Meet Allie, who went from the consulting grind to her dream job

Client Case Studies
Written By Cydnee DeToy

I'm excited to introduce you to Allie, who made a huge pivot from her decade-long consulting career to leading partnerships at a major non-profit. This is a dream job for Allie, as it aligns with her relationship-building super-powers, values and priorities. 

Allie is an Expander. For those who are new to this newsletter or need a recap, Expanders are people who are doing what you want and help you “see to believe” that it is possible to do the same. They are people who are a few steps ahead of you, and teach and inspire you. Look for Expanders within your professional network, friend group, social media or within this community.

Check-out our previous expanders: Alana, who built a life outside of work, and Jane, who used her intuition to find her dream job.

Allie's full story is below. There are two things that I want to call out: 

  • Allie did not have to take a step back. She moved from a Consulting Manager to a Non-Profit Director, two roles which are likely equivalent in terms of responsibility and influence

  • Allie was able to make a 180 degree pivot in her function, moving from a role that was quantitatively heavy to one focused solely on relationships

If you are clear on your value, how your previous experience translates and put in the necessary work networking, you can pivot while continuing your upward trajectory. Let Allie be your Expander! 

When we started working together, Allie had been a consultant for ten years and, wow, was she ready for a change. Allie wanted a career that felt more authentic and aligned with her values and strengths, but had no idea what that was or how to make the transition. 

We confirmed that Allie’s super-power is people. She loves connecting with people and making them feel good and supported. She knew this about her personal life, but had never thought about how she could use this in her career. 

We created a plan for Allie to pursue partnership roles at basic needs non-profits, an area she was deeply passionate about. Allie was worried she may have to take a step back in career progression. She had tried to apply for a few partnership roles previously, but hadn’t gotten any responses. 

We mined Allie’s work history for relevant relationship-management experiences. She had a lot more to highlight that she had initially thought. We also spruced up her resume to highlight those experiences and created a passion-fueled elevator pitch and networking plan.

Ta-da, Allie went from zero interviews to two dream job offers! Allie accepted a role with United Way of Mass Bay, becoming their Director of Corporate Partnerships in January 2024. This role maintains her seniority, moving from a consulting Manager to non-profit Director. It allows her to do work she loves for a mission she is passionate about.

Allie said: "I was at a complete loss for what I wanted to do next. [Now] I can't wait to start my new role and live a more authentic life!”

And, while we're the topic of job-searching, here are a few helpful resources if you're on the hunt: 

Cydnee DeToy
Previous

My 7 best book recommendations
Next

Why I chose ‘worth’ for 2024