30: Is Your Public Sector Career Still a Fit?

Sign up here to get new episodes straight into your inbox. 

“I don’t fit into my role anymore.” 

A public sector leader said this to me recently.

“On paper, everything looks fine. The salary is not great, but the benefits are ok and the stability is much better than in other sectors. But I feel like I’m pretending.

I push myself to show up the way I used to – positively, enthusiastically, can-do attitude. But it doesn’t come naturally to me anymore. 

I can’t imagine doing this for the next 5, let alone 10 years. I feel like I've plateaued.” 

And then they said something that really stayed with me:

“I want to feel inspired again. I want work where I can bring my full self to the table. Where I can use my strengths, do good work and see the impact I’m having. Is that too much to ask?”

If you’re listening to this and something in you is saying, “That’s me…”

Then this episode is for you. 

***

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

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I don't fit into my role anymore. A public sector leader said this to me recently. On paper everything looks fine, the salary's not great, but the benefits are okay. And the stability is much better than in other sectors. But I feel like I'm pretending. I push myself to show up the way I used to, positively, enthusiastically, can do attitude. But it doesn't come naturally to me anymore. I can't imagine doing this for the next five, let alone ten years. I feel like I plateaued. And then they said something that really stayed with me. I want to feel inspired again. I want work where I can bring my full self to the table, where I can use my strength, do good work, and see the impact I'm having. Is that too much to ask for? If you are listening to this and something in you is saying, that's me, then this episode is for you. You are listening to Space to Shift Your Career, a free resource for leaders in the public sector wondering what's next. I'm Yvonda 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. You've grown, your values have evolved, your energy, your priorities, your life outside of work. Everything has moved on. But your role often hasn't. Maybe the work environment has changed. More politicized. Being asked to do more with less yet again, because now we've got AI. So you end up in this uncomfortable space where you can do the job, but it no longer feels like you. And that disconnect is exhausting. Most people approach career change by asking, what job should I do next? But that question is too narrow. Instead, what if you asked, what would a role look like that actually fits who I am now and how I want to evolve my contribution? Because a truly satisfying career isn't found, it's designed. One of the most powerful ways to start designing that fit is to get clear on your core and professional values. The values that you choose to be the drivers behind your decisions for your career and your life. When I first did this work for myself, I realized something surprising. Integrity and service were core for me, no shook there. But what really shaped my career choices was something else. Independence. The ability to choose how I think, work and contribute. And once I saw that clearly, it became obvious why certain roles felt constraining. So here's a question for you. What are your non-negotiables now? And the way you want to work, the environment you thrive in, the kind of impact you want to have. Because when those aren't met, no role will feel sustainable. You don't figure this out once and you are done. Finding your sweet spot is a process. There will be trial and error, moments where you think maybe I should just do what everyone else is doing. Or you find yourself drawn to something that looks impressive, but doesn't actually fit your life or energy. That's normal. The key is not to abandon the process, but to stay curious. There's no one ideal career. For some it's high impact, fast-paced, visible leadership. For others, it's meaningful work with clear boundaries, flexibility, and space for life outside of work. And both are valid. The question is not what looks good, but what works for you at this stage of your life. One of the reasons many public sector leaders feel stuck is that they only see a narrow set of options based on job titles, on what's expected next, on what feels safe. But your experience is far more flexible than that. Your skills, strength, and interests can be used in ways you haven't considered yet. And this is where many of my clients have their biggest breakthroughs when they stop trying to fit into existing roles and start exploring how to shape something around themselves. If you want a starting point, try this. Reflect on your past roles and ask yourself, where did I feel restricted or out of alignment? Where did I have to hide parts of myself? What drained me, even if I was good at it? Because those moments point directly to your future design criteria. A tailor-made career isn't about escaping your past. It's about integrating it on your terms, taking your experience, your strength, your values, your life context, and shaping something that actually fits. If you're listening to this and thinking, I don't want to figure this out all on my own, this is exactly the work I do inside my five months Find Your Career Space program. It's designed specifically for public sector leaders like you who want to move from feeling stuck and uncertain to having clear, aligned, and realistic career options. We work through these four steps together. One, count the cost of the status quo so you can get honest about what's no longer working and why change matters now. We'll look at the toll it's taking to remain and what's keeping you from taking a smart leap. You will uncover your deepest fears and think out loud about any and all dream scenarios. You'll take agency and decide to intentionally design your next career phase. Step two, shift from paralyzed to energized. You will identify who you are now and how you want to evolve your contribution to the world. You will discover specifics about the work environment you prefer to operate in. And you will know your deal breakers and must-haves for a more satisfying work experience. And three, envision possible futures and get active so you expand your options and test ideas in the real world. You will name your transferable skills, strengths, talents, and experience. You will open up to those you trust about your plans to make a shift. You rewrite your story, reclaim your voice, and reimagine your livelihood and purpose. And in phase four, design your next boat career move. You create a smart, grounded transition strategy so you can move forward with confidence. We'll assess the best resources, influential people, and connections for your path. You'll navigate uncertainty by testing options and trying out interim solutions. You'll trust yourself on the process guided by a smart strategy and transition steps. So this isn't about quitting your job tomorrow. It's about taking the time and making the space to create a thoughtful, aligned transition without burning bridges or risking everything. I currently have one spot available to start working together. So if this resonates, I invite you to apply. We'll start with a free discovery call to explore whether this is the right fit for both of us. You can find all the details on the Work with Yvonne page on my website, spacetoShiftyourcareer.com. You don't have to settle for a role that only fits on paper. Instead, create something that fits you. I invite you to ask yourself, what would a career look like that truly works for me now? 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. Space to shiftyourcareer.com. 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.