[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||52px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”|auto|-32px|auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/stefanie-zoechmann.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/The-In-Between_Where-real-career-change-begins.png” title_text=”The In-Between_Where real career change begins” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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In Between<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019ve left the old path (at least in your mind). There\u2019s no exciting announcement to share. <\/span>But this \u2013 this \u2013 is where real change begins.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n This stage feels like a fog<\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019ve done the brave thing. But now? You keep asking: <\/span>Here\u2019s what I want you to know: Don’t force the answers. Follow the energy.<\/strong><\/p>\n When clients land in this phase, their first instinct is often to push for clarity. Clarity is something that emerges \u2013 over time, through attention.<\/strong> \ud83d\udd0d\u00a0What feels energizing right now \u2013 even just a little?<\/em><\/p>\n That\u2019s it. Just: \ud83d\udcac\u00a0\u201cClarity isn\u2019t a switch you flip \u2014 it\u2019s something that emerges through attention.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n How I tested the waters (without knowing it)<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly how it began for me.<\/p>\n Before I ever stepped into a full-time Scrum Master role, I was already the Scrum Master for my team \u2014 but it was only part of my job. Most of my time was spent on other responsibilities. The Scrum Master work was something I explored alongside everything else.<\/span><\/p>\n It wasn’t a big career decision at first. It was simply a part of my role that I found myself drawn to.<\/span><\/p>\n And somewhere along the way, something clicked.<\/p>\n What drew me in wasn’t the code or the product. The spark\u00a0\u2014 that sense of aliveness\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 was my first clue.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Curious to explore it further, I signed up for my first coaching certification\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 not because I had a master plan, but because it felt like the next step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Only after that did I step into my first full-time Scrum Master role. Over time, my responsibilities grew, and I began working as a Scrum Master and Agile Coach\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 helping more teams and the entire organization find better ways of working.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alongside that, I started coaching more individuals\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 supporting people one-on-one to grow in their roles, navigate challenges, and uncover their own sparks of energy.<\/span><\/p>\n From there, one experiment led to another.<\/strong> You don’t have to have the whole picture. You just need to notice what feels alive \u2014 and be willing to test the waters<\/strong>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n What Agile taught me about Career Clarity<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n In my work as an Agile Coach, I help teams find flow \u2014 by reducing friction, testing early, and learning fast. We don\u2019t wait for perfect plans. We experiment, gather feedback, and let value emerge over time.<\/p>\n And I realized: \ud83d\udca1 Don\u2019t wait until you have it all figured out.<\/strong> Maybe that\u2019s reaching out for a conversation. These aren\u2019t commitments. Sometimes a tiny step leads you in a direction you never expected.<\/strong> \ud83c\udf00\u00a0\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be ready to start \u2014 but you do have to start to be ready.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n A story from a client<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n A client of mine\u00a0\u2014<\/span> let\u2019s call her Julia <\/span>\u2014\u00a0<\/span>came to coaching feeling flat and disconnected after leaving a high-pressure job. She wanted answers. Fast. That was the pace she was used to from her dynamic, fast-changing work environment.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of quick answers, we slowed down. She noticed she felt most alive when mentoring younger colleagues. So she followed that energy and ran a small “Mentoring Growth Circle” \u2014 just as a test. She didn\u2019t pivot overnight. She told me it felt like the first time in years she didn\u2019t dread Monday mornings.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the power of small experiments with big clues.<\/p>\n \u2728\u00a0\u201cTransitions rarely begin with bold moves \u2014 they begin with small signals.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Try this: A 5-minute reflection\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Want to try this yourself? Here\u2019s a simple starting point:<\/p>\n Each evening for a week, ask yourself: Don\u2019t overthink it. Just notice. Write it down.<\/p>\n Then take a step back and look for patterns.<\/strong> If you have a bit more time, look back at a few past roles or projects: <\/p>\n Test the waters<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n From those patterns, try a\u00a0small experiment<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 your own version of a\u00a0career MVP<\/em>\u00a0(minimum viable path).<\/p>\n Here are a few ideas:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd0d\u00a0Explore new directions<\/strong> \ud83d\udcaa\u00a0Try on a new role or skill<\/strong> \ud83e\udde0\u00a0Get external input<\/strong> \ud83d\udce3\u00a0Test visibility and communication<\/strong> Each small step gives you tangibile insights you can build on.\u00a0<\/p>\n Let your career evolve the same way great products do:<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n What feels small now, may be the start of something real<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n You don\u2019t need to see the whole path. The rest will follow.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Ready to talk?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re in this in-between space and want support making sense of it \u2014 I\u2019d love to hear where you are. Let\u2019s have a conversation.<\/p>\n To what\u2019s next \u2013 with courage and curiosity! Warm regards, Stefanie<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/cal.com\/stefanie.zoechmann\/discovery-call?overlayCalendar=true” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Schedule a Free Discovery call” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”2e794c78-d485-422c-93d1-654bc3d36073″ custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Between You\u2019ve left the old path (at least in your mind).You haven\u2019t found the new one.\u00a0And now you\u2019re in that strange space in-between \u2013 where nothing looks different on the outside, but everything feels different on the inside. There\u2019s no exciting announcement to share.No new title. No clean story. But this \u2013 this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-careercompass"],"yoast_head":"\n
You haven\u2019t found the new one.\u00a0
And now you\u2019re in that strange space in-between \u2013 where nothing looks different on the outside, but everything feels different on the inside.<\/p>\n
<\/span>No new title. No clean story.<\/span><\/p>\n
You\u2019ve admitted something isn\u2019t right.<\/strong>
Maybe you\u2019ve left a job, or maybe you\u2019ve just stopped pretending that it still fits.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re floating. Uncertain. Unproductive, even.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d
<\/span>\u201cWhy haven\u2019t I figured it out yet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span>You’re not stuck.
<\/span>You’re in a moment of reorientation \u2014 and it matters more than you think.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
They want the plan. The direction. The perfect next step.<\/p>\n
Instead of forcing an answer, I invite them (and you) to ask a different question:<\/p>\n
Not \u201cWhat job should I do?\u201d
Not \u201cWhat\u2019s my five-year plan?\u201d<\/p>\n
What gives me a spark of energy?
Interest? Curiosity? Relief? Aliveness?<\/p>\n\n
<\/strong><\/h2>\n
It was the people.
I loved coaching.
I loved working with teams.
I loved helping people thrive.<\/p>\n
Coaching didn’t just feel exciting\u00a0<\/span>\u2014 it became a core part of my work and identity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
That same approach works incredibly well in career transitions.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udca1 Don\u2019t aim for the \u201cperfect\u201d next step.<\/strong>
\ud83d\udca1 Start with what feels promising \u2013 and test it.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Maybe it\u2019s joining a course.
Maybe it\u2019s exploring an idea you\u2019ve shelved for too long.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re career experiments.
And most importantly:
They help you move forward without needing everything to be clear.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
We looked for the sparks.<\/p>\n
She lit up when talking about systems that supported people\u00a0\u2014 <\/span>not just profits.<\/span><\/p>\n
One conversation led to another.<\/p>\n
But within a few months, she had designed a new role for herself inside her organization: part strategy, part people development \u2014 one that let her shape culture, mentor emerging talent, and work in alignment with her values.<\/p>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u2022 \u201cWhat gave me energy today?\u201d<\/strong>
\u2022 \u201cWhat drained me?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n
Over a few days, themes will start to emerge \u2014 and those themes are clues.<\/p>\n
\u2728 What lit me up?
\ud83d\udcaa What made me proud?
\ud83c\udf31 Where did I create real impact?
\u2192 What strengths or values show up again and again?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Take an online course
\u2022 Join a new community
\u2022 Have a coffee chat with someone in a role you\u2019re curious about<\/p>\n
\u2022 Join a cross-functional project
\u2022 Lead a meeting or initiative
\u2022 Run a 1-week challenge using a key strength<\/p>\n
\u2022 Ask for targeted feedback on a skill or idea
\u2022 Try a \u201creverse feedback\u201d session: \u201cWhat strengths do you see me using at my best?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Share a post about what you\u2019re exploring
\u2022 Speak up in a new setting (meeting, event, forum)<\/p>\n
Through feedback, flow, and small, meaningful steps.<\/strong><\/p>\n
You just need to honor what feels alive \u2013 and take one step toward it.<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n