A POLLY PRESCRIPTION FOR: A confident change of career
Career changes are a common theme that comes up in my mental fitness one-to-one sessions. The uncertainty surrounding the desire for a change can be stifling - especially for those facing redundancy. Here is:
A POLLY PRESCRIPTION FOR Navigating Career Change with Confidence
Patient Overview: You’re a talented professional facing redundancy, standing at a career crossroads. Fear and uncertainty are creeping in, making it hard to see your next move clearly. But deep down, you know you have expertise, strengths, and valuable experience - now, it’s about tapping into them and shaping your future with confidence
Diagnosis: The biggest challenge isn’t a lack of skills or opportunities, it’s the fear of the unknown. The risk is rushing into something just to feel secure, rather than pausing to truly assess where your strengths lie and where you want to go next. What’s needed now is a shift from panic to possibility.
Phase 1: Press Pause, Not Panic
• Give yourself permission to take a breath and reflect before jumping into job applications.
• Use this time to step back, recharge, and gain perspective—clarity comes from space, not stress.
Phase 2: Rewrite the Narrative
• Fear tells you this is the end; curiosity tells you this is an opportunity.
• Shift your mindset from “How will I manage?” to “I now have the space to shape my next chapter.”
• Journalling or talking it out with a mentor can help shift your perspective.
Phase 3: Inventory Your Strengths*
• List out your top skills, strengths, and the value you bring to any role.
• Reflect on past successes - what made you thrive? What problems do you solve effortlessly?
• Get feedback from trusted colleagues or friends to gain new insights about your strengths.
* Need some help with this? I can help you visit your i3 profile - a fantastic tool that highlights each person’s unique traits and strengths.
Phase 4: Experiment & Explore
• Instead of feeling pressure to find ‘the one perfect job’, treat this phase as a career experiment.
• Speak to people in industries you’re curious about, take on small projects, or explore new learning opportunities.
• Action beats overthinking - try, test, and refine as you go.
Phase 5: Design Your Future with Intention
• Define what you want - not just what’s available. What kind of work excites you? What impact do you want to make?
• Build a plan based on your expertise, values and ambitions, rather than fear-based decisions AND the lifestyle you want to have. Have you always wanted to cycle to a job locally, would you like to work in a new city, have you always felt that working from home would suit you better?
• Set small, intentional steps forward that align with your long-term vision.
Final Dose of Encouragement
Keep one foot planted in gritty facts ( what I need to earn and what skills I have) and the other foot in gritty faith - the belief that it IS possible to find work that you love, where you feel that you belong and can make a difference
This isn’t the end - it’s a new beginning. By stepping back, getting clear on your strengths and staying open to possibilities, you’ll move forward not just with a job, but with a career path that truly fits you.
Want a Polly Prescription of your very own? Let’s talk.
