When my husband convinced me to close my recruiting business, I had no idea what might be in store for me. After all, I had been in the recruiting industry for almost a decade. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I lived and breathed headhunting—in all its glory. The good, the bad, and the challenging.

Yes…I realize I’m writing this article for The Fordyce Letter — a publication that “delivers straight talk for the recruiting profession…” So why am I writing about leaving the profession?

Do you really think you’ll be a ‘headhunter’ for the rest of your life? Do you think, as I did when my husband suggested I leave the business, “What else do I know how to do?” When I considered closing the doors on my business, I was seriously concerned about finding something that would replace the income I enjoyed as a recruiter.

At the time, I didn’t appreciate that during my years as a recruiter I had acquired business savvy that would serve me throughout the next two decades of starting new businesses. I was unknowingly armed with skills that, in looking back, were remarkable.

So, as you continue on your merry way, take heart. You are acquiring prowess, strategic thinking, and moxie that will serve you well for a lifetime—whether you remain in your current field or choose to move on. No matter what your choice, why not take a minute and bask in all that you know? Want to know just what a smart cookie you are? Consider some of the greatest skills that will carry you through life come from the things you’ve learned along the path to becoming a great recruiter.