 This one HURT. The interview process went on for months. You were sure this was the one. Then came the dreaded Friday email:
“Thank you so much for your time, energy, and thoughtfulness throughout this process. After much discussion and reflection, we’ve decided to proceed with another candidate…” This can’t be happening again. The lightness and excitement you felt only 24 hours ago? Gone. I work with clients at all stages of their career pivots. Some have been job hunting for a year, two years, sometimes more. And while there are moments that feel like progress, they often lead to another rejection, another dead end. You’re curled up on the floor of your closet, whispering, “How much more of this can I take?” Questioning every decision that led you here. You thought this pivot would feel powerful. Instead, you just feel broken. But here’s the truth: reinvention is messy, slow, and full of faceplants. Stumbling Toward Something Better A woman fled corporate burnout, expecting quick success in her consulting business. She took the leap with one client at her side. A champion who stuck with her, but more clients didn’t come. Months and months went by. The financial run way dwindling, the shame spirals pulled her down, down, down. She learned how to ask better questions of prospects, refined her offer, rewired her beliefs, got clear on who she really wanted to serve and the problems they faced. The next six months went better. Now thriving, because of that flop, not in spite of it. “It took failing in front of everyone I respected to finally build the thing that felt like mine.” What Failure Really Teaches You No one wants to fall flat on their face. But it’s in those bruises that we learn: What matters most Who’s in our corner Where we need boundaries And how strong we really are Feeling like a hot mess during transition? Totally normal. My Own Faceplant Story After a 10-year career gap, it was time for me to get back in the workforce. I started where everyone does: LinkedIn and the resume. I had no clue what I wanted to do next, so I applied to everything that sparked the slightest interest. Dozens and dozens of carefully crafted applications over months…Crickets. No one, even my husband, knew I was job hunting. I sat with the shame and rejection… alone. But then I realized: that was the problem. No one knew I was looking. Those early applications helped me learn the market (which had changed drastically!) and gave me clarity on what I actually wanted, and what I wouldn’t compromise on. With a new outlook, I started telling everyone I was looking. And guess what happened? Conversations. Which led to calls. One informational interview? I blew it. Rambling for 25 of the 30 minutes. Forgot to ask questions. Gave unsolicited advice. Didn’t follow up, I was too embarrassed. Lesson learned: Let people help you. Have a conversation. A few weeks later, at my daughter’s gymnastics practice, another mom mentioned her friend needed help with his nonprofit. “Are you interested?” “YES PLEASE.” That informational interview? It led to a job offer. I became the Director of Membership for a national nonprofit. Success Built on Micro-Failures Another client felt like she was doing everything wrong, her pivot had been dragging on for years. Start. Stop. Start again. Sound familiar? But when she finally layered all that experience into a carefully crafted portfolio career, things clicked. The money started coming in. The work finally fit. “It didn’t make sense until one day, it did. But I had to live through the mess first.” If You're In the Spiral, Ask Yourself: What Have I Gained? You’ve practiced talking about your skills. You’ve gained clarity on your goals. You’ve: Built confidence Grown your network Added new skills Boosted your personal brand Landed interviews you never dreamed of Gained 400 LinkedIn followers (yep, that counts!) Found new possibilities you hadn’t even imagined All of this? That’s Failing Forward, the process of learning through action, missteps, and messy attempts. If you have lost a job, been ghosted after two months of interviews, gotten passed over for a promotion, lost money on a side hustle, you’re not failing. You’re building something. So How Do You Keep Going When You're Battered, Bruised, and Broke? Reflect. Reframe. Remember. You are not the same person who started this journey. Give yourself grace. Celebrate your growth. If you're falling forward, you're doing it right. If you’re ready to turn everything you've learned into a clear path forward, I invite you to book a free connection call. Let’s take what you’ve gained, and build the career and life you actually want. Let's Chat: https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session #over40 #midlife #getajob #entrepreneur #promotion #CareerPivot #FailingForward #MidlifeReinvention #PurposeDrivenCareer #RealTalk #CareerGrowth #ReinventionJourney #WomenAtWork #PortfolioCareer #LifeByDesign
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 Hardly a week goes by without a new message in my inbox.
“Is it time for a change? Complete your masters degree in 18 months!” “Unlock six figures in six months…your dream career starts with this certification." You do not need more education to fix your career. More credentials don’t always equal more clarity. And they certainly don’t guarantee success. Yet, when you’re stuck, lost, or burned out in your career, the temptation is strong: “Maybe I’ll just go back to school.” “When I finish this certification, a job will fall into my lap.” “This master’s program says it’ll open doors…” Sometimes, a degree or high-ticket certification is just an expensive detour, a way to avoid doing the real work of figuring out what you actually want. It’s not progress. It’s postponement. A costly escape hatch from the emotional rollercoaster of a career pivot. Don’t get me wrong, upskilling is essential. The market changes. Tech evolves. We grow. But there’s a massive difference between upskilling with purpose and going ‘back to school’ to escape your current dissatisfaction. The difference? A plan. Without a plan, all that tuition, time, and stress can land you in the same spot you’re in now, only with more debt and more doubt. If your goal is to pivot, to earn more, to feel excited by your work again, get strategic, not just busy. Just ask recent grads. There are hundreds of thousands of recent grads with fancy degrees and no job offers. Why? Because degrees aren’t magic and the job search that you tried to escape will be right there waiting for you after graduation. In today’s market, skills, relationships, positioning, mindset, and clarity often matter more than a piece of paper. So how do you know when it is time to make the investment in expensive and time consuming training, certifications, or advanced education? Ask yourself these questions. 1. Is this credential required for the specific role or industry I want to move into? 2. Do I have a clear career vision and plan that this degree fits into, or am I hoping it will give me clarity I don’t yet have? 3. Have I spoken to at least 3 people currently doing the work I want to do and asked them how they got there? 4. Do I have the time and money to make this investment? Do I have a plan? Ok…so I’ve realized it’s not the right time for a degree. “BUT, Maria, I’m emotionally drained and financially stretched. The longer I stay stuck, the worse it gets. I need a way forward.” Here’s where you should start….
Support, mindset shifts, and accountability to take aligned action. That’s what I call a Bold Pivot Plan. A smarter, faster way to redirect your career. Ready to stop spinning and start pivoting? Check out the Bold Pivot Plan here: https://www.mariadastur.com/boldpivot1 |
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