Through Your Career Homecoming and other offerings over the years, I’ve personally helped over 200 people change careers. Here’s what having a backstage pass to that many career changes has taught me:
1 | Everyone is scared
Everyone. Even when they know it’s the right thing. Even when they’re excited. Even when they have support. The people who have more resources are not less afraid. The people have who more work experience are not less afraid. The people who have more degrees are not less afraid.
Takeaway: Fear is normal, it’s not a predictor of failure, and you have to address it directly so you can move forward.
2 | It’s always messy
Even when there are simple steps to follow, things get messy. You get sick. You get scared. Your power goes out on launch day. The computer eats your new resume. You miss a filing deadline. You order pizza for dinner way too many times. You try a Big Thing and the response is crickets.
Takeaway: There’s no tidy way to do something you’ve never done before. Expect some mess. Be resilient and keep going.
3 | It’s about way more than your career
Your career is about who you are, how you contribute, how you relate to the world, and what you expect in return. That’s not just what you do from 9-5, that’s your IDENTITY. In order to change careers, you will have to change part of you. The good news is that once you find your Homecoming Career, there’s a positive ripple effect into the rest of your life.
Takeaway: It feels big because it is big. Treat it with respect and get the support you need.
4 | It’s not about the website or the resume
People think that if they can get their website just so or get their resume in enough hands, that things will fall into place. No. Your website or resume can’t compensate for your lack of direction, clarity, or confidence in yourself. When you know who you are, what you stand for, what you have to offer, and where you’re headed, seas will part for you. And your marketing materials will be an extension of a truly powerful foundation: you.
Takeaway: You can’t dress up confusion and doubt. Do the real work and your materials will reflect it.
5 | People are far more capable than they realize
It can be really hard to see yourself in a different way, or to see a different future for yourself. I’ve never had a client who wasn’t 1. Capable of so much more than they were doing, and 2. Oblivious to a lot of their own value and strength.
Takeaway: There may be a gap between where you are and where you want to go, but it’s not nearly as big as you think.
Laura Simms is the Founder of Your Career Homecoming and a Certified Equity-Centered Coach (IECC) with 15 years of experience guiding high-achievers through meaningful career transitions. She has helped over 400 professionals choose careers with both meaning and money, and her clients have come and gone from places like Google, OWN, NPR, Fortune 500 companies, the FBI, Broadway, and HarperCollins. As the pioneer of the WHOLE Method—a holistic career change strategy—Laura brings a unique approach that integrates purpose with practicality. Her expertise has been featured in US News & World Report. She holds degrees from Furman University and The University of California, Irvine, and has taught at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Based in Atlanta, Laura enjoys thrifting, interior design, and walks in the woods.
