What if EVERYTHING went wrong?
A Friday the 13th look back at 2024
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I WAS going to use this newsletter to answer question #8 that female career changers ask ChatGPT.
And then I realised that it’s Friday the 13th today. (Well, not when I’m writing this, but it IS when you see this).
I’m not really a Friday the 13th sort of person.
But over the next few weeks I’d like to talk to you a bit about what’s to come in 2025 too.
So the following THREE questions:
How can I assess if a new career aligns with my values and goals?
What strategies can I use to manage uncertainty and fear of failure?
How do I handle potential age bias in job searching?
Will have to wait until next year!
Because today - and in the next few weeks - I’m going to have a bit of fun.
Today, because of Friday the 13th, I’m going to go there. I’m going to tell you about EVERYTHING that went wrong in 2024.
What if everything went wrong?
Remember this time last year? Wasn’t 2023 the WORST? Wars raging, a cost of living crisis, energy prices, mortgage rates?
Yeah. That was until we saw 2024. Here are some of the things that have impacted you, that have impacted ME, that have made 2024 a - let’s say - DIFFICULT year.
I’m sure there are more, but let me focus on some of the WORST of 2024. In no particular order.
Ghosting
Ghosting is when you speak to someone, connect with someone, send them a proposal, write an application, even go for an interview (!) and then hear …. nothing.
Yep. I think we can safely say that 2024 has been the year in which ghosting has taken on a whole life of its own.
I thought I’d start with that - you know - as it’s Friday the 13th, it somehow seemed appropriate.
How do YOU feel about ghosting? About BEING ghosted? (Let me know in the comments!)
Earlier this year I did a bit of an experiment. During ONE month I was going to answer ALL my emails (not newsletters, obvs) and DMs, even obvious sales pitches.
And you know what? People were grateful. They said ‘thank you for coming back to me’, ‘thank you for letting me know’. It made THEM feel good. It made ME feel good.
Now, when it comes to recruitment I think it’s fair to say that the recruitment process and the job market are nuts. More about that later.
But you know what my conclusion was?
That we have a problem. A problem saying ‘No’. A problem saying ‘No, thank you, not for me at this moment in time’.
We’d rather just ignore the person than coming back to them and telling them. Not even telling them why, but just telling them no.
Recruitment and the job market
It’s December.
Tis the season that we fast have become accustomed to as being the season of redundancies.
I know of at least THREE organisations locally who are making redundancies. That’s without trying.
Why December? Answers on a postcard, please!
And what’s making all of this worse?
Yes, the lack of jobs. There are VERY capable people out of a job for months, even YEARS. Becoming dog walkers and cleaners to keep themselves ticking over.
But it’s also the crumbling recruitment system.
The other day I saw a GREAT job advertised. It was a day old, maybe not even that. There were over 100 candidates for it. In a day.
THAT - in a nutshell - is why recruiters are overwhelmed, why feedback is scant or non-existent, why you’re being ghosted. It’s not an excuse, but it IS an explanation!
Oh, and before I finish this paragraph: did I mention AI? Yes, AI entered the world of recruitment big time this year. Korn Ferry expects that employers will use AI in 2025 to improve the recruitment process, knowing - as they do - that the hiring process has become impersonal and off-putting.
Abuse of power (or just abuse)
I’m mentioning it in this doom-and-gloom list. But really, 2024 has been a GOOD year. Because what we all knew, what was enabled and covered up, what was hidden, sometimes in plain sight, has come out into the open.
Here in the UK:
The Archbishop of Canterbury had to resign for not dealing with an abuse scandal appropriately
A great scandal involving the late Mohammed Al Fayed - owner of famous department store Harrods - laid bare the widespread abuse, sexual harassment and rape and the enablement by his teams, leading to lots of compensation claims, and
TV star Gregg Wallace - of Masterchef fame - was found to sexually harass contestants and colleagues on set, only to defend himself saying it was ‘women of a certain age’ who were to blame for his predicament.
There are more, but this article is already getting quite long - and I’m sure you have your own examples.
What I want to say is this: it’s a GOOD thing that these things are now coming out into the open. That people (read: men in power) no longer get away with this behaviour. That it looks as if women - and other people who were abused and assaulted - are now believed. That the scale of abuse now becomes visible.
There’s a long way to go. But it’s a step forward. Right?
Because SAFETY is the #1 condition to be in place for women, for people, to do good work. Something - we now know, EVERYONE now knows - we’ve most definitely not been able to take for granted.
The increase in NOISE and the loss of focus
Do you find it increasingly NOISY? Are YOU having trouble focusing, and grab your phone every 10 minutes?
Yeah, you’re not alone.
I did a LinkedIn poll earlier this year. In it I asked ‘do YOU find yourself distracted’? You know what? Eighty percent of you did. Eight zero. 8-0.
You can read my view on this in this article: Focus has left the building.
There is so much NOISE. Your social media is overrun by people who want to sellsellsell. You don’t get to see the things you want to see, making you stay LONGER on your phone.
And what is it doing to you?
Yes, you’re losing your FOCUS. You’re losing your CREATIVITY. You’re losing your ability to be absorbed in ONE thing, do the DEEP work, be in FLOW.
Flow. That thing you NEED to be happy. No wonder then that increasingly people are turning away from their phones, their devices, the news.
The THREE things that are keeping you stuck in your career
Once upon a time I would have said: A lack of ideas on what you WANT, networking, and money are the three things keeping you stuck. (Want to know more AND download your Starter Kit? START here).
This year? I’m going to say THESE three things: Money, money and money.
Am I right?
We’re knuckling down, keeping our heads down, hoping that the redundancy axe hits someone else. Focusing on surviving rather than thriving.
That’s my diagnosis. True? Or not true?
What about you? What do YOU think is keeping you stuck?
What could POSSIBLY go wrong in 2025?
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change”.
Charles Darwin
You’ve likely heard this quote before.
The thing is, over the last few years we’ve seen things change. Not through any of our doing, but through pandemics, wars and elections.
Planning? Looking ahead to your 5 year plan?
Yeah, the universe has a funny way of playing with us.
Which is why I’m going to make a couple of observations here:
More than ever we’re going to have to manage our emotions during times of change and regain our FOCUS.
More than ever we’re going to have to rely on our own creativity, our own ingenuity, our inner wisdom to make the right decisions during what FEELS like a world that doesn’t stop changing.
More than ever I believe we’re going to see a wisening up to the reality of working for one employer and people looking for multiple income streams to reduce the risk in case the axe of redundancy DOES come down.
More than ever will getting a new job be a people’s game - ALONGSIDE your need to learn how to navigate the world of AI, video interviewing and the Application Tracker System. With optimism and resilience, a proper networking strategy and - you know - the kindness and strength to say ‘no’ when you need to.
The point of all this, is really to say: even if YOU’re not changing, the world around you most definitely is.
And also: if 2024 was the year where you stayed put, held on for dear life until all of this blew over, I’d like to say this.
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now.
Old Chinese proverb
There was NEVER a better time to start thinking ahead. You *may* not be able to make a move right now, but you can most DEFINITELY start to think about what you WANT, how YOU can adjust to changes ahead and how you can create a sustainable, happy career that fits you and your lifestyle. To start unlocking and using YOUR creative brain and be happier, right where you are or on the journey to where you’re going. To start making - yes - actionable plans. Realistic, do-able plans, that you can start taking action on, one step at a time.
And - as always - when you’re ready, I’m more than happy to help you get clarity on YOUR next steps.
2025 - here we come!
Tineke X
P.S. Want to know more about how I help women to get CLEAR on their career direction AND create a plan to make it a reality with my Career Freedom coaching programme? Book a free call in which we can discuss YOUR specific situation and you can ask me all your questions:
In other news:
(We are) Change Artists
The new Change Artists community will get started next year!
So what is it all about?
My new community aims to help women like you access and recover your creativity, support yourself through change and do the fulfilling work that fills your soul, with workshops, Clubs, programmes and courses.
It’ll be the home of - yes - my The Artist’s Way Group (see below) and my (NEW) GROW community (Want to know more? Book my Saboteur Discovery Call!).
It’ll become the home of ALL my programmes and workshops as we progress through the year.
And YOU can become involved RIGHT NOW!
How? Read on!
Pledge your support to this newsletter
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What does this mean? It means that from January 2025 you will be able to get a PAID subscription for only £5 a month (or £50 for the year).
If you pledge your support to the newsletter now you will get the weekly newsletter, but also:
Access to my new community Change Artists
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AND I’m going to make you an IRRESISTIBLE offer:
The first TEN women to sign up to a PAID membership in January get a - wait for it - FREE 45 minute coaching call to support you in making YOUR dreams and wishes - and PLANS - for 2025 come true!
Chat
Did you spot it?
You NOW have the ability to ask me all your questions, contribute to discussions, tell me what YOU’re reading and more in Chat!
I don’t know how useful or successful it will be, but would LOVE to create a bit of a community here and hear all about the things YOU’re struggling with!
The Artist’s Way Group
Once a year I run a The Artist’s Way Group, where we use the 12 week programme in Julia Cameron’s LIFE-CHANGING book The Artist’s Way to discover and recover our creative brain.
Next year’s group will start in March 2025.
And - guess what - it’s found a new home in my new Change Artists community! (If you squint you can *just* see it in the menu on the left hand side!)
The Artist’s Way has been TRANSFORMATIONAL for me, and others and I LOVE sharing its wisdom with others.
If you:
Have HEARD of The Artist's Way. You've heard LOTS of people saying how transformational it is.
Have had a copy of the book on your book shelf for ages.
Started the book, but never got further than Week 3, but would LOVE to finish it.
Started to wonder if you're that creative after all. You may even be convinced you're not creative at all!
Then THIS is for you!
Pop your name on the waiting list and - come the new year - I’ll let you know EXACTLY how to join!
🔴🟡🟠
Tineke Tammes is a Career & Creativity Coach and supports professional women in making successful transitions. Besides that she is also a lifelong feminist, part-time portrait artist, never-only-read-one-book-at-any-time reader, and obsessive doodler.
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I loathe ghosting, Tineke. Sometimes things just slip through the net, and cold calls are different but consciously ignoring a message from someone you have been in contact with is just rubbish.