Career Wisdom: Erin Brennan Bagley's Five Takeaways for Those Considering a Career Shift
Recently I had the privilege to photograph Erin Brennan Bagley, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Coaction Global. She advised, “Follow your gut if you’re thinking about making a job or career change - and be patient - you’ll know when the right thing is in front of you.”
“I left my previous job a year ago, after almost 9 years – I knew I would miss my colleagues, but was ready for something new. I felt like I couldn’t reflect on my next step while working, so I took the summer off to spend time with my family and to consider if I wanted to stay in my industry or make a bigger change - it turned out I just needed to trust my instincts and move forward. I hope what I learned is helpful to others.”
Here are five takeaways.
“The only way forward is through. You can’t cut to the end. You have to let the process happen. Give yourself some space.”
“It takes a village. I can’t begin to count (and thank!) the number of people who helped me think about what I might want to do. My wonderful network of friends, colleagues, family, and Chief Core Group all provided support through helpful, thought-provoking questions and valuable feedback.
“Don’t say no to anything. Any inquiry I had, the phone calls that came in, I listened. Explore. Be curious. Be open to anything that comes your way. You don’t have to do it. Just consider it.”
“Busier people really do get more done. Get a new hobby even if it’s not work-related. After two months off, I panicked at having nothing to do so when I got a call for a consulting role, I took it. I also learned to play pickleball! Once I was busy again, running from courts to conference calls, I had an epiphany. I needed to find my next thing, not my forever thing. And my kids were asking me to, ‘Please go back to work and stop cleaning out closets.’”
“Trust the process. Once some time had passed, I realized what I loved was what I had been doing, only I was ready for a bigger challenge. And then out of the blue, I got the call for the job I wanted. Timing is everything.”
“I found Alissa because of Chief. I got there early and Alissa came out of her office, telling me she would be out soon but was preparing to be interviewed later about the question ‘Is AI hurting the professional headshot industry? I had just attended a conference on AI so she ushered me into her office. We sat down and worked through the points she wanted to share. It was like I had known Alissa forever.”
“When we were done with that, she instantly changed gears to my headshot. What an amazing person. She understood me. Alissa reads people so well. She created a non-intimidating atmosphere. The whole photo session was very professional. I am really pleased with my new headshots.”
Thanks, Erin, for the great insights. I know they will help a lot of people who are in transition or thinking about making a change.