“I no longer recognize myself in what I do,” Halima tells me with a deep sigh when I meet her for her coaching programme. We talk for an hour. An hour to peel away the layers of “what I should do,” “what others expect,” and “what looks good on a CV.” We discuss what attracted her to consulting—problem solving, coordination, analysis—and what is putting her off it today : the disconnect from the field, the feeling that she isn't really making a difference.

Then, suddenly, her expression changes. She takes a deep breath and blurts out what she has never dared to say to anyone before: “You know, what I'd really like to do is work in humanitarian action. To be useful.” She falls silent immediately, as if she has just revealed a long-kept secret. I simply ask her, “And what exactly attracts you to humanitarian work?”  She thinks about it. “Project management, coordination, the connection with teams in the field. I don't necessarily want to go to the other side of the world. But I want to be part of something that matters."

Mapping the network.

So I ask her the key question: “Who do you know, even remotely, who works in this sector?”  She hesitates. Then the names come: a former classmate who joined Médecins du Monde, a cousin who did community service in an NGO, a colleague who has a friend working in a foundation, her neighbor's son who did a master's degree in humanitarian action.

And that's exactly what a network is: not a list of prestigious contacts,but entry points, half-open doors, potential conversations. We work on the messages to initiate contact, how to conduct a networking interview, questions to ask, and the pitch to present her career plan. Four names. Four discussions to understand the roles, training, needs, etc.

Developing a networking mindset

A few days later, Halima wrote to me: "I had a conversation with my former classmate. She told me about her manager and put us in touch. I'm meeting her manager next week. I can't believe it!"  She is now moving forward with newfound clarity. She hasn't changed jobs yet, but she has changed her attitude: she is exploring, questioning, learning, and daring. She is no longer waiting for things to happen. She is making them happen.

For my part, I admire her energy, her courage, and the way she is now taking ownership of her career aspirations. Because, ultimately, coaching doesn't create motivation: it reveals what was already there, ready to emerge.

Are you going through a period of doubt or a professional impasse? Do you feel the need to give meaning to what you do? Now might be the right time to talk about it and explore what could be opening up for you.