I know you're tired of:
- Feeling bored with your job - the lack of fulfillment is draining and making you feel disengaged
- Feeling undervalued, underpaid, or underutilized - it doesn't feel like a promotion or salary increase will happen anytime soon
- Wondering why you've stayed in your role this long - what do you even like about it anymore?
- Worrying if you can escape this career plateau - it feels like you're stuck
- Wondering how your skills and experiences might translate into another field or area - and if you should leave higher ed
- Wondering if those “dream jobs” you hear about actually exist
You would LOVE to:
- Get clear on what would be meaningful and fulfilling in your next step - you want it to be intentional
- Confidently articulate how your skills and experiences can translate into a variety of contexts and roles
- Feel like your life and your work are aligned - so you still have energy to engage in pursuits outside of work! (hobbies? free time? what are those?)
- Outline multiple potential paths, and actions (small ones!) to move forward without feeling like you're taking a huge leap
But you've tried almost everything.
You’ve spent hours (and weeks and months):
- Applying for as many positions that look interesting as possible - your background matches most of the requirements. Does the hiring manager think your skills aren't transferrable? Are they even looking at your resume?!
- Feeling like an interview went well, but then not getting the offer and wondering - was there an internal candidate? What was I missing?
- Scrolling through LinkedIn to gather resume, cover letter, and interviewing advice - but falling into a comparison trap as you see so many people posting about their seemingly wonderful new jobs
- Reading all the professional development books and listening to the podcasts - information overload!
- Taking courses and finding new credentials to add to your resume - but wondering, will it ever be enough? Will it be too much?
- Talking to friends about the job search struggles, and then feeling like you're all stuck on a plateau together
You have so much to contribute, and you might really want to stay at your current institution.
But you're starting to wonder - is staying here even the best option? Will I ever have an opportunity to move up? How long should I wait for that opportunity? How could I move to another department? Or do I need to consider other institutions?
Can someone please just tell me what I should do next?
Let's flip the script
You deserve to create your own path based on what energizes you and fulfills you, rather than staying on a path or moving onto a path because it feels like it aligns with your skills.
And you can do all of this by leveraging the design thinking process and mindsets!
Yes, career exploration can actually be enjoyable and inspiring!
Hi, I'm Krista.
I help higher education professionals define their strengths and skills, get clear on what they would actually like to do, and create a plan to explore and move in that direction.
And I’ve been there - feeling stuck, on a plateau, applying to jobs across campus that seemed like a great fit for my background but getting rejected for an internal candidate, ready for a change.
I hear you.
And I've designed a coaching experience to help you figure out what's next and how to move forward.
You can stop applying to dozens of jobs each day, doomscrolling LinkedIn for advice, and feeling like you're in a black hole of the job search process.
Instead, I help you focus on taking the reigns and invite you to design your life to best fit you - rather than trying to squeeze your skills and experiences into a box that may or may not work for you.
Because I believe: your life shouldn't revolve around your job - your job should fit into and support your life.
"I felt very stuck and disappointed with my career trajectory and wanted to know best how to move forward...
Now, I am clear on what I actually value in the workplace and from a job and can determine if job listings will or will not meet my needs. I can also articulate my strengths in a clear way and feel a greater sense of accomplishment knowing how to do this."
- Rachael Vinyard, UCF School of Biomedical Sciences
“Working with Dr. Vaught was a true reset... She brought a perspective that pulled me out of rut and helped me see my situation more clearly. She has helped me start seeing my next steps a little more clearly and suggested ways that I could explore whether that path is right for me and how I can get there.”
- Instructional designer, University of Florida
In two months, we'll apply design thinking to your life by:
Building your compass
Gaining clarity and taking action
Building your compass
We’ll get curious about where you’ve been and where you are now. We’ll explore your strengths, your values, and your views on life and work.
Sparking ideas
Gaining clarity and taking action
Building your compass
We’ll create ideas for what your next steps could be - what could your future look like? We’ll think through ways to experiment and answer some of those questions like, will I like it, will I feel fulfilled, is it worth the move, and will it be a good fit?
Gaining clarity and taking action
Gaining clarity and taking action
Gaining clarity and taking action
We’ll talk through your prototypes to discover what you learned and what questions are lingering. We’ll make a plan for continuing to explore and building your future step (on your timeline).
"During our sessions, I had two major job interviews that I put a lot of weight on. In the interviews I expressed my needs and wants for the workplace and cited specific examples of accomplishments that highlight my strengths, which I was not able to adequately identify before our sessions. My mindset has shifted from looking at mainly the salary level of a position rather than the duties and work required (because I'm a quick learner and can do a lot of things), and instead I now approach potential new positions with the aim of finding out what the position can bring me instead of what I can bring the position."
- Rachael Vinyard, UCF School of Biomedical Sciences
“[Dr. Vaught] reminded me that I possess a great deal of strengths and gently helped me identify areas where I could grow. Most importantly, she reframed my struggle as a necessary and productive process. Where I saw dead ends, she saw detours or new routes. When I saw a closed door, she found other doors. When I focused on a missed opportunity, she thought of new ways to gain insight or experience.”
- Instructional designer, University of Florida