25/01/2026
January always brings a sense of reset.
A quiet review of what is working and what no longer fits.
In my coaching work, I notice the same pattern each year. Mid-career professionals are not questioning their capability. They are questioning how to explain what they do in a way that makes sense beyond their current sector.
This is not a confidence issue in the way it is often framed. It is a translation issue.
January is a peak period for job searching in the UK. Research shows around 11 per cent of workers are actively seeking a new role at the start of the year, with many more considering a move.
Source: HR Review https://lnkd.in/ev735b3Q
What stands out is how experienced many of these jobseekers are. By mid-career, people have led others, managed complexity, solved problems and delivered results. Yet when they look beyond their current sector, that experience can feel oddly difficult to articulate.
I regularly see applications full of responsibility but light on impact. CVs written in internal language that only makes sense to those already inside the system.
Research supports this. Many workers significantly underestimate how transferable their skills are, particularly communication, leadership, adaptability and problem solving, despite these being highly valued across sectors.
Source: Family Friendly Working https://lnkd.in/eQCh-x-9
Language matters. Experience framed around job titles and processes stays locked in one context. Experience framed around outcomes, judgement and results travels.
Mid-career is not the problem.
Unclear translation of experience often is.
January is not just about sending more applications. It is about finding better language for what you already bring, so it can be properly seen.