Career Breaks, Transitions and Seasons

One of the most difficult journeys a Career professional will embark on is a Career transition or break and you never know when this journey will knock on your door. As a little girl, I watched both of my parents navigate an unplanned transition in their careers just three years apart. It was a defining moment for our household, but the learning for me was that they both managed it in two different ways and each recorded different outcomes. I also learned from my folks that jobs are temporary, we either leave them or they leave us, so I deeply understand the temporary nature of any office I occupy. Even a 30-year career is temporary. Today's newsletter will focus on my personal experience with career breaks and transitions. Within an over fifteen-year career journey, I have managed three transitions but will highlight one journey today.

I was interviewed recently, and the hiring Manager asked me why I was out of work for 7 months in 2020. I confidently told her that I had taken a career break. I did not miss a beat because I could clearly explain why. ?You see, I had worked intensely for six and half years at a job before taking the break and that job took a lot from me. I had sacrificed to grow my career at that time and it was now time that I put my family at the forefront. I intentionally left that job because I knew my time was over there, even though I did not have another job at the time. I just knew deeply within me that I had completed my assignment with the start-up I joined and supported through a geometric growth phase. I did some of my proudest work here, but it was time to move on.

Whilst serving my notice period, another job beckoned at me. I did not immediately respond to it because I was completely exhausted at the time and I knew I was not quite ready. If you have ever worked for a start-up that expanded quickly, then you will know how much back-breaking work I did in those years leading the HR function. I closed late almost every day. Late is 10 pm to 12 midnight by the way. I slept at the office once. Whew! So, exhausted was pretty much very exhausted. I responded to the call about 7 months later and I will eventually resume this other job one year after I was told about the opportunity.

I still find it unusual that many months after I heard about a vacancy that I ignored at first, it was still open 7 months later. An unusual angle to our Career journeys needs to be acknowledged. It truly is not of him that willeth or runneth sometimes. I see that my courage to walk away unafraid and uncertain about the future was rewarded, but most of all, I see that I had to end one thing before the other new thing was revealed. I had to be happy and content without the big title, relevance, and perks of office. I had to be happy to go quiet and be a wife, mom, driver, and cook and I had to be content in this new season.

Here are some of the practical things I did during that period I was waiting:

• I got busy learning how to bake- Who else agrees with me that one of the horrors of this world has got to be an awful cake and I needed to learn how to make a good old very moist, very dense cake!
• I dropped my girls at school and picked them back up. Three girls attended two different schools, so each trip took about two hours factoring in Lagos traffic. We sang a lot in the car and I got to know them more. AS I SHOULD HAVE!!!
• I took long walks or short runs in the morning and the evenings. During these walks, I listened to edifying music and messages and I spoke positive words about my life. I envisioned my future a lot on those alone walks
• I coached about 50 individuals seeking clarity in their careers- This was 2020 and many people were dealing with uncertainties around their lives. I just felt I needed to help even though I was also dealing with some level of uncertainty.
• I volunteered my time on various projects within my HR Community. I served some of my mentors and colleagues, contributing to their life work which usually involved Human Resources or Career Management. I was invited for many speaking gigs and somehow, my visibility which had started soaring in 2019, increased some more. Thank you to many people who held my hand during this journey.
• I worked on some HR consulting assignments. I did not focus on charging so much for these projects and was just thankful for the opportunity.
• I got seriously sick with COVID and was in the ICU for one week. Ok that one was sprung on me and not part of the plan. LOL :)

The gist of it is that I embraced the other parts of me which were just also as important as being the Head of HR for a Large Organization. I had to embrace the career break and transition with joy and peace. I enjoyed that transition because I understood that we are more than our jobs or our titles. We are sisters, brothers friends, fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, siblings, and partners. We wear many other hats too and those hats are just as important.

PS- Do we still use PS?- I am currently in another transition and although the change of moving to Canada exacerbated some of the discomforts of the process, I recognized again what it was after some consultation and found peace in the journey and my current season. The thing is that seasons come and go.

A word of advice- Do not turn a period of waiting into a place of discomfort and sadness simply because your definition of what the best time should be is not what has been prescribed by the owner of time. Find peace, and comfort where you are. Find joy in the seemingly mundane activities in life. They are just as important. If you do not make the best of your current season, you may be full of regrets when it passes and a new season arrives.

Best Wishes

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