Overpromoted... how to change career?

[MoirasRosesGarden]

I’m a Head of Marketing in a large business. Been here 7 years and worked way up but am completely out of my depth.

Have had no training in marketing since I have been here and now feel so out of practise in the day to say elements of the job I used to enjoy.

I have a great relationship with my boss (the CEO) and think this is the only thing keeping me in the job. I know about Imposter syndrome but I honestly don’t feel capable of the job I am doing and am constantly stressed and anxious.

I want to change careers but have no idea what I would be good at, and now is just about the worse time to be considering it with COVID and the number of people who will be looking for work.

How can I work out what to do next when my current role (apart from the salary and some of my colleagues) is not what is making me happy? I don’t even know what my strengths and passions are anymore :(

Ask them to fund a coach (or privately fund one) and get some recommendations on who, ideally someone with a marketing management background. They will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, any training you need and possibly alternate career paths if that's where it leads you. Not uncommon for newly promoted senior managers to need a coach for this very reason.

I'm in the same boat. Also not imposter syndrome: fully out of my depth (board level). I won't insult your intelligence by saying you're probably better than you think. But you must be good at least at some of the elements of the job to have got there in the first place.

I recommend isolating what you are good at, from what you aren't. Play on your strengths and delegate your weaknesses!

In the short term: I've identified things I'm good at, things I could learn AND things that I am dreadful at. For the latter - I have partnered with someone on my team with opposite strengths to be my "right hand" on those things I barely understand so I don't have to do it alone and she's getting development opportunity. (Im remunerating her accordingly!)

In the long term: what I'm doing is setting myself up as freelance consultant doing only the elements of my job that I love - I'm getting a little bit of work and saving cash like mad so that down the line I can jack in the day job and build on my fledgling solo practice. I'm lucky to have the opportunity to do it.

But I think if you can do the first bit, then you can isolate your strengths and then seek out (or create!) a role that plays only to them.