How to Rethink Your Career Path

Most people think career success comes from making the perfect decision. It doesn’t. It comes from making timely, values-aligned ones. Especially when the next step feels unclear. One of my clients, a brilliant VP, spent 3 months stuck on a single choice: “Do I speak up about being overlooked, or wait for my work to speak for itself?” She called it strategic patience. But it was really fear disguised as overthinking. We ran it through this framework. She made the call. Six weeks later, her promotion was fast-tracked. She was finally seen, heard, and most importantly, included. Because here’s what I tell every high-achiever I coach: You don’t need more time to decide. You need a better way to decide. Try the 2-Minute Decision Framework™ (Career Edition): 1. QUICK DECISIONS → Handle it NOW For low-stakes tasks that clog your mental bandwidth: → Can you respond to that email in < 2 minutes? → Is the request low risk and easily reversible? → Are you spiraling on something that just needs action? ✅ Do it. Momentum builds trust and confidence. (Your career doesn’t stall in the big moves, it drips away through tiny indecisions.) 2. TEAM DECISIONS → Resolve it TODAY For collaborative work or project bottlenecks: → Who’s recommending this approach? → Who’s doing the work? → Who’s accountable for the final call? ✍️ Assign roles. Align expectations. Move forward. (Most team confusion comes from no one knowing who’s driving.) Use this anytime you’re: – Leading a cross-functional project – Navigating performance reviews – Building team trust through shared clarity 3. CAREER DECISIONS → Make it THIS WEEK For decisions that affect your growth, visibility, and voice: Use the 3–2–1 Method: → 3 options: Brainstorm career paths, scripts, or solutions → 2 perspectives: Ask two mentors, not the whole internet → 1 call: Choose the path aligned with your long game 🎯 Clarity > complexity. Every time. This works for: – Deciding whether to advocate for a raise or promotion – Considering a lateral move for growth – Navigating visibility or speaking up on tough issues The truth is: courageous careers aren’t built on perfect plans. They’re built on small, aligned decisions made with intention. That’s C.H.O.I.C.E.® in action. So here’s your coaching moment: 🔥 Pick one decision you’ve been avoiding. Run it through the framework. Make the call within the next hour. Then ask yourself: What changed when I finally decided? ❓ What’s one career decision you’ve been sitting on too long? Share it below, or DM me, and we’ll run it through together. 🔖 Save this for your next “Should I…?” moment 👥 Tag someone who needs this framework in their toolkit Because alignment isn’t found in overthinking. It’s built through C.H.O.I.C.E.®. ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for tools that actually work in real life. #CareerCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment

I’ve enjoyed reading reports and LinkedIn recaps from the recent World Economic Forum’s annual conference in Davos. One of the most discussed topics was the future of work, as professionals worldwide are re-evaluating their careers, seeking more fulfillment, flexibility, and financial security. I am glad to see people talk about financial security in this context. When you make a career change, the financial implications have to be top of mind. Several years ago, at the height of the Great Resignation I wrote an ‘Ask Carrie’ column to guide people through the financial implications of leaving their job. These core principles still apply today:  ✅ Clarify Your Why: It’s important to first envision where you want to go and what you are ultimately striving for. Visualize what your life and career looks like 5 years, 15 years from now and build off of that vision. It's one thing to be dissatisfied or want to make a change; it's another to know what will make you happier. Dig into the details of any new position and define your real motivation to ensure your next move aligns with your long-term goals. ✅ Assess the Financial Tradeoffs: Leaving a job often means leaving behind benefits and depending on the position you’re leaving, they could be significant. Employee benefits can encompass everything from health insurance and matching retirement contributions, to paid time off and childcare subsidies. And don't forget about things like stock options and restricted stocks. You may be walking away from good money! ✅ Plan for Learning & Transitions: If you're looking for a new job in your current field, making a change may be pretty straightforward. But if you want to do something completely different it's going to take time and money—and upfront planning. Map this out in advance and plan for the investment required to make a smooth transition. ✅ Strengthen Your Financial Safety Net: You may be emotionally ready to make your move, but be sure to give yourself a smooth financial path before you do. I recommend you: 1. Shore up your savings—Building your emergency fund is key. I suggest having enough cash to cover 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. Things don’t always go according to plan. 2. Pay down debts—If you're carrying credit card balances, try to bring those close to zero to free up the cash you’ll need for necessities during your transition. 3. Rethink your budget—Wants and non-essentials may need to take a backseat while you're in transition. Take a good look at where you can cut back short term. 4. Review your insurance—This is crucial, especially health insurance, no matter your age Whatever you do, make sure you and your family have continued coverage. The job market is evolving, and there are many opportunities to consider—but making a career move from a place of financial strength ensures both professional fulfillment and long-term security. Are you rethinking your career right now? What’s driving your decision?

If you’re feeling stuck in your high-paying yet wildly unfulfilling career, you're not alone. (hello fellow consultants!) I had a quarter-life crisis when I realized I had no desire to get promoted anymore 😮 It took me 10 months to make a big career pivot from consulting to startups... I wrote up 6 steps to get career clarity I wouldn’t miss if I had to do it all again. Before you dive in, remember: ✨ Self-awareness is the starting point for all personal growth. ✨ Ask yourself the hard questions and be honest about the answers. If you don’t take time to get clear on what YOU want, you let everyone else dictate what THEY want. You don’t want to end up working for someone else’s dream, do you? Here are 6 steps to get clear on the work you want and what needs to change: 1) Take an inventory of your current state 2) Assess your strengths and weaknesses 3) Discover your curiosities 4) Reflect on your values 5) Imagine the future 6) Get real about the gap Then, build a plan of action to close that gap & START EXECUTING ON IT. When you're feeling stuck → Get clarity before diving head first into a job search. You’ll save yourself years of pursuing the wrong path & months of ineffective job searching. P.S. There are likely people in your network feeling stuck in their career right now, not sure what to change. Repost ♻️ to share these tips with them or send to a friend who's going thru it!!

Have you ever looked at your career and wondered, “Is this really it?” Maybe you feel stuck in a role that no longer excites you, undervalued despite your experience, or exhausted by a job that drains more than it fulfills. If so, you’re not alone—this could be your turning point. Life is too short to spend time in a career that depletes you instead of energizing you. I’ve been there. I stepped into a role where I was hired for my expertise, with promises that my input and leadership would be valued. But reality painted a different picture. Instead of trust and collaboration, I encountered resistance, micromanagement, and a lack of real empowerment. Innovation was stifled, and over time, I realized that staying meant compromising my values and well-being. Eventually, I made the difficult but necessary decision to leave. This is where the Metta Framework comes in—a concept I developed through my coaching work to help individuals take control of their careers and live on their terms. The framework guides you through a career transition with clarity and purpose by aligning five interconnected elements: identifying your why, financial readiness, opportunity landscape, network leverage, and transferable skills. But before diving into these steps, it’s essential to practice self-compassion. In this post, you’ll learn: - How to define your WHY (inspired by Simon Sinek) - How to assess your financial readiness for a transition - How to research opportunities with intention - How to leverage your network authentically - How to reframe your skills for new possibilities Check out the full post here: https://lnkd.in/eXaUNQAX What’s the biggest challenge you face in career transitions? Let’s start a conversation in the comments. 👇 #CareerGrowth #CareerChange #SelfCompassion #Networking #Leadership

Career change does not mean starting over. You are not behind. You are not broken. You are not too late. If you build the right skills — you can pivot into tech. I’ve helped non-technical professionals land data roles at Microsoft, Roku, and Zendesk. Without computer science degrees, bootcamps, or coding backgrounds. Whenever I coach career changers, I teach them this: Your past experience only matters if you know how to make it matter. Here’s the exact 4-step framework I give every student: Build top 10% skills — and have proof through projects, not just words. Translate your past experience to align with your target roles. Emphasize your ability to lead and work independently. Highlight soft skills that actually get noticed by recruiters. Because tech doesn’t reward the most “qualified.” It rewards those who can clearly communicate their value. Were you a teacher? You already know how to break down complex topics. An Uber driver? You understand logistics, service, and decision-making under pressure. A nurse? You lead under stress, collaborate across teams, and handle mission-critical situations. This is not about starting over. It’s about reframing what you’ve already done. And if you follow the right framework, you will stand out. Thinking about making a career switch? Comment “SWITCH” and I’ll send you the roadmap I use with my private students.

➡️ After countless interviews and months of searching, I realized my passion wasn’t just about hiring great people—it’s about helping them grow and supporting businesses in creating environments where employees can thrive. And for the first time in this search, I felt excited to explore opportunities that truly light me up. 🌟Huge shout out to Ama La Vida and my awesome career coach Maggie Breitenbach for helping me through all this🌟 Sometimes, we hold onto jobs or careers because they’re all we know. But there’s a lot of value in taking a step back to ask: Is this still the right path for me? If you’re feeling stagnant, here are some ways that I’ve taken back control of my career: ✅ Assess What’s Working (and What’s Not) Are you genuinely excited about the roles you’re applying to, or are you just chasing what’s familiar? Look at where your energy goes—if certain conversations or tasks light you up more than others, there might be a clue there. Trust your gut! ✅ Strengthen Your Learning Muscle Job pivots don’t always mean starting over. Leverage online courses like LinkedIn Learning, find in-person networking groups, or engage with professionals in a new field to get an insider’s perspective. ✅ Make Self-Reflection a Constant Sometimes, the biggest career roadblocks aren’t external—they’re internal. Fear of change, imposter syndrome, or uncertainty about what’s next can keep us stuck. Taking time to reflect (or working with a coach!) can help you move forward with more confidence. 💡The takeaway? Your career is yours to shape. If the old path isn’t leading anywhere, don’t be afraid to explore a new one. You might be surprised by what you find. #careerpivot #careertransition #jobsearch #careercoach