Episode 1 – Career Transitions for Moms are the Canvas for Reinvention
Episode Summary:
A career story and powerful questions to ask yourself for your career transition
Have you ever stood at a crossroads in your career, wondering if there’s more to your professional life?
Maybe you’ve had fleeting dreams that you’ve ignored or ideas that are starting to form more fully. I’m here to guide you on the path of career discovery, whether you want to:
- Climb the corporate ladder
- Shift industries or companies, or
- Launch a new venture of your own
I’m Sofia Nunes — a mom like you, entrepreneur, and coach. My business and podcast are called Career Spark for Moms because all it takes is a spark to start a fire!
I know what it’s like to be a mom and an ambitious professional. Those dual priorities make it more challenging to pursue what you really want for your career.
If you are ready to turn your career longings into action, let’s unravel the roadmap together.
Today, I have a story to share. You might recognize yourself in it. For the full transcript and more resources for professional moms, visit:
careersparkformoms.com/1
The Journey That Brought Me to Support Ambitious Professional Moms
Let’s start this podcast off with a piece of my journey …
I have a background in Clinical Psychology and a Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction.
After a brief exposure to the world of academia in Finland, I traded the stability of that job for the emotional and financial rollercoaster of entrepreneurship in 2010, when I moved to Germany to co-found a Fintech company with two friends.
Have you ever thought of doing a big venture like this?
The next ten years tested my limits and offered lessons that no classroom could provide. Those were the most challenging and rewarding years of my professional life until now. I will always remember those days with a big smile.
The birth of my son in 2019 triggered a pivotal shift in my career.
Did having children rock the boat in your career?
I spent over a year in a mix of denial and reflection until I accepted that the company I had helped create and grow was no longer the place where I wanted to spend the next stage of my professional life.
Working with a coach during this time was crucial. He helped me examine my values and reassess my career goals in a realistic and pragmatic way. I looked back at my previous roles in Talent Acquisition, Leadership Development, and Organizational Culture and tried to find the thread.
I asked myself:
What did my previous roles have in common that filled me with energy?
It’s an important question to ask and one of the processes I take my clients through in my work with women professionals who are also moms.
At that point, the answer came easily. It was my focus on people, their development, and ensuring that all voices in the company were heard.
That insight, coupled with a strong desire to challenge the motherhood penalty and gender gap, drove me to specialize in coaching mothers.
Your Career Transition Isn’t Just About Work
My transition to coaching wasn’t just about work. It was about making a choice that resonated with the impact I wanted to have and aligned with my experience as a mother and professional.
What about you?
What career path could you take that’s both fulfilling and truly reflective of who you are today?
Consider this:
- Career transitions are your canvas for reinvention. “What does my ideal professional life look like now that I’m not just a mother but a mother with evolving ambitions?”
- Every role, every industry switch, and every new venture is a chapter in your career novel. It’s about leveraging your cumulative experiences to write a career that’s authentically yours.
- Change is not just inevitable. It’s the gateway to your professional evolution. It’s about strategically choosing paths that align with your renewed sense of identity, leveraging the wisdom and skills you gained from motherhood and your previous experiences.
Take a moment to reflect on your career journey.
What does the next chapter look like for you?
Think about the impact you want to have, the non-negotiable aspects for you, how you want to feel, and if there are any areas you are willing to compromise in exchange for others.
Then, identify one area you crave change in and sketch a small, actionable step you can take this week to move closer to that goal.
Your career is a narrative waiting for your next bold stroke.
