Wrestling with changes in professional identity - podcast interview

Before getting into communication training and professional speaking, I had a very different career trajectory. I envisioned a career in librarianship, which is a wonderful and highly varied field of work. But despite my interest in different areas of library and information work, despite my belief in so many of the profession’s values (which I still hold dear), it just wasn’t working out. I thought it was a personal failing, that there was something deficient in me. That was nonsense, of course, but I still felt it.

What I’m doing today – helping people become better communicators – is what I’m supposed to be doing. My background in library and information studies hugely informs my approach to communication, so my educational and professional time in that field was hardly a waste. But despite all that, I still mentally struggled with the change for quite some time.

I had the opportunity to appear on the Unstoppable Grit podcast, hosted by Danielle Cobo, for a frank discussion about dealing with career disappointments and moving through changes in professional identity. This is a switch from my usual communication-oriented content, and delves more into “personal story” territory, and I hope you enjoy it. If a career transition or change in professional identity is giving you complicated feelings, you may enjoy this interview. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, as well as on the Unstoppable Grit blog: