Have you ever sat in a leadership meeting and thought, “I’ve outgrown this version of myself”?
Maybe your calendar is full, your inbox is overflowing, and your team depends on you. But you still feel unfulfilled.

That quiet sense of discontent? That’s not burnout. It’s your next chapter calling.

For high-achieving women, pivoting careers isn’t just about chasing a new title. It’s about reclaiming alignment, purpose, and joy.

If you’re thinking it’s time to change careers, this guide will help you recognize the signs, clarify your next move, and create a confident plan of action.

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🚨 What Is a Career Change, Really?

A career change isn’t just about leaving a job or switching industries. It’s a strategic repositioning of your talents, passions, and priorities so they work for you, not just your employer.

Career transitions often involve:

• Moving into a new field or industry
• Seeking more fulfillment or flexibility
• Aligning work with your evolving values
• Pursuing a leadership role that better fits your voice and vision

As an executive coach, I see Black women leaders redefining their success in a world that wasn’t built for them. This shift is about power and peace. Not just paychecks.

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💼 What Are the Signs It’s Time for a Career Change?

Many of my clients don’t come to me saying, “I want a new career.”
They come saying, “Something feels off.” And wondering if it’s time to change careers.

Here’s what that “off” might look like:

1. You’re disengaged, even when you’re doing everything right

✅ You’re hitting your KPIs and meeting deadlines, but you feel emotionally disconnected from your work.

2. You’ve stopped growing

You haven’t learned anything new that excites you in months. Or years! There’s no stretch, just survival. It’s definitely time to change careers.

3. You fantasize about other careers or industries

You catch yourself researching nonprofit work, consulting, becoming a therapist. Or moving to Costa Rica to run a bed and breakfast 👀🏝️

4. Your values no longer match your company culture

You’re starting to question if your workplace ethics align with your own. And the misalignment is weighing on your spirit.

5. Your health (mental or physical) is suffering

You’re constantly stressed, can’t sleep, or feel anxious every Sunday night. These are not just “bad weeks.” They’re red flags.

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🎯 What Should a Career Change Include?

Once you’ve noticed the signs it’s time to change careers, the next step is strategy.

Step 1: Clarify What You Don’t Want

Before running toward something new, understand what you’re leaving behind.
Is it the culture? The politics? The isolation as the only one in the room?

Write it all down. These are your non-negotiables.

Step 2: Identify What You Do Want

Ask yourself:

• What moments at work light me up?
• What do I want to feel at work: Purpose? Ease? Challenge?
• What kind of leadership brings out the best in me?

Use these answers to create your career vision map.

Step 3: Align with Your Core Values

Your career should reflect your values, not betray them. That’s what happened with my client “D”. She left a job and found a new career that matched her core values.
Whether your core value is impact, autonomy, or well-being, your new path should nurture, not drain, those principles.

Step 4: Brainstorm Aligned Opportunities

Explore industries, roles, or entrepreneurial ventures that match your values and desired lifestyle. Don’t just Google “high-paying jobs.” Instead, think:

• What roles let me lead authentically?
• What industries need my unique lens and lived experience?

Step 5: Identify Skill Gaps (and Fill Them Strategically)

You may need upskilling, certification, or a stronger digital presence.
Don’t let this scare you. This is empowerment. You’re not starting over, you’re leveling up.

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🔗 How to Strategically Shift and Change Careers. Practical Tips from the C-Suite

Changing careers requires intention, not impulse. These executive strategies can ease your transition:

🔹 Set a Smart Goal

Define a career vision that motivates you. Be specific. Be bold.
Write it down. Look at it daily. Let it anchor your decisions.

🔹 Activate Your Network

Most executive roles aren’t posted, they’re proposed.
Tell your inner circle (mentors, allies, former colleagues) that you’re exploring a pivot. This creates momentum and accountability for changing careers.

🔹 Consult an Executive Coach

You don’t have to navigate this alone.
A high-level coach (like me 😊) helps you map your assets, shift your mindset, and position yourself for your next opportunity with power and confidence when it’s time to change careers.

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🧠 Mindset Matters More Than Your Résumé

One of the biggest hurdles for high-achieving women in career transition?

Perfectionism. And fear of “starting over.”

Let me be clear: You are not starting over.
You are leveraging decades of experience and wisdom into your next bold move.

You’re not behind. You’re being called higher.

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✨ Can You Really Change Careers at This Stage?

Absolutely.

I’ve helped senior directors, federal executives, and IT leaders pivot into:

• First c-suite roles
• Wellness and coaching practices
• Purpose-driven nonprofit work
• Private sector consulting
• And even luxury entrepreneurship

They didn’t “start over.” They rebranded. They realigned.
And they took back control.

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🚪 Early Recognition Is Your Advantage

When you recognize that it’s time to change careers because your current one no longer fits, you reclaim your power to change it.
You deserve a career that aligns with your brilliance. Not one that demands you shrink to fit.

✨ If you’re ready to explore what’s next, don’t go it alone.

📥 Download my free resource, The Ultimate Career Advancement Guide, and get expert insight on how to shift with strategy, not stress.

Let’s make your next career move your most powerful one yet.
You’ve got this. And I’ve got your back. 💜

I’m a certified executive coach and an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) for Twanna Carter Professional & Personal Coaching, LLC. I flubbed my first career transition from the military so badly, it took me the next 10+ years to build my confidence and  recover. I know what it feels like to struggle with imposter syndrome and uncertainty about my leadership skills in the workplace. It’s why I am dedicated to empowering Black women. Helping them navigate career challenges and uncertainty by providing them with the tools and strategies they need to be successful. Schedule a V.I.P. Roadmap session today.

If you enjoyed this blog, please share it. If you’re also feeling generous, consider Buying Me a Coffee.☕️

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Curated Reads: Essential Books to Add to Your Personal Library …

• Corporate Blues, The Untold Stories of Women in Toxic Workplaces, presented by Dr. Carey Yazeed, featuring Dr. Twanna Carter
• Job Offers 101 – Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know by Dr. Twanna Carter
• Melaninated Magic: 180 Affirmations to Nurture Your Soul and Unleash Your Black Girl Joy by Dr. Twanna Carter
• Unbreak My Soul: How Black Women Can Begin To Heal From Workplace Trauma, by Carey Yazeed, PhD
• The Next Level: A 30-Day Career Growth Planner for Black Women by Dr. Twanna Carter
• 33 Tools to Remake Your Career by Paul Gabriel Dionne
• I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace (Successful Black Business Women), by Elizabeth Leiba.
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.
• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini.
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
• Overworked and Undervalued: Black Women and Success in America by Rosalyn D. Davis, Sharon L. Bowman, et. al.
• Power Negotiation – Getting to the Yes: Strategies to Get What You Want, When You Want It by Patrick Kennedy
• Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the 7 Lies Women Tell Themselves by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD

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