What happens to your sense of identity when your job title no longer fits?
In this episode, I explore a question that sits quietly underneath many mid-career decisions:
If I changed careers… who would I be?
For many of us, our work becomes a shorthand for who we are. Over time, our job title can start to carry more weight than it should, shaping how we see ourselves and how we introduce ourselves to others.
But when that identity starts to feel too small, or no longer quite right, it can create a deeper kind of discomfort. Not just about what to do next, but about who you are without it.
Why job titles can become a proxy for identity
The idea of being “competent but not content”
How identity can feel fixed in mid-career
Why career change often feels more personal than practical
The role of “invisible career scripts” in shaping who we think we are
Why discomfort around career change is often useful information
How to start separating what you do from who you are
I also reference the book Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra, which explores how we can become attached to a single version of ourselves through our work.
This is a short reflective exercise you can try straight after listening.
Step 1: Draw two columns
Label them:
Column 1: What I do
Column 2: Who I am
Step 2: Fill in Column 1 – What I do
Write down everything you do at work. Think about:
Your responsibilities
Your role and job title
Your expertise
The tasks and activities you’re known for
This is the content you might typically include on a CV or LinkedIn profile.
Step 3: Fill in Column 2 – Who I am
Now shift your focus.
Write down:
Your values
Your strengths
Your personal qualities
The way you show up in different situations
This might include things like:
calm, thoughtful, dependable, curious, creative, resilient, encouraging, someone who puts people at ease.
Think beyond work. Who are you at home, with friends, in everyday life?
Step 4: Reflect
Ask yourself:
How much overlap is there between the two columns?
Are your qualities showing up in your work?
Which column feels more like you?
Which column would still be true if your job title changed tomorrow?
This is where the insight often sits.
Most of what makes you you is not your job title.
It’s the qualities, values, and ways of thinking that you carry with you, regardless of the role you’re in.
Career change is often less about becoming someone new, and more about allowing more of who you already are to come through.
If this episode resonates, you can explore these ideas in more depth in my book:
Write Your Career: Think differently. Write freely. Create meaningful work
https://amzn.eu/d/023bR9Op
The book is built around simple writing practices to help you:
get clearer on who you are
explore what you want next
work through uncertainty
take practical steps forward
You can also download the first chapter for free via my website.
Episode 139: Invisible Career Scripts
Episode 142: Breaking Through Career Paralysis with Timed Writing
Episode 141: The Three Horizons – Planning for an Uncertain Future
If you’re at a crossroads, try not to answer the question “who would I be?” from inside the story you’ve already been living.
Step back. Write things down. Get curious.
You’re not losing yourself.
You’re giving yourself more room.