“I don’t know where I fit in the market anymore”

Today I’m analysing the situation of Naomi.

Naomi reached out to me because she’s approaching the end of a contract role and isn’t sure what her next career move should be.

Over the last ten years, she’s built a successful career in content and marketing. She progressed into senior roles, worked for some great companies and was seeing good career growth.

Then she was made redundant.

With a young family at home, she needed to move quickly. Thankfully, she found another role, but now that she has a little breathing room, she’s starting to think more carefully about what comes next.

The problem is, she’s no longer sure where she fits in the market.

What’s the challenge?

Naomi feels caught between two worlds.

She looks at senior roles and worries she doesn’t have all the skills listed on the job description.

Then she looks at more junior roles because they feel easier to secure.

As a result, she’s started questioning her own experience and lowering her sights.

I see this all the time.

People assume they have an experience problem when actually they have a clarity problem.

How can she move forward?

Before Naomi spends more time applying for jobs, she needs to get clear on what the right move actually looks like.

At the moment, she’s trying to figure out where she fits while simultaneously applying for roles.

That’s exhausting.

The clearer she becomes on what she wants and where her experience adds value, the easier the job hunt will become.

My advice

1. Make a plan before you start applying

One thing that stood out to me during our conversation was that Naomi was reacting to opportunities as they appeared.

Most people do this. They jump onto LinkedIn, see a role they like, apply, then repeat the process again the next day.

The problem is that you end up building your strategy on the fly.

Instead, take a step back and work out what you actually want.

What type of role are you targeting?

What industries interest you?

What level should you be aiming for?

Once you have a plan, the execution becomes much easier.

2. Stop trying to tick every box

Naomi kept talking about the things she hadn’t done.

I hear this constantly. Job descriptions are wish lists, not shopping lists. Very few candidates meet every requirement.

Instead of focusing on the gaps, focus on the value you bring. Employers are hiring people, not perfect checklists.

3. Build a stronger story around your experience

One of Naomi’s biggest frustrations was that she didn’t feel she was selling herself effectively.

The reality is that she has plenty of experience.

The challenge is explaining it in a way that feels relevant to the person hiring.

The best candidates aren’t always the most experienced. They’re often the people who can clearly articulate how their experience solves the employer’s problem.

I really liked Naomi. She’s thoughtful, self-aware and has more options available to her than she realises.

Right now, she doesn’t need to lower her sights. She needs clarity on where she wants to go next.

And once she has that, I think the rest will become a lot easier.

If you're feeling like Naomi and you're struggling to work out what the right next step looks like, the Creative Career Level Up might be exactly what you need.