From understated expertise to confident HR thought leader: How Dominique aligned her career goals, landed a senior HR role, and began sharing her knowledge with the sector.
"I worried too much what other people think." – Dr. Dominique Carlier
Dr. Dominique Carlier is a senior human resource professional with deep experience supporting INGOs and aligning HRM systems across new project start-ups in complex programme development and humanitarian contexts. Having recently completed her doctorate on the role of HR business partnership in INGOS, Dominique was ready to step into greater visibility: She wanted a new leadership role aligned with her values and expertise, and was eager to start publishing and presenting her research.
But she wasn’t sure where to go.
“I work in a mission driven environment, and I realized that was important for me. But I was suddenly losing track of where to go.” – Dr. Dominique Carlier
Click the picture to hear Dominique recount her story (90 sec)
With a clear sense of long-term direction, Dominique sought structure and space to prioritize her next move amid the demands of a high-impact role.
Despite deep expertise, publishing her research took a backseat to the daily realities of a demanding role - something many senior professionals can relate to.
Although she was being actively approached for leadership roles, she didn’t feel prepared enough to put her best foot forward.
She also loved what she did. Like many high-performing leaders, Dominique navigated internal doubts — particularly around visibility and self-judgment — even as she thrived in her role.
Dominique had already participated in a group programme I facilitated with Devex. After that experience, she reached out to explore one-to-one coaching. She came into coaching with two distinct but linked goals:
Find a new leadership role in a values-aligned organisation.
Position herself as a thought leader by turning her doctoral research into publishable content.
We began with the short-term priority of helping Dominique secure a new leadership role. Using her detailed Strengthsprofile report, we identified and articulated her unique value proposition, weaving together her HR expertise, cross-cultural experience, and academic credentials. She refined her CV and LinkedIn profile and prepared for interviews with language that felt both authentic and authoritative.
By the third session, she had received an offer for a senior HR role in a mission-aligned INGO. Coaching gave her the confidence to negotiate the offer with clarity and professionalism.
“Coaching helped me take a step back and breathe. I had first to appreciate what I have to offer so I could best offer it and put it out there.” – Dr. Dominique Carlier.
After securing the role and starting the job, Dominique shifted her coaching focus back to her longer-term goal: becoming a recognised thought leader in HR for INGOs.
Together, we:
Created a clear plan to break her thesis into several publishable articles targeted at sector-relevant platforms.
Set weekly and monthly structures to protect writing time — a major challenge she faced before coaching.
Worked through inner resistance: identifying the unhelpful patterns of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and hyper-vigilance, and replacing them with grounded, purpose-driven action.
Practised saying “no” to lower-priority requests and distractions, so she could focus on what mattered most to her mission.
“I feel more in control of what’s ahead. It’s a different kind of stress — a healthy one — that comes from excitement and action rather than confusion or doubt.” – Dr. Dominique Carlier.
By the end of her coaching journey, Dominique had:
Stepped into a senior HR leadership role aligned with her mission and values.
Finalised her first research article for submission — an achievement that had felt out of reach just months earlier.
Developed practical tools to manage her time, energy, and inner saboteurs.
Built stronger boundaries to protect space for thought leadership, even while managing new responsibilities.
Dominique didn’t just meet her goals — she began seeing herself differently. She felt more confident, clear on her direction and able to self-advocate. She learned to trust her expertise, take strategic risks, and lead authentically without external validation.
“I used to hesitate because I feared what others would think. Now I focus on the impact I want to make.” – Dr. Dominique Carlier.
Dominique took part in my Your Next Chapter journey. This journey uses my 4-part framework to support global professionals in social impact in getting clear on what they want next while building the inner skills to make it happen.
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