How life may affect your career — time to pack your bags?!
A Career Moment with Ise De Smet
Everyone’s career matters. From those in the early stages, to those with a longer story.
We all have a tale to tell, and often there are moments that just have some special meaning or consequence.
In this series we ask people about a career moment and how this influenced, even in small ways, their career or learning. It’s not about a life story or a documentary — it’s a moment.
Using a moment allows early career as well as those with established careers to contribute. Indeed, hearing about moments from early career folk is highly informative in understanding the thinking of those just starting out — it helps us see the world through the lens of youth.
This series makes no assumptions about stage or when a ‘career’ started or career breaks/changes. It makes no assumptions about success.
The moment can be anything. An opportunity or an act of kindness or support; an activity or project; hearing a talk or reading a book; seeing someone from afar yet sensing a role model…
…and now a Career Moment with Ise De Smet
Ise is in between early and mid- career and has experience in project management across sectors. She has a Msc. in Cultures and Development Studies and an MA in Theology and Religious Studies. She lived abroad for more than 10 years, in Chile and Vietnam, which equipped her with the skills needed to perform effectively in diverse, multicultural environments. Her interests are centred on education, migration, and international development. She enjoys networking, is driven, and is open to new experiences.
Since her return to Belgium, she has been working at VLIR-UOS, (the leading platform for Flemish higher education to collaborate in the context of sustainable development), in charge of the educational programmes and trainings in Flemish Higher Education as well as gender, diversity, and mobility.
Hello Ise, thank you for agreeing to share your career moment and for being so open. I wonder if you could briefly share your chosen moment.
(Un)packing suitcases has taken up a significant portion of my life. It goes hand in hand with moving somewhere new and saying goodbye to somewhere else. Going on an AFS Intercultural Programs high school exchange in Thailand in 2005, traveling to Chile for love in 2011, and finding a new challenge in Vietnam in 2017 were all worthwhile experiences.
However, the defining moment for me was returning to Belgium in February 2021 after ten years abroad with empty pockets, only two suitcases, and in the midst of a covid lockdown due to my divorce.
It was time to take the next step, with a heart full of optimism and gratitude for everything that had happened. I left behind my ex-husband, way of life, career, friends, and co-workers but I felt relieved and as if the world was at my feet.
That is quite a big step, and, by the sounds of it, an emotional moment as well. Why did you do this — what was your motivation?
Because my personal and professional lives were so intertwined, I had to return ‘home’ during my divorce. My personal situation always had an impact on my career options; I had to work with what was feasible in the countries and contexts where I lived.
This moment felt like the first time I could establish myself somewhere new on my own terms. It was the freedom to choose and the possibility to succeed.
Did anyone support you in making this decision/transition?
Leaving everyone behind in Vietnam, as well as my life as I knew it, was difficult. I left Hanoi on a Tuesday, arrived in Belgium on a Wednesday, went directly into quarantine, and began working at a new job the following Monday.
I’m grateful to everyone I met who has helped me along the journey. Although the decision was not simple, and I am still figuring out life as it goes, there were many people present who assisted me. I’m extremely grateful to my family, friends, and professional network for all their help.
These last two years, I’ve treasured the moments I’ve had with them while living closer, and I’m grateful that the pandemic has ended so that I can reconnect with those who have crossed my way in what now seems a different life.
What did you learn from this experience?
Personal life defines how career flows, it is always intertwined. These defining moments should not be underestimated and shunned from the professional life as if they are separate entities. Starting a new job or leaving an old one influences your personal life as much as getting married or divorced, losing a loved one, or having a baby probably will change your professional life.
At the same time, when home is far away from the home you grew up in, you build a different support system. Friends and co-workers become your family and share daily struggles. Because everyone spends the majority of their waking hours at work, it is critical to feel accepted for who you are and to be able to express yourself.
What has changed as a result of this career moment?
Throughout it all, I was able to progress within the company where I work, learn what makes a job important, and understand what it is like to work in Belgium. I’d only had a few brief encounters in my home country before, and oddly enough, working for the Belgian Embassy in Vietnam prepared me the best for my return and the working culture.
Taking this leap has helped form who I am today; I am more confident as a professional, but I also feel more direct, open, and vulnerable.
I feel I’ve learnt a lot from my past and am grateful for the road I’ve taken, but I’m ready to explore other opportunities, to grow.
Were there any unanticipated realisations because of this moment?
In the past, I misunderstood what work-life balance entailed. I don’t mean striking a balance between your personal and professional lives in terms of how you spend your time, but rather how your personal life may and will influence the job decisions you make.
In the end, the flexibility to re-establish oneself is always available, although your prior experiences certainly affect future prospects.
Do you have any career advice for others?
Embrace uncertainty and turn it into an asset, go for the adventure and make the best of the situation. Dare to take a leap and go beyond the beaten path. Give yourself the space to discover what you truly need.
Do you have any advice for organisations around supporting and enabling careers?
Institutions sometimes lose sight of the fact that they are made up of people. It is necessary to feel a part of a whole and to belong, but it is also important to express oneself individually.
Being and working together should be a pleasurable experience in which you feel supported. The construction of a safe space for vulnerability and emotions should be carefully examined.
It should be acceptable to have a bad day, to feel unhappy or preoccupied every now and again. Nobody can perform 100% all the time and we cannot leave our personal lives at the office door.
And finally, we have three quick-fire questions for you.
What do you value — these are something you aim for and hopefully bring to any role.
I try to look for a silver lining, have a sense of adventure but at the same time adhere to my principles and I am resilient.
If I were to describe it four words, I would say Hope, Adventure, Integrity and Resilience.
Emerging skills. Which emerging skill sets for working and living would you prioritise.
Cross-cultural competency; Multi-level collaboration; Adaptability; Empathy
What gives you energy?
Bringing people from diverse backgrounds together, interacting and connecting with them on multiple levels.
You can find out more about Ise here:
Ise on LinkedIn
Ise supports the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, an organisation that is involved in rescuing and transforming the lives of vulnerable children from human trafficking.
Work website: VLIR-UOS
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