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What has been the biggest hardship faced in your professional career?
Moreover, how have you handled such hardship? Does the hardship you face usually stem from a systemic issue or something lighter?
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11 answers
Updated
Dave’s Answer
Hi Ruth,
The excellent small company I worked for, where I really enjoyed my job, was bought by a huge company with a very different culture that had a lot of infighting and politics. I found it both uncomfortable and stifling. Eventually I had to leave and find something else, which took a few months of interviews and also some classes to be sure I was up to speed on the latest issues in my work world. I did finally find a place at another great company, but it was a stressful time - well worth it though!
All the best!
The excellent small company I worked for, where I really enjoyed my job, was bought by a huge company with a very different culture that had a lot of infighting and politics. I found it both uncomfortable and stifling. Eventually I had to leave and find something else, which took a few months of interviews and also some classes to be sure I was up to speed on the latest issues in my work world. I did finally find a place at another great company, but it was a stressful time - well worth it though!
All the best!
Updated
Pluralsight’s Answer
Being bullied at work and not being supported by my boss, this happened several years ago, and it still sits with me daily.
Not being afraid to make yourself uncomfortable and advocating for yourself and your own.
Not being afraid to make yourself uncomfortable and advocating for yourself and your own.
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Pluralsight’s Answer
Balancing boundaries with wanting to excel on your career without burning yourself out. Boundaries are also needed in your personal relationships and leaning into the heart that you being as a woman in the workplace is so important. Don’t mask who you are. Don’t fall into the stereotype of women as people pleasers. Saying no is OK!
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Peter’s Answer
Launching my career from the start by getting the first few experiences.
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Pluralsight’s Answer
Returning to work after maternity leave
Conquering imposter syndrome
Toxic workplace feeling gaslighted or unsupported and having to rebuild resilience
Unsupportive leaders
Conquering imposter syndrome
Toxic workplace feeling gaslighted or unsupported and having to rebuild resilience
Unsupportive leaders
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Kevin P’s Answer
Hi Ruth, the interesting thing about hard ship is that it impacts everyone differently.
What someone else considers hard, you might consider easy. And vice versa.
Perspective has always helped me. Truly asking my self, do I really have it bad or do I just think I have it bad.
Sometimes it’s both but other times it’s me emotionally reacting to something that truly is not that critical.
I’ve seen others go through hardships that I’ve never personally experienced. That helps me understand, it could always be worse.
At the end of the day, you have to set a plan in motion in order to come out on the other side smarter and stronger.
Hardships make the world just that hard, but hard times make strong men and women.
Any hardship you face, make a plan to get through, execute on that plan, and then make sure you learn something for next time.
Be prepared for the hard. You got this!
What someone else considers hard, you might consider easy. And vice versa.
Perspective has always helped me. Truly asking my self, do I really have it bad or do I just think I have it bad.
Sometimes it’s both but other times it’s me emotionally reacting to something that truly is not that critical.
I’ve seen others go through hardships that I’ve never personally experienced. That helps me understand, it could always be worse.
At the end of the day, you have to set a plan in motion in order to come out on the other side smarter and stronger.
Hardships make the world just that hard, but hard times make strong men and women.
Any hardship you face, make a plan to get through, execute on that plan, and then make sure you learn something for next time.
Be prepared for the hard. You got this!
Updated
Pluralsight’s Answer
Fear of public speaking has held me back!
Lack of confidence to seize opportunities
Being underestimated because of being female. This was in a heavily male-dominated environment.
Experience being bypassed by a team member who wanted to speak to someone more senior I suspect because my manager was male. Again, this was a heavily male-dominated environment.
Lack of confidence to seize opportunities
Being underestimated because of being female. This was in a heavily male-dominated environment.
Experience being bypassed by a team member who wanted to speak to someone more senior I suspect because my manager was male. Again, this was a heavily male-dominated environment.
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Pluralsight’s Answer
Trying to separate your personal self and value from your professional one
Accrual and unsupportive manager
A sense of defeat from being passed over from promotions
Isolation from working from home
Accrual and unsupportive manager
A sense of defeat from being passed over from promotions
Isolation from working from home
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Patrecia (Trish)’s Answer
The toughest challenge I've faced in my work life was when the company I worked for went bankrupt. I was part of a team that offered project management and technical consulting services to big businesses worldwide. At the time, I was on maternity leave but returned a few weeks early to help with a project that needed me.
My baby boy was only two months old, and we had just moved into a brand-new house. I hadn't even made my first mortgage payment yet. I came back from maternity leave early to support my company, but within two weeks, I was informed that the owners had taken off.
They stopped paying for our insurance, and none of us got any compensation. We found out through an email. I had never felt so powerless. The news was a shock, and I didn't know what the future held for me. My two-month-old was sitting in his chair, and I was at my computer, feeling overwhelmed.
It took me two months to find a new job after this ordeal. The journey was tough, but I made it through. That was the hardest time I've ever faced.
My baby boy was only two months old, and we had just moved into a brand-new house. I hadn't even made my first mortgage payment yet. I came back from maternity leave early to support my company, but within two weeks, I was informed that the owners had taken off.
They stopped paying for our insurance, and none of us got any compensation. We found out through an email. I had never felt so powerless. The news was a shock, and I didn't know what the future held for me. My two-month-old was sitting in his chair, and I was at my computer, feeling overwhelmed.
It took me two months to find a new job after this ordeal. The journey was tough, but I made it through. That was the hardest time I've ever faced.
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Pluralsight’s Answer
Job security/layoffs/keeping up with cost of living/staying relevant with skills. Take opportunities to continuously build skills, keep your resume, up-to-date, build networks, and look for your next advancement opportunity. Look for depth and breadth of opportunities – get out of your comfort zone. Building great comes from learning from failure.
You will face many hardships over the course of your career. It’s about how you recover from the hard moments. Don’t let the hard moments change the way you show up.
You will face many hardships over the course of your career. It’s about how you recover from the hard moments. Don’t let the hard moments change the way you show up.
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Pluralsight’s Answer
Deciding when, how and why to change jobs or even companies can be difficult. There may even be times in your life when a career hiatus is what is best for you!
Setting healthy boundaries is key! You need the career for you as well and not be defined as as just a mom. Healthy boundaries are crucial for not just you but also for your kids it’s also equally important to find male advocates who also manage expectations around prioritizing kids, and having a good partner at home to help balance the whole life shifts that happen once you have kids.
Setting healthy boundaries is key! You need the career for you as well and not be defined as as just a mom. Healthy boundaries are crucial for not just you but also for your kids it’s also equally important to find male advocates who also manage expectations around prioritizing kids, and having a good partner at home to help balance the whole life shifts that happen once you have kids.