Career Coaching: From Doubt to Clear Direction

From Doubt to Direction: Coaching for Career Transition

Navigating a career transition can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, it becomes an exciting journey. In this coaching session, a professional (the Candidate) connects with Nirmal Chawla, an expert career transition coach from GoCrackIt, to tackle their career challenges.

Mentor Profile

Nirmal Chawla is a seasoned leader in growth and new initiatives from IIM Ahmedabad, with over 14 years of experience in strategy consulting, product management, CIO advisory, and supply chain transformation across the US, Europe, and APAC. Currently, he serves as the MSME Growth Lead at HP. Nirmal has previously held key roles at Rajasthan Royals, Cognizant, Airtel, and PwC.

Below, we dive into excerpts from their real conversation to show how coaching for career transition unfolds.

Feeling Spread Too Thin

The Candidate kicked off the session by sharing their frustration with their current role.

Candidate: I’ve been in research consulting for eight years, market research, competitive intelligence, strategic advisory across energy, logistics, you name it. I’m good at breaking down complex questions, but projects last just two and a half months. I feel spread too thin, adapting to new sectors without ever diving deep. It’s wearing me out.

Nirmal listened intently before jumping in with empathy and insight.

Nirmal: I get it, I’ve been there too. After my MBA, I bounced between consulting and corporate roles, hitting plenty of roadblocks. But those experiences eventually led me to unique opportunities, like building initiatives at Rajasthan Royals. It’s tough when you’re stretched across so much. What’s making you doubt your path the most?

Candidate: I guess I’m wondering if I should stick with this or shift entirely. I don’t want to throw away my 10 years of experience, but I’m not sure growth or new venture roles are the answer either.

Nirmal: You don’t have to abandon it all. Your decision to stay connected to research and consulting makes sense, it’s a strong foundation. How about this: treat your network like a research project. Reach out to one person a day, hiring managers or people in strategic roles, not just recruiters. Non-traditional roles often come through those connections.

The Candidate nodded, intrigued.

Candidate: So, you think I should keep pushing forward without starting over? That feels less scary.

Nirmal: Exactly. It’s not about starting over, it’s about redirecting your skills. You’ve got a solid profile; the market’s the challenge, not you.

Tackling Career Stagnation

Next, the Candidate opened up about feeling stuck.

Candidate: I’m a senior consultant at an American Business consulting firm, three steps below associate director. I’ve been at this level for six years across companies. My salary is xx lakhs fixed, and a few lakhs variable. It feels low for 12-13 years of experience, and I’m worried I’m stagnating.

Nirmal didn’t sugarcoat it.

Nirmal: Six years at that level with your experience? That’s a red flag. Your package should be closer to 50 lakhs, not that low. The market’s tight right now, though. Are you getting any feedback from applications?

Candidate: Not really, just silence. I’ve applied to a bunch of roles, but no callbacks.

Nirmal: Okay, let’s protect what you’ve got first. Stay at the American Consulting firm, keep your performance strong, no negative feedback. Then, when you explore, prioritise salary and designation. But don’t scatter applications everywhere. Rejections will drag you down. Focus on quality conversations instead.

Overcoming Fear of Change

Finally, the Candidate wrestled with the idea of a career shift.

Candidate: I’ve thought about moving into process excellence, but leaving research consulting feels risky. I don’t want to lose everything I’ve built.

Nirmal leaned in with encouragement.

Nirmal: Why lose it? Your skills—breaking down complexity, delivering insights, those travel anywhere. Process excellence could work, but so could deeper research roles or growth positions. What’s pulling you toward process excellence?

Candidate: I guess it’s the structure, the chance to optimise something tangible. But I still love research, just not the shallow, sector-hopping kind.

Nirmal: Then don’t abandon research, specialise it. Look at renewables or geopolitics, areas you’ve mentioned liking. Roles at NITI Aayog or FICCI could add credibility and let you go deep. You’ve got options, let’s refine them.

It’s exciting to see how many pathways are available to one! By focusing on one’s passion, emphasizing transferable skills and exploring specialised areas, one can create a fulfilling career that really leverages their strengths. Let’s take the next steps together to refine these opportunities and unlock your potential! With GoCrackIt’s career transition services.

Don’t miss our upcoming blog, where Nirmal will unveil actionable steps to successfully implement the strategy!

From Doubt to Direction: Coaching for Career Transition

Mentor Profile

Feeling Spread Too Thin

Tackling Career Stagnation

Overcoming Fear of Change

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