out. Not when they force your hand. When you decide. With a plan. With your head held high. ♻️ Repost this. Someone you know needs to read it. (Follow me Stefanie Costi, on Instagram @stefanie_costi or TikTok @stefaniecosti for more posts about a safer future of work.) #bullying #harassment #career #work #leadership #mentalhealth #wellbeing

I didn’t leave traditional medicine to feel small in my next chapter. And yet, that’s where I found myself for a while. Still playing it safe. Still afraid to take up space. Still undercharging because I didn’t fully own my value. It wasn’t that I lacked experience. It’s that I was still showing up like “just another doctor” and not as a leader, a strategist, or a partner. So what was the turning point? → Repositioning myself based on outcomes, not job titles. → Being bold about what I do best and who I don’t work with. → Building a network that saw my potential before the market did. Because if you’ve already made the leap, but still feel like you’re playing small, it’s not your fault. Most doctors are trained to do the work, not claim the value. But claiming that value? That’s the real work of leadership in industry. #doctorsinindustry #careerpivot #physicianleadership #strategicbranding #womeninmedicine #leadershipbeyondclinical

Have you ever been told you are too quiet? Maybe you don’t speak up enough so, “people worry about your leadership skills.” Or, you don’t advocate enough for yourself so, “you aren’t taking control of your career like a natural born leader.” If so, this article is for you. Maybe you’ve received feedback that there is concern over your analytical skills and “quant chops.” Or, there is some general, yet vague, feedback that leadership worries, “you lack that killer instinct.” Or, maybe it’s the opposite and you are “too bossy” or “too opinionated.” Have you heard any of these things?  I have over my career. Instead of letting them control my path, I got upset, then angry, then curious. I decided that none of these descriptions were really a good read on me, or my leadership potential, and I decided to change the perception. You can too. I’ve interviewed hundreds of women in senior leadership over the years and one thing is clear: we’re navigating a constant push and pull. Be strong, but not too strong. Be likable, but not too soft. Show your ambition, but don’t make anyone uncomfortable. Women aren’t just doing the job, they’re doing the extra work of managing how they’re perceived while they’re doing the job. We wrote this piece for HBR because it’s important for women to know how to not only subvert stereotypes and shape how others see them, but to do it without losing themselves in the process. Too many of us think there is nothing we can do when we hear feedback that doesn’t feel quite right. Sometimes, there are actions we can take. I love this piece so much because it says we don’t have to be victim to the stories about us or around us, we can do something about it.   1️⃣ Craft a counternarrative – Instead of internalizing biased feedback, reshape how people see you by aligning your strengths with what the organization values (on your terms!). 2️⃣ Use positive association – Enthusiasm and future-focused language can subtly shift others’ assumptions  and build trust. 3️⃣ Turn feedback into power – Don’t immediately accept or reject it, investigate it. Use it to understand what success looks like in your environment, and then find authentic ways to express that in your own leadership style. So if you’ve ever felt like your success depends not just on what you do, but how you’re seen…you’re not imagining it. Especially in times of economic uncertainty and shifting priorities, it becomes even more pronounced. And while there are no one-size-fits-all strategies, when women take control of their story, they open doors for themselves AND others. Let’s stop contorting ourselves to fit outdated models. We can rewrite the models themselves. Let me know what you think. https://lnkd.in/gcCSE7XW Colleen Ammerman Harvard Business Review Lakshmi Ramarajan Lisa Sun

Your job shouldn't drain your soul. But starting over isn't the answer. Here's how real women are: ↳ Shifting careers without sacrificing income ↳ Finding work they actually love ↳ Making their experience count This is for the woman who’s outgrown her current role But doesn’t want to throw away 15+ years of progress Or rebuild her credibility from scratch. You’re not lost. You’re just mispositioned. The real problem isn’t lack of skill. It’s clarity. Story. Visibility. And traction. Over the last few years, I’ve helped women: ✔️ Shift industries without taking a pay cut  ✔️ Land consulting roles after corporate burnout ✔️ Launch second-act careers that actually felt like *them* ✔️ Get promoted internally by reframing what they already did Here’s the exact 4-part sequence I’ve seen work again and again: 🧩 Part 1: Core value extraction 1. List 5 career wins that led to real business results. 2. For each, ask “So what changed?” to find the deeper impact. 3. Highlight what people always come to you to fix. 4. Ask 3 colleagues what you're known for when pressure hits. 5. Write your problem statement: “I solve X through Y for Z.” 🧩 Part 2: Strategic repositioning 6. Find 3 future-facing job posts and extract outcome-based language. 7. Replace tools and titles with problems solved and value created. 8. Write a 3-line pitch: what you do, who you help, what’s next. 9. Update your LinkedIn About with that new narrative. 10. Change your headline to reflect your next role, not your past one. 🧩 Part 3: Low-risk validation 11. Block 90 minutes a week for career pivot testing. 12. Choose one live experiment: shadow, consult, audit, or prototype. 13. Say no to one legacy task that holds your old identity in place. 14. Track weekly traction: conversations, referrals, feedback, proof. 15. Create a backup revenue path like freelance or advisory gigs. 🧩 Part 4: Pre-title positioning 16. Post weekly about the problems you now help solve. 17. Engage like a peer in your new space, not a beginner. 18. Ask 3 contacts to introduce you using your new positioning. 19. Share one client result, story, or insight from your test project. 20. Make a clear ask: “I’m looking for X, know someone?” It’s easy to freeze when a shift feels risky. But fear doesn’t solve uncertainty. The women I work with don’t lack skill  They’ve just been trained to wait. Wait to be promoted. Wait to be noticed. Wait to be “ready.” If you want to pivot like the top 1%  You can’t just react. You have to move with strategy. Test smarter. Position better. Get seen faster. If this is the season where you’re rewriting your next chapter, My Compass of career reinvention cheatsheet will help. And I’d love to hear this: What career decision are you wrestling with right now? Drop it in the comments. Someone else probably needs to hear it too. 👇 ♻️ Repost if you believe women should pivot with power, not panic. 🔔 Follow Julia Snedkova for daily top 1% career strategies.

Healing doesn’t happen overnight. There’s no magic wand 🪄 we can wave. Years ago, when I finally was able to move on from a toxic boss, I wish I had: ✨ Acknowledged the gaslighting & bullying I endured and not just raced ahead to the next chapter ✨ Journaled more to process my pain and not bury it ✨ Realized that triggers in future work situations would sometimes feel like a step back in healing & that’s ok ✨ Moved on sooner from individuals who thought I should have had tougher skin or dismissed the pain I was in ✨ Sought therapy rather than putting the burden to do the healing on my own And more ✨✨✨ There is no destination when it comes to healing. It’s a journey. We really underestimate the impact toxic bosses and workplaces can have on us. The hurt is real. And we are not broken. We are on our way to be healed. To reclaim those pieces of ourselves. To be healed to help others heal. 💜 How have you healed from a toxic work relationship? #inclusion #leadership #culture #MitaMallick

Let me tell you something most career coaches won't: surviving a toxic workplace can actually damage your future career prospects. I know that sounds harsh, but here's the reality - when you've worked under narcissistic leadership or in toxic environments, you develop survival behaviors that protect you in the moment but hold you back later. Here's what I see happening: You learned to stay invisible to avoid becoming a target. Now you struggle to self-advocate in healthy workplaces where visibility actually drives advancement. You developed defensive communication patterns because speaking up used to get you punished. But that same defensiveness now prevents you from having the confident conversations that move careers forward. You became risk-averse because taking initiative once meant facing retaliation. Now you're missing growth opportunities because you're still playing it safe. You internalized the message to "stay in your lane" so deeply that pursuing advancement feels wrong or dangerous. Your decision-making confidence got crushed under constant criticism. Now you're over-dependent on others' approval instead of trusting your own judgment. The good news? You can rewire these patterns. Your survival skills got you through hell - now it's time to turn them into advancement tools. The goal isn't just healing from workplace trauma. It's turning those hard-earned survival instincts into career superpowers. What's one survival behavior you're ready to transform into a growth strategy? Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #workplacerecovery #careeradvancement #professionalconfidence #careerstrategist

Don't let anyone tell you to "suck it up" when it comes to workplace toxicity. "Healthy work environments don't exist. You're deluded if you think otherwise." "You're not going to find better pay anywhere else. Just be grateful." "It's not about the environment. It's your response to it that's stressing you out." 1) Healthy work environments do exist. Many of my clients love their companies. 2) Money isn't worth it if it comes at the cost of your mental health and your relationships. 3) Everyone's stress tolerance level is different. What one person can cope with is different to another. You have to do what's right for you. Awareness of the signs of toxicity is step 1. Having the courage to do something about it is step 2. - Get clear on your priorities. (If staying will give you something valuable that you won't get elsewhere, decide on a "quitting day" and stick to it.) - Believe in your potential to create change - Lean on your network and support system for help - Create an exit strategy/plan and get resources in order (finances, CV, LinkedIn profile, network map etc.) - Execute your plan; stay determined and seek help if you're struggling with setbacks. What you want is out there. But you'll never find it if you don't start looking for it. Thoughts? #jobsearch #toxicworkplace #careers