Melissa D.

Where she was

Melissa D. had a great job as a sales executive at a swanky women's magazine in New York City. She had an enviable position, great salary, and a lots of fun perks. Only one problem: She hated every minute of it. She trudged through workdays doing work she didn't care for, obsessed with thoughts of being fired or quitting. Her boss was a pill, and the relentless schedule left her little time for exercise and her yoga practice. She had trouble winding down at night, and felt hopeless, beaten down and out of balance. Her self-described mantra: "I hate my job... I hate my job..."

Where she wanted to be

Melissa wanted to find a career that tapped into her love of art, color and style. She had been exploring programs at a well-known interior design school, but had not yet enrolled.

Pie in the Sky

Take two months off to heal and recover from her demanding worklife before she started her new career.

Obstacles

Melissa's biggest obstacle was actually a good thing: She was really good at what she did. She was a natural salesperson, great at connecting with people and presenting ideas, so she frequently questioned her desires to leave. Her belief system told her that "artistic careers" didn't make a lot of money, and she was fearful of not being able to support herself. Feeding her doubt was her well-intentioned father who repeatedly tried to talk her out of leaving such a promising career (and paycheck). Lastly, a bad case of procrastination, circular thinking and negative self-talk made it impossible for her to get out of her head long enough to craft an implement a plan.

The Process

First, we got rid of the "I hate my job" mantra and replaced it with, "I have a plan. I am on a path." Suddenly, she could stop beating herself up for "doing nothing". Through the coaching process, she was taking small steps to reach her goals.

Next, we made sure we were on the right track. A thorough (and, dare I say, fun) self-discovery process revealed that, without a doubt, interior design was the way to go, embodying all the "Elements of Her Ideal Career" that we identified.

Once we had a direction, we were off and running. She built a new resume, pursued job leads, conducted informational interviews, and gathered information. One such interview was with a current student of the interior design school she had been eyeing. This woman had started out with a full-time schedule, but had quickly landed a part-time job with a guest professor who had a large firm, and had done the rest of her degree part-time, with the promise of a full-time job when she graduated. In her story, Melissa finally saw how she could make this career switch work. Now, she could follow her heart with no self-doubt.

One month later

Coasting on the confidence that her new plan was providing, she had a breakthrough talk with her boss, finally revealing her lack of love for sales and her desire to switch gears. She braced herself for the worst, but he surprised her-- as long as she continued to perform, he would let her stay until she was ready to begin her new career. He even offered to put her in touch with friends in the business! She was stunned, to say the least. That's how powerful it is when you align your goals to your true essence, seemingly jammed doors have a way of opening up.

An enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She drafted a formal plan and budget and presented them to her parents, who saw how serious she was (she had a life coach, after all!) and lovingly supported her with a financial contribution. Full of relief and eager to begin her new life, she enrolled in the introductory interior design course.

Three months later

When you let positive thoughts and clear intentions guide you, one good thing leads to another. Lunch with a friend's cousin who was an interior designer lead to a mutually-beneficial relationship: Melissa does PR for her firm while she offers Melissa an inside perspective and contact leads. The interior design course lead to a good friendship with the professor, who recommended another school, one that catered to professionals and offered flexible class loads so she could hold a part-time job in the business to support herself. Leaving her job made her available for an opportunity to intern for a small firm where she received valuable hands-on experience.

Thanks to a nest egg and some careful planning, she was able to quit her job and spend six weeks enjoying the summer before she started school (Pie in the sky accomplished).

Testimonial

"Approaching Carley to coach me along my career path was one of the best decisions I ever made. We started by exploring elements of my ideal career and qualities that are important to me in life. Carley's constructive advice and influence helped me tremendously get through the day-to-day of my currently unfulfilling job, knowing that I was building a new plan that was more meaningful to me.

Once I determined the career direction that was right for me, Carley kept me on track with our weekly check-ins to make sure I was taking all the right steps necessary to fulfill my "smart goals". Admittedly, I am a person who is easily distracted and tend to often make excuses for my lack of effort. With Carley's guidance, I uncovered a whole new personal motivation and can-do attitude that lead me to pursue a new exciting career path.

I am extremely thankful for Carley's role as not only my coach, but also my cheerleader; as her immeasurable support, optimism, and enthusiasm were a major contribution to my personal victory. I would 1,000% recommend Carley to anyone who has the itch to improve any aspect of their life or career."

-- Melissa D.