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I had originally only planned to go back to work in a part-time capacity on returning from maternity leave. However, opportunities like this don’t come up often, so although I was nervous about taking on a global HR management role, I decided to take a leap of faith and accepted the position in the interim while we searched for a permanent replacement.

After a few months, I was back at work full time. This meant lots of late nights, travelling away from home, early morning and night-time skype calls. I had to race home to get snippets of time with my kids before they went to bed. This obviously took a major toll on my family life in so many ways, including on my own health and wellbeing. With some self-reflection, it became glaringly obvious that I couldn’t do my job AND parent the way I wanted.

It took eighteen months to find a new General Manager HR, after which I was able to focus on finding myself a new role that would still serve my passion for HR but give me the flexibility to spend quality time with my family. Angela Horkings, one of the Co-Founders and Directors of Tandem Partners and someone I’ve known for years, approached me and asked if I would be interested in joining Tandem Partners as an HR recruiter. This would be a big change from working in HR roles, but a role I could absolutely use my knowledge and expertise in, working with a range of organisations to enable them to access the best talent in the field that I myself had professionally grown up in. Recruitment had been a component of many of my HR roles and something I had always enjoyed, so as far away as this new role seemed, it still played to my strengths.

’ve now been in my role for just over six months; I work with a fantastic team, and I couldn’t be happier! My mental and physical health has never been better, I’ve found that being satisfied in your career is about more than just a certain salary or job title. For the record, HR recruitment isn’t easy, it takes a load of focus, a preparedness to get into the profession from a very different angle and the juggle of managing both client and candidate expectations, but this is energising in many ways.

If you’re thinking about making a similar career move, either minor or major, here’s my advice.

The Career Lattice

One of my previous Managers always spoke about the career “lattice” rather than the “career ladder” – e.g. moving sideways, trying new roles outside your comfort zone, or moving from generalist to specialist roles.

Many people think about changing role type, or more dramatically, changing careers, but are never sure how to take the leap. My advice to anyone who is thinking about making any sort of change – is to make it an educated decision. Always do your research and due diligence, and don’t just jump into any job with the hope that it will just work. This means:

• Talking to people who are in the same or similar role – this will help you get an understanding of a typical day or week, challenges, opportunities.
• Considering your own personal priorities and strengths – what do you want to get out of this move? Do you prioritise flexibility, your health and work/life balance over an impressive remuneration package? What strengths can you play to?
• Before considering a change in both role type and organisation all in one hit, explore the options in your current organisation. Who might champion your move internally? Have you mirrored that role to see whether it really ticks all your boxes?
• What additional skills, study or investment will you need to make to ensure your success? Will you have to move backwards or down to gain a certain level of proficiency?
• Consider the practical issues – can you afford this step? It may be a good idea to get some financial advice on budgeting and saving. We often live up to our earning standard, so accepting a less junior role, for example, could impact your finances.
• Whether a shift in role or a completely different career direction, you’ll need a well thought through transition plan. Spend time planning for various scenarios – sometimes these moves don’t happen overnight!
  

Final Thoughts

Any moves that you make in your career are your own. You may be afraid of what others will say of your if your career move is deemed less than conventional, however, it is important to keep your own personal end goal in sight, and not worry about what other people think. At the end of the day, it’s your own job satisfaction that matters most. Personally, taking a different path has been the best decision for me and I have no regrets whatsoever.

If you’d like more advice on how to make a change in your career or need help with finding your next HR job, feel free to get in touch with me.