S


usan Doering has plenty of experience in career change: she


at Vienna University,


transitioned into global events and then pivoted to become a global career and leadership coach. Her experience is increasingly common: recent LinkedIn data shows that job transitions for women are up 54% year on year while Deloitte’s 2023 Women@Work survey (which spoke to 5,000 women globally) found more respondents had left their job in the last year than in 2020 and 2021 combined, with a lack of flexibility cited as the main reason. It all adds up to a female workforce looking for change. Enter Susan Doering, a multi-lingual career and leadership coach, whose new book, ‘Smart Career Moves for Smart Women’, is full of practical information on changing direction. The most important thing she has learned along the way? “Decide what you want to do, make it something that really aligns with your values, and do not be dissuaded,” she says. Here are her top tips to get started.


1. WORK OUT YOUR OWN VALUES It sounds simple, but women often don’t take time to think about what they want or need from their career. “Even in 2023 women are still bearing the double load of caring for others and paid work,” says Doering. “Knowing yourself and your values system is the foundation for everything.” Women often take the path of


least resistance and fall into a career without stopping to consider if it is what they really want to do. “It is important to stop and reflect. What works for us at 22 might not work at 40 because we change as we learn about ourselves and the world.” Doering suggests starting


with exploring the things that are important to you in life, not just at work. This could be the environment, or it could be education. “Writing it down is really helpful. If people are more visual they might prefer to create a mood board on Pinterest.”


Doering also suggests ranking the started as a lecturer


values for the role of work in your life, which might include professional status, financial gain, stability, serving the community, time for family and friends, independence, adventure and work-life balance. Then ask yourself if you are living and working in a way which honours these values. “Women are usually clear on


their technical skills, but it is also important to think about your transferable skills – things like negotiating, communicating and strategic planning.” It’s not easy to identify our own strengths so Doering suggests asking five or six friends and colleagues what they see as your strengths. “The results can often be surprising,” says Doering. As AI impacts the workforce, skills such as applied judgment, creativity, critical thinking and leadership will be in greater demand to ensure technology is used effectively.


2. DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET Having a growth mindset means being prepared to learn: “Put it at the top of your list,” says Doering. This also extends to learning how to do things better and learning from our mistakes. ‘Never say you can’t do something without adding… yet.” A growth mindset is often


developed as we grow up. “We notice in our parents, or the people around us, that they are open to new things, and they encourage us to be open and interested too. It can be helpful to realise there is another way of looking at things, which can help women realise there are choices available to them. “As women get older they think certain things are not for them, which is nonsense,” says Doering.


3. CONSIDER


ENTREPRENEURSHIP According to the 2022 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, women account for two out of every five early-stage entrepreneurs globally and one in three high-growth entrepreneurs. In the UK, female founders built more new businesses


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THINK GLOBAL PEOPLE CAREERS


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