Find Out What Career Phase You Are In Right Now

Hey friend,

Grab your coffee and settle in because this one might shift how you think about where you are right now.

Early in our careers, there's a blueprint. Get the degree. Land the job. Hit the next title. Increase the salary. The goals are clear, the path is relatively straightforward, and we know what "progress" looks like.

But then something happens.

Somewhere in the middle (or later) stages, the blueprint disappears. The goals get fuzzy. You might have the title, the salary, the experience on paper, and still feel like something is off.

That feeling? It's not failure. It's a signal.

And most professionals I work with don't know what to do with it because they've never been taught how to think about career phases beyond "climb the ladder."

So today I want to introduce you to a framework I use with my clients. Three career phases that can help you get honest about where you are and what you actually need right now.

BUILD. PIVOT. LEVERAGE.

Before I break each one down, here's what I need you to understand: these phases are not linear. You don't move through them once in order and call it done. A 28 year old can be in LEVERAGE. A 52 year old can be in BUILD. Your phase has nothing to do with your age or your title. It has everything to do with where you are internally.

COVID changed how we think about work. AI is reshaping entire industries. The old model of "find a company, stay for 30 years, retire at 65" is gone. Professionals at every level are rethinking what they want from their careers, and that's a good thing. But it also means more people are feeling stuck, unsure of which direction to move.

The common thread I see across every client, every conversation, every DM? People want their work to mean something. They want to feel like what they're spending 40+ hours a week on actually matters. The question they struggle with most is: how do I get there?

It starts with knowing which phase you're in.

🔨 PHASE 1: BUILD

This is the phase of learning, growing, developing skills, and establishing your professional identity and reputation. You're absorbing everything. You're figuring out what you're good at, what you enjoy, and what kind of professional you want to be.

BUILD doesn't just happen at the start of your career. Anytime you enter a new industry, take on a new role that stretches you, or start developing a skill set you didn't have before, you're back in BUILD.

How to know if you're in BUILD right now:

• Are you in a role or field where you're still learning the fundamentals?

• Do you feel like you're building your reputation and proving what you can do?

• Are you more focused on gaining experience than on whether the work deeply fulfills you?

• Is your primary goal right now to grow your skills and get stronger in your craft?

If you answered yes to most of those, you're likely in BUILD.

Your next step questions:

• What specific skills do I need to develop in the next 6 to 12 months to get where I want to go?

• Who in my field has the career I'm working toward, and what can I learn from their path?

• Am I being intentional about the experience I'm gaining, or am I just staying busy?

• What does "ready for the next step" actually look like for me, and how will I know when I'm there?

🔄 PHASE 2: PIVOT

This is where it gets uncomfortable. PIVOT is the phase where you realize that what you've been doing no longer feels aligned. Maybe the industry has changed. Maybe you've changed. Maybe you've been running on autopilot for years and you finally stopped long enough to notice that the work doesn't excite you anymore.

PIVOT feels scary because it's not just a career change. It's an identity shift. When so much of who we are is wrapped up in what we do, choosing to move in a different direction can feel like we're starting over. We're not. But it feels that way.

Here's what I tell my clients: we can plan and reflect all day long, but we will never have 100% certainty about what's next until we start doing. You can guess what another industry or role or environment might feel like, but until you've actually lived it, you won't know for sure. That means at some point, you have to stop planning and start taking action. Small steps. Imperfect steps. But steps.

The professionals who stay stuck are the ones who sit in continuous reflection without ever moving. Action is what creates clarity, not just thinking about it.

How to know if you're in PIVOT right now:

• Do you feel a disconnect between what you're doing and what you actually want to be doing?

• Have you been thinking about a career change for months (or years) but haven't taken action?

• Does the idea of staying in your current role for another 3 to 5 years make your stomach drop?

• Are you drawn to a different industry, function, or type of work but unsure how to make the leap?

If that resonates, you're likely in PIVOT.

Your next step questions:

• What specifically feels misaligned right now: the work itself, the environment, the industry, or the role?

• If I removed fear and money from the equation for a moment, what would I want to be doing?

• What is one small action I could take this week to explore that direction? (A conversation, a class, a volunteer project, research into a specific company or field.)

• Am I waiting for certainty before I act? And if so, what would it look like to take one step without it?

⚡ PHASE 3: LEVERAGE

This is the phase where you've built the skills, you've done the hard work, and now you're getting intentional about how you use it all. LEVERAGE is about seeking more joy and selectivity in your career. It's about aligning your work to your strengths and your desires without burning out or pouring every ounce of energy into your job.

People in LEVERAGE aren't necessarily chasing the next title. They're asking different questions: Does this role give me the flexibility I need? Am I using the strengths that energize me? Is this work meaningful to me personally, or am I just good at it?

And here's what's interesting: this phase isn't reserved for people later in their careers. I'm seeing younger professionals make choices to pursue passion projects, set boundaries early, and design careers around their lives instead of the other way around. That shift is real and it's growing.

How to know if you're in LEVERAGE right now:

• Do you have significant experience and skills but feel like you're not using them in a way that matters to you?

• Are you more interested in quality of work and quality of life than in climbing to the next level?

• Do you find yourself wanting more autonomy, flexibility, or creative control in how you work?

• Are you at a point where you could be selective about your next move, but you're unsure what to be selective about?

If those hit home, you're likely in LEVERAGE.

Your next step questions:

• What are the top 3 strengths I want my next role to actually use on a daily basis?

• What does "enough" look like for me when it comes to title, compensation, and responsibility?

• Where am I currently giving energy that I'm not getting energy back from?

• What would it look like to design my next career move around my life instead of fitting my life around my career?

One more thing.

If you read through all three and felt like you're somewhere between two phases, that's normal. These aren't rigid boxes. They're reference points to help you get honest with yourself about what you actually need right now.

Because here's what I've learned working with clients through all three: when we feel stuck, we often think a new title or a new company will fix it. But real career clarity comes through a cycle of doing, reflecting, adjusting, and doing again. It's gradual. It's messy. And it works.

You don't need to have it all figured out before you take the next step. You just need to take the next step.

If you read this and realized you need help figuring out which phase you're in or what to do about it, that's exactly the work I do with my clients at Rise Up Career Coaching. My DMs are always open.

Talk soon,

Alyssa ☕💛

These frameworks and tools have been influential in my client's results and I want to give credit to Working Identities by Herminia Ibarra.

Thanks for reading Rise & Shine by Rise Up Career Coaching.

This newsletter is for high-performing professionals who feel stuck, overlooked, or unsure of their next move — and want a clearer, smarter way to navigate the modern job market.

Here, I share real talk about:

• Getting clear on what you actually want next

• Navigating job searches without mass applying

• Networking in ways that actually lead to conversations

• Interviewing with confidence (even if you’re rusty)

• Negotiating offers without leaving money or opportunity on the table

The job market has changed, but most career advice hasn’t. I’m here to help you stop guessing and start moving forward with clarity and strategy.

I'm here to change that.

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ALYSSA BAILEY is a Certified Professional Career Coach who helps high-performing professionals get unstuck and land roles that match who they are now. With 15+ years of corporate experience, she’s guided clients through career transitions, interviews, and negotiations — helping them turn experience into opportunity.

If you’re done waiting for clarity or the “right time,” this is your sign.

Your next role won’t come from working harder. It comes from having the right strategy.

Let’s make your next move — intentionally.

P.S. If you’ve been thinking about making a change “someday,” remember: clarity doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from action.

Let's make your next move. Contact me today.

To read past Rise & Shine newsletters, you can find them here.