From A+ to Career Crossroads
Posted on January 23, 2024 by Gitanjali Sarkar, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
In this article, I attempt to better understand the experience of academic brightsparks as they try to navigate the challenges of the corporate world
In the hallowed halls of academia (schools and colleges), where success is measured in grades, I once stood as an academically bright student. Acing exams, basking in the glow of achievements, I entered the professional realm armed with degrees and expectations.
However, the first tremor of disillusionment struck when I faced failure head-on in my first job as a software developer at IBM. Negative feedback echoed louder than the applause I was so accustomed to. It was then that I first confronted the harsh truth – the skills needed to secure good grades in school were vastly different from the competencies essential for workplace success.
This revelation sparked an interest in education research – a quest to bridge the gap between what is taught and rewarded in schools and what is truly needed to thrive in the real world. But it wasn’t just an academic pursuit; it became a personal journey – a journey that drew me towards career coaching.
In my journey as a Career Coach, I’ve encountered numerous coachees echoing the very experiences that once shook my professional foundation. These individuals, who had been told they could conquer any field, now grapple with a reality that feels like an anti-climax to their years of academic ascent.
So, Why really does the journey from academic excellence to professional discontent seem like an increasingly common narrative. Have tried to identify the reasons behind this:
The Academic Achievement Trap
The seeds of this disquiet in the later years often find their roots in the very soil of success – academic achievement. From an early age, these individuals excelled in classrooms, acing exams and receiving accolades. The education system, designed to reward conformity and mastery of pre-determined subjected, propelled them forward. However, the first rank trophies and A+es in the report card masked a crucial questions: What about passion and purpose beyond the curriculum?
Mismatched Expectations
As these bright minds stepped into the professional arena, they carried not just their degrees but also a set of expectations moulded by societal expectations and familial aspirations. The corporate world, however, operates on a different set of rules. The stark contrast between the controlled environment of academia and the unpredictable landscape of real-world careers can lead to a profound sense of disillusionment
The Pursuit of External Validation
Many academically bright professionals are accustomed to external validation through grades, awards and praise. In the professional realm, where success is subjective and feedback is often nuanced, the absence of constant affirmation can breed self-doubt. The shift from a structured environment to the ambiguity of corporate life can be challenging, triggering an unending quest for validation.
Ignoring Passion for Pragmatism
In the pursuit of stability & societal expectations, bright students often opt for careers that seem practical or lucrative, but may not align with their true passions. The dissonance between what they studied and what they loved can lead to a persistent feeling of emptiness, even in seemingly successful careers.
Early and mid-career professionals who reach out to me for career coaching, often come with the weight of past brilliance and the burden of societal expectations. These bright sparks, once led to believe they could achieve anything, now find themselves at a crossroads. Even when they recognise the potential for fulfilment in unconventional paths or envision a happier lifeat a more relaxed pace, the transition becomes an uphill battle.
The “fear of failure” looms large – the fear that transcends the dread of not succeeding in a new career. For them, “failure” extends beyond personal disappointment; it entails falling short of a predetermined level of success that is expected of them and subsequently facing the judgement of family and society.
As a Career Coach, enabling these career transitions, I’ve learnt that the transition to a more fulfilling career is not just about navigating skill sets, it equally is about dismantling the feat of societal judgement. Its about helping individuals redefine success on their terms, acknowledging that unconventional paths can sometimes lead to extraordinary fulfilment, if one is able to overcome the initial inertia.
The journey from an A+ student to a professional at the crossroads is not a solitary one. Its a shared narrative woven with threads of fear, realisation and the courage to redefine one’s path. And in this shared journey, lies the essence of my commitment as a career coach – to guide, support, and inspire those who dared to question the status quo and seek fulfilment beyond the shadows of societal expectations.
