Navigating Career Transitions

Every career move I’ve made—whether to a new country, a new industry, or a new role—has had one thing in common: it made me nervous. But not in a red-flag way. In a this-could-change-me kind of way.

I’ve come to trust that signal. If a move doesn’t make me at least a little anxious in the best way, it’s probably not stretching me enough. And stretch is what signals growth. It’s not about whether the move is lateral, vertical, or diagonal.  It’s about whether it opens up new ways of thinking, leading, and being.

One of my biggest leaps? Moving to a new country and then taking my first department head role. I didn’t know anyone. No one knew me. That anonymity could have been intimidating—but instead, it became a blank slate. I realized: this was my moment to reinvent myself. To stop waiting to become the leader I wanted to be and simply start being her.

That move became a critical launchpad for everything that came after.

And while you don’t need to cross oceans to do this, the lesson holds: bold moves—big or small—give you a rare chance to reset, reframe, and redefine who you’re becoming. When you step into something unfamiliar, it’s not just a career decision. It’s an identity shift. That’s exactly what Herminia Ibarra captures in her book Working Identity*: we grow into new roles by doing, not waiting.

That insight has shaped how I assess every transition. I’ve found that four core questions help me cut through the noise and get to the heart of whether a move is truly worth making:

• Does this feel like a growth move?
• Will I be able to keep learning and stretching here?
• Am I genuinely excited about the work?
• Is the culture one where I’ll thrive—not just survive?

While three out of four might sound reasonable, I’ve learned that culture is non-negotiable. And I don’t mean surface-level perks or a “great team environment.” I mean the values that drive decisions and the leadership that sets the tone for how people are treated, trusted, and developed. Will this be a place where I can reinvent yet again—even in small ways?

It’s not just the environment. It’s the value system and leadership. That alignment determines whether your contributions will thrive. And you don’t find that on a company website. You find it by doing the work: having real conversations, asking better questions, and listening for what’s not said.

A couple of my favorite interview questions:

• “Can you tell me about a time someone challenged a decision—and how leadership responded?”
• “What’s the best reason and the worst reason to work here?”

The answers will tell you more about how the place actually works than any recruiting pitch. Someone once described it as knowing you’re at the right table—not just any table. I think that’s exactly right.

And even with all of that, I’ve still had moments where I’ve picked up the phone and said, “Am I crazy for doing this?” That’s why it helps to have one or two trusted people, or a coach, who know your values, see your potential, and remind you what you’re capable of when doubt creeps in.

Forget certainty. The best career moves start with curiosity—and a little adrenaline. Not just about the role or the organization, but about yourself: what you want more of, what you’ve outgrown, and who you’re ready to become.

As Herminia Ibarra writes, reinvention comes through movement—not mastery.

So start there. And if your next step makes you a little nervous in the best way? You just might be standing on your launchpad.

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*Reference: Ibarra, H. (2023). Working Identity: Updated Edition. Harvard Business Review Press.