29: How Public Sector Leaders Turn Conversations into Career Exploration

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You’ve been in your public sector career for quite some time now, and are wondering what’s next. 

You could do your job in your sleep. You are tired of going through the motions. Or yet another restructure or change programme. 

You know something needs to change for you to feel alive again. 

You have some ideas, questions, maybe even a sense of what you want next in your career and life. 

And… you also know: “I should probably talk to some people.”

It’s not like you don’t have a network. You do. In fact, an extended one. Both professionally and personally. 

But something holds you back.  

You might think:

“I don’t want to bother them.” 
“But I’m not asking them for a job, so what’s the point?”
“What if word gets out?” 

So you don’t reach out. 

And without realising it, another year goes by...

In this episode, I talk about a mindset shift to help you overcome your concerns. 

And I share 6 questions (out of the 14 questions I use with my clients) you can ask in your conversations to get valuable data for your career shift. 

***

Yvonne Davidis helps public sector leaders develop exciting career options that align with who they are now and how they want to evolve in future. 

With 20+ years of moving countries, working for the UK and Denmark across three continents, plus professional coaching certifications, Yvonne is a unique specialist for leaders in the public sector considering their next chapter.

Book a 90-minute Jumpstart Session to clarify your deal-breakers and must-haves for a more satisfying work experience.  

For step-by-step support on your career change journey apply here for Yvonne's 5-month Find Your Career Space programme, and she'll be in touch to invite you to a free discovery call. 

Transcript

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You've been in your public sector career for quite some time now and are wondering what's next. You could do your job in your sleep, are tired of going through the motions, or yet another restructure or change program. You know something needs to change to feel alive again. You have ideas, questions, maybe even a sense of what you want next in your career and life. And you also know I should probably talk to some people. It's not like you don't have a network, you do, in fact an extended one, but something holds you back. You might think, I don't want to bother them. But I'm not asking them for a job, so what's the point? Or what if word gets out? So you don't reach out. And without realizing it, another year goes by. Today I talk about a mindset shift to help you overcome your concerns. And I share six questions out of the four tink I use with my clients that you can ask in your conversations to get valuable data for your career shift. You are listening to Space to Shift Your Career, a free resource for leaders in the public sector wondering what's next. I'm Yvanda Vidis and I've created this podcast to invite you to explore new paths that reflect who you are now and how you want your career to evolve in the future. I have a talent for creating a high trust space so you can reflect, think out loud and test your assumptions. And I love helping you explore, dream and discover new possibilities for yourself. I moved country several times and I know what it's like to change careers, both within and out of the public sector. And I'm a trained career change and executive leadership coach. I've been working with career shifters as a mentor since 2013 and as a coach since I started my business in 2022. Now subscribe so you don't miss any new episodes. Now let's go. They thought they needed to have it all figured out before speaking to someone. Their biggest worry was why would they talk to me? I might be wasting their time. So they held back, even from reaching out to people who had already offered to help them. They didn't think they could walk through a door that someone was already opening for them. It was about perspective, mindset and confidence. We worked on this together. This is what I shared with them. You are not reaching out to ask for a job, to impress someone, or to have the perfect pitch. You are reaching out to learn, explore, and understand what's out there. The most useful career conversations don't come after you have clarity. They are how you create clarity. A good career conversation is simply this a conversation where someone shares their experience so you can better understand what's a good fit for you. That's it. When you approach it that way, there's no pressure anymore. It's just you being curious about the other person, their motivators, and their experience. But the conversation still needs to be specific enough to be meaningful. So not just tell me about your job. Instead, ask these specific questions. I actually have 14 questions I share with my clients. And today I want to share six of them with you. One, what got you into this line of work? Two, what excites you about your work? Three, what do you actually spend most of your time doing? Four, what do you really enjoy about your work? And what's challenging? Five, what tips would you have for someone who's considering getting into this line of work? And this one is often skipped or forgotten. Six, who else would you suggest I talk to? Can you connect me to them? Even if no one springs to mind that very moment. If they'll think of someone later, they are more likely to connect you than if you hadn't asked this question. If you're wondering how to reach out, keep it simple. You might say something like this. Hi there, I'm currently exploring what I might want next in my career, and your work really caught my attention. I'd love to hear a bit about your experience. What got you into this field, what you are enjoying about it, and any insights you might have for someone curious about this space. Would you be open to a twenty minute conversation? That's it. Clear, honest, and respectful. If you are in the same location and it's the done thing in your country, ask for a meeting. I live in New Zealand, and here coffee catch ups are very common. People usually say yes because they're happy to help. You do what's appropriate in your context and your culture. If this feels uncomfortable, you are not alone. Common concerns my clients share with me are, I'm not good at selling myself. Why would they want to talk to me? Or I don't want to come across as opportunistic. But notice what all of these have in common. They are focused on you, but what happens if you shift the focus to them, their story, their experience, their insights? That's where the conversation becomes easier and more meaningful. I invite you to give it a go. Think about who is one person whose work you are genuinely curious about? What would you like to find out in a conversation with them? You don't need a long list, just one conversation to get started, to learn from, and to tweak your approach if needed. Then another conversation and another, and momentum builds up. The right conversations won't just give you useful information, they'll give you perspective, confidence, and sometimes also unexpected opportunities. Until next time, make space, rediscover you, and then take action. Thank you for listening today. You care about solving real problems and making a difference. And you feel it's time to figure out in what way you can do that in the next chapter of your career. Learn more about how I help leaders in the public sector break through four limiting beliefs about shifting their career. It's based to shiftyourcareer.com. And if you're getting value from this podcast, please do share it with other public sector leaders who are considering what's next for them.