Examples of professional identity transformations

Most of us use basic, common terms to describe who we are in our work: author, designer, product developer, strategist, musician, salesperson…and so forth.

When we use generic professional identities, we sound like everyone else. That’s why no one understands what we do or who we are, not even ourselves.

Workers who are hybrid professionals are not a list of identities, they are actually greater than the sum of their parts and don’t know how to express it. Learning how to define their hybridity is a great unlock in deciphering their power in the workforce.

When I guide professionals who are in a career transition, I first ask them to introspect and discover who they think they are in their work before they’re ready to pursue the “right” job or next step. This order matters.

Going from a set of generic identities to seeing who you are as a hybrid professional is profound. Once you have this knowledge, you can find and attract career opportunities that truly fit you.

Below are exciting transformations from people I've worked with. Through my research-based process, their results are nothing less than ah-mazing!

5 Examples of people who discovered their hybrid professional identity

1. ANDREA CARPENTER

BEFORE: UX Designer who felt stuck in her career and undervalued by her boss.

AFTER: Curator of Purposeful Experiences (and she launched her own business called Purposefully Curated. I love how it cleverly plays off her hybrid identity to create even more unity).

Now, she consistently showcases her hybridity across platforms with the same language on her website, her email signature (below) and on her LinkedIn profile. THAT'S how you help the world see you for who you are!

Lastly, Andrea sent me this note about what she got from the course:

Attending the course [Become More Than Your Job Title] really helped me put into concrete words and actions a feeling that was floating around my head for 4+ years. I never knew how to describe who I was, what I did, or why it was important. Since doing the hybrid identity work, I’ve been on an amazing path; articulating my unique skillset, contributing to my team more meaningfully, and even re-imagining my work and the way I can make an impact.

2. JOHN NILAND

BEFORE: Author, speaker, coach who is also the Founder of Self-Worth Academy. He coaches people on how to find their self worth, yet his worth was hidden by run-of-the-mill professional identities.

AFTER: Self Worth Illuminator

At first, John tested titles like Self-Worth Coach or Self-Worth Facilitator, but those fell flat. They didn't resonate with who he really was.

Then he found a string of words like energizer, value extractor, until he stumbled upon value illuminator. The word "illuminator" struck a huge chord, and the rest is history.

3. KHANDIZ JONI

BEFORE: Makeup artist, visual artist, and environmental activist who used to call herself a multifaceted person

AFTER: Creative Sustainableist

Even I was daunted when I learned of Khandiz's unique set of professional identities. The more wide-ranging they are, the harder it is to see the relationships between them. Yet, they exist.

Khandiz decided to invent a new term for herself, "sustainableist" (This is a tool that's available to you. After all, new words are added to the dictionary all the time, and new meanings can also be associated with old terms).

Like Andrea, Khandiz refreshed her LinkedIn and her website to reflect her hybridity:

And, the most important part is how Khandiz clearly defines her identity to her audience so they can make sense of her:

“As an accomplished international artist and qualified sustainability professional, I work with both businesses and individuals to transform their vision into one that stimulates social, environmental and economic cohesion. I strive to design creative solutions which are ‘conducive to happiness’ and have a positive impact on all Life.”

Khandiz has told me that the concept of being a hybrid professional has significantly changed her and her sense of self confidence in her work. She feels more complete and able to be her full self in here career.

4. ASHLEIGH VILK

BEFORE: Performance psychologist, empath, theta healer, therapist, singer, songwriter, and more

AFTER: Work/Life Kaleidoscope

Ashleigh is one of those people who has a tremendous amount of gifts, tools, and talents to share with the world. She has a part-time job, a personal practice, and writes and performs music on the side. And, she had no idea how to make sense of it all.

She asked me, "How do I explain everything I do?"

If anyone was ever a multi-talented professional, Ashleigh fits the bill. That's why looking beyond her "multiplicity" to investigate where her hybridity lives was an empowering and liberating shift for her.

The word kaleidoscope kept coming up over and over in our discovery work, but at first, Ashleigh dismissed it. She didn't know how she could call herself a kaleidoscope even though every time she told stories about how she works, it was the word that fit best.

Finally, I asked her "What type of kaleidoscope are you?" because adding specificity can snap a strange or singular term into place. By adding "Work/Life" in front of it, Ashleigh established herself as a new type of kaleidoscope, one that molds and reshapes multiple work/life facets of her clients' lives in a vibrant way.

In fact, Ashleigh is now giving talks in Italy (where she lives) about being a hybrid professional! Her first one was so popular they just asked her to give another.

This is a sign of how her hybridity is attracting new opportunities her way!

5. ANDREA BAZOIN

BEFORE: Founder, everHuman, writer, educator, translator, futurist

AFTER: Small Business Weight Lifter (title still a work-in-progress)

I've known Andrea for a few years, and each time we talked, I saw another side of her professional identity. It was clear she was involved in many different things and took pleasure in having a wide set of work projects.

However, Andrea felt lost on how to communicate her value since she was involved in so many types of work.

The term "weight lifter" came through during the course, and as Andrea said it out loud, everyone perked up.

The beauty of a strong hybrid title is that it piques interest. It has the effect of instant sense making.

Although Andrea is still testing how this term feels and suits her, it shows how new words emerge in the process that critically change the way we see and speak of ourselves.

In her words, Andrea shared the benefit she gained:

“I took the most incredible course from Dr. Sarabeth Berk to help me clarify my professional hybrid identity. As a small-business development consultant, magazine columnist, and wellness advocate, I often felt at a loss for describing who I was in the world (professionally). This course helped immensely!”

If these transformations resonate with you...

...and you're looking to jumpstart your own professional identity transformation, then now is the time to join Dr. Sarabeth Berk’s cohort-based course Become More Than Your Title.