Over the last week, I've had conversations with professionals in very different situations.
One was considering healthcare, nonprofits, and entrepreneurship.
Another was trying to decide whether to pursue a new opportunity.
Another wasn't sure what direction to take at all.
On the surface, these sound like different problems.
They aren't.
The common thread wasn't a lack of qualifications.
It wasn't a lack of experience.
It wasn't a resume problem.
It was a clarity problem.
Most professionals assume the next step is to update their resume, earn another certification, or apply to more jobs.
Sometimes the real challenge is much simpler:
They haven't decided where they are trying to go.
When you don't have a clear destination, every opportunity feels equally overwhelming.
You second-guess yourself.
You keep researching.
You start and stop.
You stay busy, but you don't actually move forward.
I see this often with helpers, educators, counselors, case managers, healthcare professionals, and others who have spent years helping everyone else solve problems.
Somewhere along the way, they stopped asking themselves what they actually wanted.
More money?
More flexibility?
Leadership?
Remote work?
Greater impact?
Less stress?
A different environment?
Most people skip this step.
Then they wonder why every career decision feels so difficult.
Before you update your resume, ask yourself:
What am I actually trying to build?
Because once you're clear on the destination, the path becomes much easier to identify.
You're not unqualified.
You're MISTRANSLATED.
P.S. If you're stuck between multiple options or trying to determine your next move, I recently opened a limited number of MISTRANSLATED Career Strategy Sessions designed to help professionals gain clarity before investing more time, energy, or applications in the wrong direction.
To landing what you've earned, 💖
Kourtney Checots
Government Career Strategist