Crystal's Notes 9 Aug

You know how your body gives off signals when something’s wrong? Well, your career does the same thing.

Here are some red flags that your professional life might be overdue for attention:

1. You haven’t learned anything new in the last two years

2. You’ve outgrown your role, but you’re still stuck in it

3. You stay for the stability, but you feel stagnant

4. You haven’t had a proper career conversation with your boss in over a year

5. You keep saying, “I’ll leave next year”

These signs might seem small, but they add up. If you ignore them long enough, one day you will wake up and realise you’re five years behind your peers, not because you’re less capable, but because you didn’t move.

How do we fix that? Here’s what I call the ACE Method for getting your career back on track:

1. Assess

Be brutally honest. Are you still growing? Do you have ten years of experience, or one year repeated ten times? Look beyond your current role. What skills translate across industries or adjacent domains?

2. Chart 

Don’t drift. Chart out your career goals and treat them like real priorities. Speak to your stakeholders and share your aspirations. Remember: Don’t ask, don’t get! 

3. Execute 

Take one bold step every month. Book that course. Say yes to the stretch project. Message someone three steps ahead of you and ask how they got there.

You don’t get results by overthinking. You get results by moving. The job market isn’t waiting for you to catch up, so stay smart, stay adaptable and go grab those opportunities before someone else does.

Much love

Crystal