“Hi Katie - I read your post about leaving your corporate job last year and going on a search for your next thing. I’m in the early stages of starting to think about what is next for me after corporate life. I’ll probably make the leap in the next year or two. I have a few ideas for things that could be my ‘next’ thing but I’m not entirely clear yet. And I’m not in a big rush.
With the benefit of hindsight, what do you wish you had known or done before you left your corporate job? Any tips to share for people who are still in the 9-5 but thinking about making a change?”
Separating strategically
Hi Separating. I’ve heard from a few folks who are in your position. Not quite ready to make any big moves but starting to hear the calling of something else coming down the pike.
It’s great that you are planning ahead and I’m more than happy to share some of my lessons learned. You have access to a breadth of resources while you are in a corporate role, and you should absolutely take advantage of them while you’re still there!
Lesson #1: I lost my performance data
I had a decade of reviews, assessments, emails, projects completed, and other information. In the rush to pack up my virtual life and send my computer back, I didn’t take the time to save all that information. I can remember the broad strokes of what I did and the feedback I received, but I don’t have access to the specifics.
Same with projects and case studies on the work I did. I can recall the big picture of the work I did and the outcomes, but I don’t remember the numbers associated with the projects. Like XX engagement score increased to YY, ZZ people submitted appreciation. It would be helpful to have those data points.
What you can do now:
Download your feedback, performance reviews, great-job file, etc. Save it somewhere you can access it in the future.
Take some time to create case studies and capture hard data for your projects. This is the stuff you can use as proof points when you want to sell your professional services in the future. Get as specific as you can.
If you think you want to sell a particular thing or skill set in the future, ask for written feedback and recommendations on that area now. It never hurts to have documentation that proves you are great at something.
Lesson #2 - staying in touch requires a plan
It’s amazing how much time can pass without actually contacting people, even with the best of intentions. I went about a year without reaching out to my old colleagues. Even though most people were excited to hear from me, I learned the lesson that I needed some structure to keep those relationships going.
In practice, I made a list of people and started keeping track of who I reached out to. I started by emailing, texting or Linkedin messaging one person per day. About half resulted in video/coffee catch-ups. Having a manageable schedule where I could run through a list helped me take action.
It took me about a year to get this system up and running.
What you can do now:
If you have a work phone, capture key numbers in an accessible location so you can text people in the future. Same with any contact lists stored on your work devices. (of course, don’t take client contact info if that is prohibited)
Start to set up a mini-CRM system for yourself. Who do you want to stay in touch with, and how do you want to do it? How often? Kicking off a practice now, even if at small scale, will help to cement the practice. You can start with a spreadsheet or use one of the free tools out there.
Lesson #3 - internet credibility takes time
During my sabbatical, I narrowed in on a few areas to pursue. Part of my plan is to publish content related to these topics (i.e. career advice and what it’s like to be a Chief of Staff).
It takes a while to get used to publishing content on the internet. Finding the right channels and structures. Learning how to produce graphics if that is your thing. Finding people who want to read what you write. It doesn’t happen overnight.
I wish I had started a bit earlier and done a smaller version of content production when I was still in my corporate job. It’s something that builds on itself so the longer you do it consistently, the better. The longer you do it, the more credible you are.
What you can do now:
Pick a few topics and start experimenting with writing styles, types of content, channels, and content calendar. Get used to the logistics of writing, editing, and publishing.
If you haven’t already - buy a domain name and create a site. Down the road when you want to send emails, having a site that isn’t brand-new will help your emails not get flagged as spam. If you don’t know what domain to register, start with your name.
Start to build an email list. Think about how to gather email addresses and provide value through a direct channel. Align this to something you might want to offer in the future.
Lesson #4 - have a sabbatical plan
I knew I wanted to take the time to figure out my next thing but didn’t have a lot of structure in place. I realized I needed to rest for a while so I did that.
When I was ready to do the next thing I struggled a bit. I had these ideas about going to Asia or some other international travel that didn’t pan out. I started to slowly do things over the summer but didn’t have a real end date in mind. In short, it was kind of messy.
What you can do now:
Health insurance was a thing that prevented me from taking a career break this earlier. Not that there weren’t options, I was just intimidated. Research your options outside of Cobra so you know what is possible and how much you will pay for it.
If you have any must-dos (adventures you want to take, places to visit, things to do) have a rough plan for how they fit into your upcoming break.
When you get closer, know it truly takes time to decompress from all the stuff from your corporate life. Make a deal with yourself that for XX weeks/months you will just be. And after that time, you’ll figure it out. You can remind yourself that you’re a super-smart problem solver who figures sh*t out for a living so that part will happen when it needs to :)
Talk to other people who have left corporate / are on similar paths. There are a lot of people who are on this journey. It’s great to have a sense of community and hear others’ stories and how they figured their stuff out.
Because you’re early in the process, take one or two of these things at a time and start to chip away. As you get closer, revisit the list and make sure you have the latest for your performance and results files. Do these few things and you will head into your adventure with a lot more clarity and confidence than I had!
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the Clipboard newsletter to receive Bite-Sized content like this. I appreciate the support.