Where To Go From Here - Smashing Through The Self-Doubt To Career Pivot!
For as long as I remember I wanted to work with two things – fashion and people.
I can remember my Dad walking me into a children’s clothing store in NZ when I was 15 to ask for a Part time job (I was terrified to do it!) and my love of retail started from there!
I finished school, started working full time and just knew that I wanted more responsibility, I wanted to help, and I wanted to learn. University was not for me at the time, I was much better learning on the job than in a classroom.
After filling in for the Assistant Manager role while it was vacant for several months, I applied for the role formally. At my interview the National Manager told me “just because you think you can do the role doesn’t mean you can!” No doubt there was plenty for 17-year-old me to learn (I don’t even think I prepared for the interview!) but I knew even then that she was mistaken, and that self-belief was a massive part of success!
Less than one year later the stars aligned, and I was working as a Store Manager for an Australian Fashion brand that had plans to open 24 stores in NZ. This company THRILLED me – I would have worked for free just to be able to say that I was a Store Manager at 18!! They believed in self-improvement, the power of positive thinking and taking accountability. Things that 15 years later are ingrained in me.
Once I was a Store Manager – all I wanted was to be an Area Manager. An Area Manager seemed super glamorous, on the road driving a new RAV4, visiting stores and making an impact on people. It was my dream. And I was made to work for it!! I ran 6 stores in my 4 years as a Store Manager before I was promoted to Area Manager. And I had a LOT of setbacks. But National Manager quickly followed and at 24 years old I was accountable for 24 stores, 4 Area Managers, Loss Prevention and Training Officer and a Distribution Warehouse.
I stayed with this company for 8 years – and during that time I gave it my heart and soul. I said yes to every opportunity, put my hand up whenever it was needed, I relocated twice, I travelled constantly and took on roles that were beyond my capability but that I knew I would give my absolute everything to.
I look back on my time with so much gratitude and genuine joy – I had SO much fun in this company. It was hard work, there were a lot of sweat, blood and tears but the thrill of a company believing in you and feeling a part of their family was like no other.
By the time I was thinking of leaving – I was PETRIFIED! I had grown up in this company, worked 60 hour weeks most of the time but felt like I had hit the ceiling and lots of self-doubt crept in. Questions like:
· Sure, I am successful here – but can I do the same somewhere else?
· Do I want to stay in operations - knowing it’s all consuming but what else can I do?
· Maybe I’m not good at anything else?
· Retail isn’t a very good career choice – I just work retail
· I want to work in head office – but what does that even mean?
Sound familiar? It doesn’t matter whether you are on the shop floor, in operations or work in head office. When an immediate path isn’t clear to us – we feel a bit trapped, lose confidence in our abilities and don’t know how to market all of the amazing skills we have amassed to allow us to head in the right direction. Or maybe we have been knocked back for a job we were SURE we could do with our eyes closed.
Having spent 10 years in both agency and internal Recruitment & HR teams, through our Resume and LinkedIn Reboot I will teach you insider knowledge of how to get in front of the Hiring Managers for the roles you want. The roles that aren’t even on the market yet.
Contact me for more information and to say yes to smashing through your self-doubt and all those glass ceilings!
Ange x
The Talent Mill
Opening the door to your dream career.
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