What do you do if your career takes a major hit and your confidence is shattered?

Navigating setbacks is going to happen no matter what and it will come in various ways. Whether they're the result of self-inflicted mistakes or unexpected circumstances beyond our control. This is why it is so important to have a strong support system. Surrounding oneself with trustworthy individuals who believe in your abilities and can provide invaluable support during challenging times. These individuals not only offer reassurance but also serve as coaches, guiding us through the process of overcoming setbacks and rebuilding confidence. Ultimately, facing career setbacks with a supportive network can help you regain your footing, learn from the experience, and emerge stronger and more resilient in our professional life.

I have personal experience of this after burning out and deciding to take voluntary severance from my senior leadership role. After a break, I had 3 leadership jobs lined up - then the pandemic happened and all those jobs went away. With the benefit of hindsight, I can see that this prompted me to make the changes I really needed to make in my career and life. But at the time it was devastating. What made the difference was taking time to process what had happened, allowing myself to feel and then let go of the emotions, understanding the underlying factors which caused me to burn out, realising the different options that were open to me, and gaining clarity on how to move forwards.

From my own experience, the support of others was critical in allowing me to process the massive change in my circumstances, and the disruption to my identity now that I was no longer a senior leader. A combination of professional help, the support from friends and family, and discovering new networks as I was exploring new career options was invaluable. This support helped me to find a new career direction, rather than step back into the career that had led me to burnout - which I definitely couldn't have done alone.

Viewing setbacks as an opportunity for learning and growth has been the secret of my success more than once (I had two major career implosions over the course of 20 years). It can help to keep motivation and focus to know that, even if you can't see it right now, you will come out of this situation with more experience, more wisdom, and more faith in yourself to overcome challenges. As happened to me, you might actually find that what you think is a catastrophe right now, was the push you needed to make the change that you might not have made otherwise.

Action is critical, yet in the immediate aftermath of a major career shock, it's not always clear what to do. You may feel pressured to figure out your next move, your next career choice, or your next job right away, yet this can often lead you back into situations which caused the problem in the first place. Having a destination in mind is critical, yet being flexible in HOW you get there can be powerful. From my own experience, when I was able to relax and experiment with new options and new ideas, that was when I made progress. Yes, there were a few dead ends, a few times when I made mistakes, but it was all learning, and led me to the right pathway in the end.

It's important to acknowledge that coming back from a major career hit - and the impact on confidence - can take time, and that's ok. From my own experience, following burnout, has been a journey of discovery, the key to which has been openness to new opportunities and ideas, and a willingness to challenge old perspectives, assumptions and beliefs. So take time, experiment, seek help, figure out what YOU really want, and be willing to explore new, more fulfilling ways of using your skills - you might find that a whole new world of opportunity opens up for you.