#130 Is a dream job possible, even when you close the door on a dream job?
09/19/24 • 55 min
"I just started to ask myself, as many people do ‘Do I want to do this for another 20 years? Is there something else?’. I got curious, maybe there are some other doors I want to look through and maybe it's time to shut this door and find out."
Does a dream job really exist? We’re joined by the seasoned journalist and career coach Rachel Schofield to talk about ‘dream jobs’. We explore the themes of unearthing core passions, overcoming imposter syndrome, and finding stability amidst the chaos of change. And what if you have, on paper, a dream job, but have a feeling there might be something else you want to do?
Rachel shares her own story from a 20-year career at the BBC to creating a new career in coaching and training, offering insights and practical advice for anyone starting a new career chapter. Listen to rediscover joy in your work and the permission to experiment and try new things.
“Maybe I'll go up to that tree house and see what's behind that door. Just go and take tiny little steps of experimentation. In career terms that might mean, I've often thought I'd like to do X. So let me go and talk to someone who does it. I've often thought it would be fun to be a graphic designer. So between now and Christmas, I'm going to do a weekly evening class at my local further education college. I don't have to be ready to upend my whole world. I'm just going to go and play.”
Here are the highlights:
04:15 Doubts arose about a lifelong TV news presenting career.
07:23 Career transitions evoke mixed emotions and considerations.
12:00 Transitioned from news to coaching; misses presenting.
18:56 Repurpose experience; embrace new directions confidently.
20:54 Juggling journalism, coaching and presentation training.
25:32 Embrace challenges; expertise grows through experience.
31:38 Coffee chat led to a book opportunity.
34:07 Social media fosters envy; practice graciousness instead.
36:45 Being last doesn't necessarily mean you failed.
Rachel Schofield’s Another Door go-tosThe things that helped Rachel navigate change.
Book: ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Music: ‘Closer to Fine’ by the Indigo Girls.
The one piece of advice:
"When you're thinking about particularly a career shift...really lean into experimentation. So rather than thinking you need to sit there and figure it all out...just think maybe I'll just knock on that blue door over there. Maybe I'll just look in that little tiny door that looks like a fairy door at the bottom of the tree."
About Rachel Schofield
Rachel Schofield is a career coach, author, facilitator and speaker. Before making her very own career pivot, Rachel reported and presented for the BBC for over twenty years. Her book "The Career Change Guide: Five Steps to Finding Your Dream Job" was published by Penguin in 2023. She works with private clients and also corporate workshops and coaching groups within women's leadership programmes for the brilliant DEI consultancy, Shape Talent.
Find out more: https://rachelschofield.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reworkyourlife/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelschofield/
About your host Eleanor Tweddell
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Are you looking for speakers with a fresh voice for your next workshop or conference? Check out
https://recommended.anotherdoor.co.uk
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
"I just started to ask myself, as many people do ‘Do I want to do this for another 20 years? Is there something else?’. I got curious, maybe there are some other doors I want to look through and maybe it's time to shut this door and find out."
Does a dream job really exist? We’re joined by the seasoned journalist and career coach Rachel Schofield to talk about ‘dream jobs’. We explore the themes of unearthing core passions, overcoming imposter syndrome, and finding stability amidst the chaos of change. And what if you have, on paper, a dream job, but have a feeling there might be something else you want to do?
Rachel shares her own story from a 20-year career at the BBC to creating a new career in coaching and training, offering insights and practical advice for anyone starting a new career chapter. Listen to rediscover joy in your work and the permission to experiment and try new things.
“Maybe I'll go up to that tree house and see what's behind that door. Just go and take tiny little steps of experimentation. In career terms that might mean, I've often thought I'd like to do X. So let me go and talk to someone who does it. I've often thought it would be fun to be a graphic designer. So between now and Christmas, I'm going to do a weekly evening class at my local further education college. I don't have to be ready to upend my whole world. I'm just going to go and play.”
Here are the highlights:
04:15 Doubts arose about a lifelong TV news presenting career.
07:23 Career transitions evoke mixed emotions and considerations.
12:00 Transitioned from news to coaching; misses presenting.
18:56 Repurpose experience; embrace new directions confidently.
20:54 Juggling journalism, coaching and presentation training.
25:32 Embrace challenges; expertise grows through experience.
31:38 Coffee chat led to a book opportunity.
34:07 Social media fosters envy; practice graciousness instead.
36:45 Being last doesn't necessarily mean you failed.
Rachel Schofield’s Another Door go-tosThe things that helped Rachel navigate change.
Book: ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Music: ‘Closer to Fine’ by the Indigo Girls.
The one piece of advice:
"When you're thinking about particularly a career shift...really lean into experimentation. So rather than thinking you need to sit there and figure it all out...just think maybe I'll just knock on that blue door over there. Maybe I'll just look in that little tiny door that looks like a fairy door at the bottom of the tree."
About Rachel Schofield
Rachel Schofield is a career coach, author, facilitator and speaker. Before making her very own career pivot, Rachel reported and presented for the BBC for over twenty years. Her book "The Career Change Guide: Five Steps to Finding Your Dream Job" was published by Penguin in 2023. She works with private clients and also corporate workshops and coaching groups within women's leadership programmes for the brilliant DEI consultancy, Shape Talent.
Find out more: https://rachelschofield.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reworkyourlife/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelschofield/
About your host Eleanor Tweddell
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Are you looking for speakers with a fresh voice for your next workshop or conference? Check out
https://recommended.anotherdoor.co.uk
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
Previous Episode
#129 From ‘Corporate Hangover’ to the Happy Startup Coach with Sarah Clarke
“The problem with having ‘a corporate hangover’ is that it doesn't allow you to be authentically yourself. And in order to be a successful business owner, you need to be authentically yourself.”
On this episode we have Sarah Clarke, who closed a door on a corporate career after being made redundant and discovering she was pregnant for a second time. Sarah shares how motherhood and the redundancy gave her the impetus to start her own business. She now helps women start and grow their businesses as "The Happy Startup Coach."
"I kind of remember mulling over my idea for this new business with the friend I was staying with at the breakfast bar. I was like, well, you know, lots of people have really crappy returns to work, don't they?"
Here are the highlights:
04:26 Enjoying work, learning, culture change, OD and got the bug.
11:00 Taking a three-month contract to cover maternity pay after redundancy.
18:38 Prepare properly before taking action, gain clarity.
25:25 Navigating and caring for yourself through entrepreneurship.
30:34 Find your business coaching niche in yourself.
35:19 Reflect on passions, dislikes, and energising activities.
Sarah’s Another Door go-tosThe things that helped Sarah navigate change.
Books: ‘Be a Free Range Human’ by Marianne Campbell and ‘The Source’ by Dr. Tara Swart
Music: ‘Go your Own Way’, Fleetwood Mac
The one piece of advice: “I wanted to take action. I wanted to do. Because you feel like you're taking back control of a crappy situation. If I could possibly recommend anything, I would recommend the opposite - to not do, to just be.”
About Sarah Clarke:
Sarah Clarke is a Mum, wife, optimist and self-confessed personal and career development geek. Sarah is on a mission to help talented women unlock their potential and find more happiness at work, by showing them how to design their best work lives – on their terms.
“I’ve worked in the fields of employee happiness and development for nearly 2 decades and am incredibly passionate about the professional potential of women.I left the corporate world of employee engagement and development in 2016 and went freelance.I then set up my own career and leadership development coaching business, Shine Brighter, in March 2018.”
Since 2018 Sarah has helped hundreds of talented women reconnect with their unique strengths, values and personality preferences and rebuild their self-belief, allowing them to unlock their potential and shine brighter in their careers and businesses. Find out more: https://shinebrighterconsulting.co.uk/
Connect with:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehappystartupcoach/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjclarke/
Get Recommended
Are you looking for speakers with a fresh voice for your next workshop or conference? Check out
https://recommended.anotherdoor.co.uk
About your host Eleanor Tweddell
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Connect with Eleanor
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Podcast produced by winteraudio.co.uk
Next Episode
#131: Career pivoting and making leaps into the unknown with Iesha Small
“Until that moment I had never left a job with nothing to go to. I've always had something lined up. So this time I was like, Iesha, what are you gonna do? I had no idea. And that was perfectly OK. I had to trust myself”
Today's guest, Iesha Small, shares her journey from engineering to the world of education to her current role as Head of Comms, and now encouraging others with her writing and coaching.
We talk about the twists and turns of career change, and pivoting. Where you aren't always sure what your next move is, but you make it anyway.
Sometimes doors close for us, and we have to decide what to do next, other times we are closing that door for ourselves, and we are in full ownership of why it’s important and what we want next.
Iesha shares her thoughts and ponders in a brilliant weekly blog, and takes the pressure and perfection out of career changing.
"What's the point of achieving all this stuff if it is not gelling with what you actually think is important in life?"
Here are the highlights:
11:19 First time quitting a job without backup.
16:26 Decided to take breaks and rest intuitively.
20:59 Serendipitous job came from conversations during time off.
25:20 Started career pivot talks on LinkedIn.
31:42 Choose family time over earning more money.
32:26 Intentional career shift after realising future uncertainty.
42:19 Weekly emails help with career strategy and values.
55:58 Show Your Work: Share expertise, attract opportunities.
Iesha Small’s Another Door go-tosThe things that helped Iesha navigate change.
Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; Show Your Work by Austin Kleon.
Music: "You Can't Break My Soul" by Beyoncé.One piece of advice: “ If you don't fail, you're probably not doing anything hard enough.”
About Iesha Small:
Iesha Small is a communications professional who has navigated a diverse career path from mechanical engineering to education and now communications. She leverages this experience to help leaders and professionals confidently pivot careers and build profitable passion projects. As a Head of Communications and founder of Cute Fruit Ltd, Iesha combines corporate expertise with entrepreneurial insights. Her accomplishments include publishing "The Unexpected Leader," appearing on BBC, writing for The Guardian, and speaking at the National Theatre. Iesha's approach, rooted in her background as an introvert from a working-class family, offers practical advice for career development. She's found success in building an online presence, particularly on LinkedIn, which has transformed her understanding of digital communications. Iesha provides online workshops, one-on-one career strategy sessions, and a Career Pivot Pro course, helping others achieve their professional goals through continuous learning and adaptation.
Find out more: https://ieshasmall.com/
Connect with Iesha:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ieshasmall/
Produced by winteraudio.co.uk
About your host Eleanor Tweddell:
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Connect with Eleanor:
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
Are you looking for speakers with a fresh voice for your next workshop or conference? Check out
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