My Career Transition Story

Who am I?​

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Like you, ​I'm at the intersection of multiple identities:

• A mum who tends to be busy and tries to "do it all"

• An immigrant who is aware of the tensions this status brings

• An easy-going "ambivert" who likes staying in, but would prefer going out especially in sunny weathers

• A loyal friend to whom I have met and got to know

• A Christian who is still seeking what God really looks like everyday

• A less-than-part-time musician who sometimes just wants a bit of fun in life

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Identities at Work

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Our identities impact our everyday work. How we see ourselves comes out in what we do.

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My grandparents were born in Asia (China / Hong Kong), at the time of war and didn’t get much of a choice on how they worked. My parents have had more of a choice, but they decided their career paths early on. "When you worked hard, then you could gain an income, then you could fuel your interests," my mum used to say. From a young age, I have understood that work and passions are separate entities.

 

When I graduated I naturally thought that I’d need a job with a good income, so I applied for a consulting role. It’s what everyone in my circle consisting of Asian high-flyers did - apply for a job that would get you the most income or status.

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In the first six years of my career as a management consultant at EY, I have been in managerial roles in high-profile strategic technology programmes. In the four years that followed, I have expanded my experience to work across agency and industry environments.

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After my first baby was born, I took up a 4-day role at John Lewis Partnership, and eventually led a product development team as part of a large scale data platform transformation programme whilst being able to enjoy a long weekend every week. From the outside view, everything seemed right.

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Yet, despite having had the privilege of working with talented people in varied and dynamic environments, my search for purpose has been constant, and far from straight-forward. There were days that I felt rather lonely and lost. I did not know where I could jump to. I wanted to value what I do, but I also wanted to spend time with my family and work more flexibly.

 

I wasn't sure if my work aligned to who I am.

 

The truth is we now spend 80k to 90k hours in our lifetime in work, if we are blessed enough to get to old age.

 

So I knew that I had to do something different.

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The Turning Point

As I felt stuck, I started reading a book called “Third Culture Kids” by David and Michael Pollock, and Ruth van Reken. These authors pioneered the term Third Culture Kids (or TCKs) which meant people who were brought to a different country because of their parents’ work. This later extended into including those who live in a different country as youngsters from their birth, called Cross-Culture Kids (CCKs).

 

It made me reflect back to the point I came to this country without my family at the age of 15, and studied in a boarding school. I resonated so much with what this book said. It told me why I was feeling the sense of “neither here and there” with my culture, and why I perhaps saw the world differently from my parents, and friends who grew up in the UK.

 

The book also made me realise that could be why I was less risk averse than I thought I was - because I have already made a ‘risky’ choice when I was 15. What would be riskier than leaving my home country to start a fresh at such a tender age?

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At around the same time, I decided to speak to a coach at my workplace. Through these coaching conversations, I was able to be honest with myself. I have found that having a direct impact on others, and empowering them be their best selves are important factors for me. This is the part of my identity that I felt was missing.

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As the coaching sessions I had were so effective, I began to think about the impact I could have as a coach, and started some valuable conversations with successful coaches.

 

I took a couple of months to explore what I could do practically. This was the point I made the decision to quit my corporate job to focus on training for coaching.

 

Now I have found my calling to serve others to make real, sustainable changes in their careers that align to their identities. I also found a part-time role as a coach to help young people in need.​

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More about my coaching experience​

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I have now coached over 200 hours with clients from 3 different continents. I completed my Accredited Diploma in Transformational Coaching with the Animas Centre for Coaching, having spent hundreds of hours coaching clients around the world. I have obtained the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) accreditation from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). To me, accreditation is important because it tells you that a coach adheres to ethics and standards that are universally approved, and it enables me to serve you with my best self.

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I work three days a week at Resurgo, an organisation that is passionate about coaching young people who are NEET, as a Development Coach. My role delivers their "Spear Programme" all around the UK to help young people face their fears and get into employment, education or training. It is important that my coaching is not only offered to those who could afford it, but to those who need it most as well.

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Aside from my ACC accreditation, I have also obtained the Accredited Certificate on Group Coaching and Facilitation and the Accredited Certificate on Positive Psychology Coaching with the Animas Centre for Coaching to enhance and expand my coaching practice.

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Aside from coaching adults, I have volunteered as a coach with Yes Futures on their Rising Futures Programme to support young people (Year 10 students) in high school. I am also a mentor at the Reed Women in Technology network and a volunteer for ParentGym (a MindGym subsidiary).

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I hold a Certificate in Understanding Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace (NCFE Cache Level 2), and a Certificate in Counselling Skills (NCFE Cache Level 2).