Much has been said about the job search. The phase that follows successful re-employment is less discussed. The first weeks and months of a new career, role, or business start-up are a mix of excitement and confusion. In my Elevate Career Cycle Model, I call this the Emerge phase.

Each new beginning is unique, but a few things are predictable:

• If you have worked hard to craft your transition, you enter the new job with a burst of healthy pride. It takes guts to navigate a career change. When you arrive at your new situation, you have every right to pat yourself on the back. Take a moment to bask in your elevated self-esteem; you’ve earned it! 🙌🙌🙌
• Your new role serves up a ton of new responsibilities. Sometimes you have someone to ask, other times you are left to figure stuff out. You are slower than you want to be and inevitably make mistakes. It’s humbling and frustrating.
• The emotional undercurrent is unsettled. You have high hopes and excitement. At the same time, you feel untethered and lost. You might miss your previous role where you were the master of your tasks. Now you wonder what to do first, who to trust, and how long it will take for you to feel comfortable.
• Occasionally, a job change might be accompanied by a new home, a new location, and a million decisions to make. Where is the grocery store? How will I find a dentist? The infrastructure of your life needs to be built.

If you don’t understand or prepare for the rocky new beginning, it can leave you feeling both sad and anxious. You want to emerge from your previous role ready to rock the world. But you can’t. Like a newborn baby, you are messy and beautiful.

There is no magic strategy or fix for this emergent phase in your life. When I navigated the biggest career transition in my life, I was aware that my first few months would be scattered and unpredictable. No matter what I was feeling (up, down, or shaky), I gave myself grace. I knew it would take time. I built my new life step by step, celebrating the small stuff.

If you or someone you know is navigating a career emergence, be patient. Take long walks, share your feelings with someone you trust, and ask for help. Focus on your strengths and give yourself credit when you get something right. Shut down your inner critic. Small wins will lead you to stabilize and shine.