Career transition: where to start?

1. To begin with, could you introduce yourself and explain what led you to specialise in career change and transitions?

My name is Céline Mercader Cools, I am an occupational psychologist, certified coach and trainer. I have been working for over 20 years in career transition support and during all these years, I have seen an explosion in cases of professional exhaustion and burnout linked to mismatches between people and their work. Since then, I have been driven by the conviction that work should not be a place of suffering, and I have made it my mission to help my clients achieve fulfilment by targeting a career path that is more in line with their values, strengths and aspirations, while also achieving a better work-life balance.

2. In your opinion, what are the main emotional or psychological barriers faced by people undergoing career change, and how can they be overcome?

The main obstacles I see among my clients are primarily related to the fear of losing financial stability, but also a feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing which job to pursue, which is inherent to the transition period but can paralyse any attempt to take action. There is also reduced self-esteem, which impacts the ability to value oneself and recognise one's skills; and sometimes depression, which prevents people from looking to the future. Each situation is unique and must be treated specifically, and of course, therapeutic support beforehand or in parallel may be essential.

3. How can you identify your strengths and passions in order to choose a meaningful and sustainable career change?

This identification must involve introspective questioning, inviting us first to step outside the professional sphere to take a broader view and observe what drives us and excites us in our lives as a whole. Next, we must return to the professional sphere, armed with this new perspective on ourselves, to find the right match. But be careful: a passion alone cannot automatically constitute a professional project. It must be weighed against other considerations, such as values, for example, or the person's external and internal constraints, and whatever happens in the reality of the job market.

4. What role do training and continuous development play in a successful career change?

It all depends on the degree of retraining required. For professional repositioning or job crafting, training is not necessary. For partial retraining, we can build on the person's transferable skills and supplement them with short training courses. On the other hand, in the case of total retraining, training is almost always essential and, in this case, it can be short or take several years.

5. How can you balance self-compassion with the need to remain competitive in the job market?

The success of a career change also depends on the individual's internal resources, their ability to mobilise themselves and take control of their professional development. We do not all have the same energy levels, and comparing ourselves to others can only be a source of stress and discouragement. The ideal situation is to be able to assess your professional suitability throughout your career so that you can make small adjustments on a regular basis rather than undergoing a radical reorientation once in your life. In this sense, continuing education is a way to gently develop and guide your skills.

6. What practical advice would you give to someone who is still hesitating to embark on a career change?

Spread the word! Don't keep your questions to yourself. Meet people who work in a field that interests you to get a feel for it, do some research, be proactive! Thinking about a career change doesn't necessarily mean you're going to completely change your life. Sometimes, a little self-reflection is enough to identify minor dissatisfactions that, once addressed, will allow you to regain your initial motivation. And if the unease is too deep-rooted, ask yourself this question: if you dared to take the plunge and everything went well, wouldn't you have done it sooner?

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