Michelle Gibson-Morgan. Lead. Learn. Change. Thrive.

For today’s professionals, leaders and entrepreneurs, evaluating your past experiences can be the key to future success. Whether you’re advancing in your career, navigating a transition or expanding a business, your experiences—both professional and personal—hold significant value, if you take the time to learn from them. Here’s why it’s essential to take inventory of everything you’ve learned along the way.

All Experiences Are Valuable—If You Leverage Them

Every experience offers a lesson, a skill, or a piece of insight that can move you closer to your career goals. I encourage you to view your past experiences as building blocks that will guide you in your professional journey. For example, early in my career in Canada, the skills I developed in retention and coaching continue to serve me well. The knowledge I gained is still relevant, both in my professional roles and in my personal life, including when interacting with service providers, colleagues or corporate partners.

The truth is, wherever you gain experience—whether it’s on the job or through volunteer work—it has the potential to be highly transferable. The key is to be intentional about how you apply those experiences.

Market them, Don’t Downplay Non-Professional Experiences

A common question I get from mentees, peers and clients is, “What about the skills I’ve gained outside of my full-time job?” It’s a valid concern. But here’s the insight: Whether you gained them from volunteer roles or nonprofit work, those skills are still relevant, transferable, and valuable.

Recently, I discussed this with a mentee. She wasn’t sure if her nonprofit work could help her secure a new opportunity. My advice to her? If you can demonstrate that you have the skills—whether through an assessment, a portfolio, or a credible reference—those experiences and your competence can position you for opportunities. They make you a well-rounded candidate and position you for future opportunity success.

Building Blocks for a Thriving Career

Your career is a journey, filled with zigs and zags. In my book, I share how I built a thriving career in Canada by using my diverse experiences as building blocks. Nothing I experienced was wasted. Even today, I continue to benefit from those early lessons, both in my professional and personal life.

Whether you’re just starting or are well into your career, the key is to continuously learn from every experience. Each step contributes to your professional growth. Your experiences, no matter where they come from, are incredibly valuable. You have a lot to offer!

Take Action to Move Ahead

Do you find it difficult to articulate how your experiences make you marketable for the opportunities you seek, including international experience and volunteering? Are you ready to unlock your potential and elevate your career? As a career consultant, certified coach with expertise in leadership development, I can help you leverage your unique journey for greater success. Take the next step towards building a thriving career using this link: https://bit.ly/ThrivingCareer2024 !

Don’t let valuable experiences go untapped! If you’re looking to advance in your leadership journey, now is the perfect time to take charge. Get in touch with me to explore how I can support you in achieving your leadership and career goals: https://bit.ly/ThrivingCareer2024 !

You can also watch my short video about this topic.

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