Career Struggles? There Is Hope!

A cool thing happened to me this week.

I wouldn’t usually write a blog about my personal life, but it aligns strongly with topics we’ve discussed these past few months (personal branding, core needs, networking, etc.).

As I’ve mentioned previously, I am also an opera singer, along with being a Career Coach. If you know anything about the arts, you know how much rejection is involved. This year, in particular, I sang a lot of auditions and received a lot of rejection emails.

Before my audition season began in the fall, I sat down and did some self-exploration. I took myself through the steps to discover my core needs and realized my deepest need was to make an impact. 

Once I uncovered this, I began only singing auditions where I felt my core needs would be met. This didn’t mean I would only audition for people who would enthusiastically applaud after my aria. Instead, I auditioned for programs and companies that aligned with my values.

You might think this newfound sense of purpose and direction would open every door, but that’s not always the case. I was rejected from every place except one. And that one place, of all of them, is the best fit for me at this stage in my career.

But that’s not the cool thing that happened (though it is fantastic). 

In December, I was asked to be part of a photoshoot for an upcoming concert I’ll be singing in March. The poster for this  event was published this week and widely advertised across Montreal and the broader region.  Seeing it was… incredible. 

Not because of the aesthetics, but because it was a sign that all of my hard work—practicing, auditioning, defining my personal brand, discovering my core needs, making career goals—was amounting to success.

I still have a long way to go and more rejection emails to receive. But I wanted to write this blog to tell you this: 

You’re on the right path. 

If you’re aligned with your authentic self, things will work out, even if they seem bleak at the moment. 

Declare what you want. Own it. And keep persevering.

See you next time.

Sydney