My Journey: From IT Consultant to Career Coach

By: Kacie Bail

Hello and welcome to my career coaching blog! My name is Kacie Bail, and I specialize in helping introverted IT professionals and members of the English as a Second Language (ESL) community land their dream jobs and thrive in their careers. I believe in walking the walk before talking the talk, so let me take a moment and share my own journey with you. I want you to see that my coaching comes from a place of genuine experience and a deep desire to help you achieve your career goals.

Who am I?

I have been a shy introvert since I was in elementary school, but one memory in my adolescence sticks out when I think about how deeply my shyness and introversion impacted my life. When I was in high school, I had to do a small presentation and I remember getting so nervous that I could hardly breathe, let alone speak. When it came time to present, my voice trembled as I started explaining my topic and writing out examples on the overhead projector (throwback moment here) and I could hardly bring myself to look at my classmates. One by one, people started laughing at me. A classmate even came to my defense and yelled at the others to be quiet and let me speak. And while I appreciated this gesture of support, it seemed to cause my classmates to laugh even more. I was able to get through the presentation but I remember feeling so hopeless and defeated. Why did my voice have to tremble when I spoke? Why did my hands have to turn cold and shake when I gave a presentation? My fear of public speaking also affected my ability to connect with others - I had very few close friends during that time and there were some days I wouldn’t even speak to a single person. 

In college, things got a little better but I realized I had to conquer my fears if I ever wanted to lead a successful career and a more fulfilling life. Keeping this goal in mind, after I graduated with a degree in Bioengineering, I took an IT consulting job at Accenture—a role that demanded strong communication skills and forced me out of my comfort zone on nearly a daily basis. My experience in IT consulting, along with the support of my managers, mentors, and co-workers, taught me how to adapt and learn quickly, build strong relationships, face my fears head-on, and to never give up. Yet, despite these successes, I found myself burnt out and in need of a change after several years in consulting.

In the fall of 2016, I took a leap of faith and applied for the CIEE English Teaching program in Santiago, Chile, to fulfill my dream of learning Spanish and living abroad. Within six months, I earned my TEFL certification, landed a job teaching Business English, submitted all required visa paperwork, and gave notice to my then-employer without burning any bridges. I couldn’t have gotten everything done without the help and support of the CIEE Program Coordinator, my family and my friends. The only thing left to do was to pack up my whole life in one backpack, one carry-on suit case and one checked bag. After I said my goodbyes, I made the move to Chile and successfully made my first career change, from IT consultant to Business English teacher. It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, but I knew in my heart that I had made the right decision. 

After two years of immersing myself in the Spanish language and Chilean culture (an absolutely incredible experience which merits several blog posts of their own), and achieving an intermediate level of Spanish, I knew it was time for my next challenge: finding a job to use my newfound language skills. I applied to numerous Scrum Master positions, and I’m not going to lie, my first few interviews in Spanish were tough - I struggled initially with understanding my interviewers and the local interview process. However, I’m not one to give up, so to improve, I hired a Spanish teacher to hone my Spanish skills specifically for interviews. With dedicated preparation and incorporating lessons learned from previous interviews, I secured three job offers within three months. 

After a year as a Scrum Master, I learned so much working in a new language and culture, but I still didn’t feel fulfilled. Seeking clarity, I consulted a coach that was referred to me by a friend. During this conversation, I realized the part I loved the most about my previous jobs was the coaching aspect, helping my employees develop and grow in their roles. This led me to enroll in a nine-month coaching program, conducted entirely in Spanish, and become certified in ontological coaching, marking the beginning of my second career change.

Today, I combine my IT consulting experience, coaching skills, and Business English teaching background to accompany and guide introverted (IT) professionals and members of the English as a Second Language (ESL) community through their own career journeys. It has been incredibly rewarding and I’ve met so many wonderful people along the way.

I hope as you read through my story, you noticed that I asked for and received help along the way, via coaches, mentors, co-workers, family and friends. Leaning on my support system was integral in allowing me to become the person I am today. So, whether you decide to work with me or not, I hope you know that you’re not alone, and that you don’t need to do everything by yourself. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help if you just ask. Still with me after that long introduction? I promise not all my blog posts will be this long ;)

Why Am I Starting this Blog?

I want to provide you with valuable tools, resources, personal stories and insights that have shaped my career and those of my clients. In today's fiercely competitive job market, it's not just about having the right skills—it's about connecting with the interviewers, truly understanding their needs and showing how you’ll add value to their company. Since I spent the first half of my life being more of a listener than a talker, I became adept at reading situations and people which has been invaluable during the interview process. I also know firsthand what it’s like to work in roles that span across the entire Software Development Life Cycle, so I understand very well what makes a good employee in the IT consulting industry. Also, as a fellow introvert and someone who has had to speak in their non-native language at work, I want to share what I’ve learned from my 15+ years of experience confronting my fears, gaining more confidence, finding my voice, achieving a better work-life balance and finding success in each career that I’ve been in. 

Getting out of your comfort zone to achieve your career goals can be scary, but with the right mindset, careful planning, hard work, support, and a little courage, you can absolutely land your dream job and thrive in your career.

So let me support you! In this blog, I'll be sharing:

• Interview Preparation Tips & Tricks: Techniques to ace your behavioral interviews and secure a job offer that aligns with your needs, experience, and skills

• Career Change Guidance: Navigating the complexities of switching careers into or from the IT consulting industry

• Personal Stories: My experiences with two career changes, overcoming being extremely shy, introverted, and speaking in my non-native language at work, as well as finding success in the IT consulting industry

• All other Career Coaching related topics: How to find your voice and speak up, communicate effectively, lead confidently, get promoted, find a better work-life balance etc.

If any of these topics sound helpful to you, let's embark on this journey together. Stay tuned for upcoming posts and I can't wait to accompany you on your career journey to success!

Your Dedicated Career Coach,

—Kacie

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