Latest / Career Coaching with Fexingo: Professional Coaches, Career Counselors, and Guidance for Workers / How to Use a Career Autopsy to Learn from Past Jobs
Transcript
- Lucas: You know how sometimes after a breakup, a friend will suggest you do a 'relationship postmortem' to figure out what went wrong? Luna: Sure — I've had friends who literally wrote a list of red flags they ignored. Lucas: Right. So why don't we do that with jobs? I want to introduce something I call a career autopsy. It's a structured, honest look back at a job that didn't work out — not to wallow, but to extract the signal. Luna: I love the term, but I can already hear the skeptics saying 'that sounds like ruminating with extra steps.' Lucas: Fair. But there's a difference between endless venting and a one-time, intentional analysis. Think of it as a post-employment debrief with yourself. I did this after a role I left in 2019, and it genuinely changed how I evaluate opportunities. Luna: What did you uncover? Lucas: I realized I'd ignored three major signals. One: the interview process was chaotic — I should have taken that as a preview. Two: my manager had a reputation for hoarding credit, which I knew but rationalized. Three: the role was sold as strategic, but it was really execution-only. Each of those became a red flag for my next search. Luna: Okay, so how do you actually run a career autopsy without just re-litigating old grievances? Lucas: Let's use a concrete example. Say someone — let's call her Priya — worked as a marketing manager at a Series B startup for 18 months. She left because she was burned out and felt the role was misrepresented. Luna: Classic. 'We need a marketing leader' turns into 'Can you also manage social media, write blog posts, and run the website?' Lucas: Exactly. So Priya sits down with a notebook and structures her autopsy around four buckets. First: timeline — what happened month by month? She might notice that by month three, she was already working weekends, but she told herself it was temporary. Luna: The 'it'll get better once we launch' trap. Lucas: Second bucket: expectations versus reality. What was promised in the interview versus what actually happened? Priya was told she'd have a team of two. She never got those hires. She was told the company had a 'data-driven' culture, but decisions were made on gut feel. Luna: So she's not just venting — she's documenting a discrepancy. Lucas: Third bucket: relationships. Who supported her, who drained her, who was neutral? Priya might realize her peer in product was an ally, but her manager rarely gave feedback. That's useful data for what she needs in a next role. Luna: And the fourth? Lucas: Exit signals. When did she first think about leaving? What was the final straw? For Priya, it might have been a quarter-end review where she got no constructive feedback — just a generic 'keep it up.' That silence told her more than criticism would have. Luna: I think the hardest part is doing this without slipping into bitterness. How do you stay objective? Lucas: One technique is to write it in third person. 'Priya joined a startup expecting X. Within six months, Y was clear. She could have left when Z happened.' It creates distance. Also, set a timer — 45 minutes max. This isn't journaling for therapy; it's a business analysis. Luna: I like that. And the output — what does Priya actually do with this? Lucas: She creates a filter. A short list of non-negotiables for her next role. Maybe: 'must have a manager who schedules weekly one-on-ones,' 'must have a clear scope document within 30 days,' 'must have at least one peer I can learn from.' Luna: So instead of a vague 'I want a better culture,' she has a checklist. Lucas: Exactly. And the beauty is, she can use those criteria to vet jobs in the interview process. She can ask: 'What does a typical one-on-one look like?' 'Can you share the 30-day plan for this role?' Luna: I've actually done something similar. After a role where I felt isolated, I made 'team collaboration' a priority. In interviews, I asked about project handoffs and cross-functional meetings. It helped me avoid a repeat. Lucas: That's exactly the spirit. And you know, this process also helps with the sunk cost trap. When you see how early the warning signs appeared, it's easier to trust your instincts next time. Luna: Before we go further — and I only mention this because it connects to what we're talking about — Lucas and I have been doing these episodes for a while now, and the response has been incredible. A handful of listeners have been supporting the show through Buy Me a Coffee, which is literally what keeps this ad-free. If you've gotten useful insights from episodes like this one, that's a way to keep it going. Lucas: Yeah, it's at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure ever — but it's nice to know that some of you find this valuable enough to chip in. It helps us keep making episodes like this one. Luna: Okay, back to the autopsy. One thing I want to add: you can also do this for a role that went well. Not just the failures. Lucas: That's a great point. A positive autopsy can reveal what conditions help you thrive. Maybe you had a manager who gave you autonomy, or a project that played to your strengths. That's just as useful. Luna: So you could have two lists — 'run toward' and 'run away from.' Lucas: Exactly. And the key is to update them after every role. Because your priorities change. What mattered in your twenties might not matter in your forties. Luna: I think the hardest part for most people is actually sitting down to do it. It's easier to just move on and hope the next job is better. Lucas: That's why I recommend scheduling it. Block an hour on a Sunday, or on your first day off after starting a new job — before you're fully immersed. The data is freshest then. Luna: And do you share the results with anyone? Lucas: You can. Some people do it with a trusted friend or a career coach. But it's also fine to keep it private. The goal is clarity, not catharsis. Luna: I like that. One last thought: I think the career autopsy is especially useful for people who've had multiple short stints. It shows patterns that might otherwise look like bad luck. Lucas: Right. If you've left three roles in four years, it might not be that you're a bad employee. Maybe you're consistently drawn to chaotic environments, or you undervalue stability. The autopsy surfaces that. Luna: And then you can actually fix it. Lucas: Exactly. Treat each job as data, not a verdict. You're not a failure if a role didn't work — you're a researcher gathering evidence for the next experiment. Luna: That's a good note to end on. Next time you're between jobs — or even if you're still in one — try the autopsy. See what you find. Lucas: And if you do, we'd love to hear what surprised you. You can always reach us through the show. Until next time.