My Journey
Before becoming a career coach, I worked in understaffed and under-funded organizations where I learned how to be resourceful and wear many hats. This was great at first because I could show my versatility and prove that I was willing to put in the hours, silently hoping it would pay off with advancement. Working with my head down led to a dead end. I didn’t know how to promote my work, and I didn’t know where all this work was leading me. I had no purpose–I just kept doing, doing, doing.
I mistakenly thought that taking time off was selfish and that the work was more important. I gave up time for self-care, ate lunch at my desk, and checked email when I was on vacation because I felt guilty for leaving people in the lurch. I believed that giving up my personal life and showing 100% dedication to my job was the way to build a career. I believed that working hard would bring me the life that I wanted. I believed the more I got done and the more I sacrificed my happiness, the more valuable I was.
I believed that giving up my personal life and showing 100% dedication to my job was the way to build a career.
Because of these beliefs, I worked overtime without getting paid for it and did the job of two people while getting paid for one. I brought my work home with me and checked my email before I went to bed. I volunteered for any and everything to prove my worth. I would get assigned to roles or projects that weren’t in my wheelhouse but did them anyway because that’s what others expected. I didn’t want to let anyone down or risk a promotion or pay raise by slacking off. This pattern blurred the lines between my work life and home life.
My close friends could see the toll it was taking and would implore me to work less–but I didn’t know how to let go. Doing what I thought others wanted from me kept me on the hamster wheel. The stress was taking a toll on my physical and mental health. But I kept going, fearing that if I pulled back or tried not to care as much, people would notice and think less of me.
Years into my career I came to a turning point.
One day my boss and mentor told me to take some time off. Despite not wanting to and feeling uncomfortable being away from my responsibilities, she told me it was not an option, and that I needed it.
Looking back, I’m so grateful she did. The time off gave me the space I needed to fill my cup and assess what I wanted–not what others wanted from me. It made me wonder what feeling truly inspired by my work would mean, even though I didn’t know how to achieve it just yet, let alone what it was. I had a chance to do some deep inner work and realized a few things about myself.
I realized that fear was holding me back from pursuing a dream job...I had to take a leap of faith.
It became clear that I didn’t know how to value myself or assess my worth properly, so I used external validation, promotion, and money to dictate it for me. I had these great soft skills but didn’t know how to package and promote them. I had been suppressing them for so long thinking they weren’t marketable or valuable.
I wasn’t familiar with the term “people pleaser” at the time, but I was the poster child. Not only was I afraid of saying no, but I would anticipate what I thought others wanted and go out of my way to accommodate them, even at my own expense. The thought of setting boundaries was foreign to me.
I always felt out of alignment with my true nature. I wasn’t where I was meant to be. I was giving so much to others that I had neglected and gotten out of touch with myself. My passion was never really in timelines, coordination, herding cats, and administrative work. My passion was helping people. I always had a natural talent and deep interest as a mentor and reflected on the fact that no matter what company I was with, members of my team would come to me for career and life advice. Customers would seek me out because they loved how I cared about their problems and moved mountains to resolve their issues.
I realized that fear was holding me back from pursuing a dream job I was keeping on the backburner. Something that would allow my innate skills to flourish. I was ready to use all the skills and knowledge gained from my experiences to help others. But I had to take a leap of faith.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR JOURNEY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE
My own experience with career misalignment drove my decision to become a career coach.
I wished I had a mentor to show me the way when I was overwhelmed and confused about my career–so that’s what I became. I am now a certified Senior Professional Career Coach through the IACC (International Association of Career Coaches), and I’m on track to becoming a Master Professional Career Coach. I also hold a BA in Communication Studies from San Francisco State University and have worked as a career consultant for Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH).
Since becoming a Career Coach, I have dedicated my life to working with professionals who need career clarity, whether in the market for a new job or wanting to grow in their current one. I help overachievers like you identify your talents and present yourself in a way that will get you the job that aligns with your values and gives you a better quality of life. Nothing makes me more fulfilled than knowing you are getting paid the salary you deserve while working in a manner that keeps you happy, healthy, and balanced in a career that is meant for you.
Certified through International Association of Career Coaches
BA in Communication Studies
Worked as a career consultant at Lee Hecht Harrison