ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION
Taking the next career step when timing matters more than titles — Esteban Castro Estrada
Career decisions don’t always start with a job search. Sometimes they start with a small shift in life — and the realisation that what once worked may not work in the same way anymore.
”I wanted more flexibility in my job after having kids — I couldn’t live like that anymore.”
Construction Manager & Senior Consultant Esteban Castro Estrada planned his career with Worko over time, and found the right next step at the right time for him. His story reveals how life changes can make room for unexpected opportunities.
Irrelevant job offers in construction from generic headhunters
Esteban is a real-life example of what a proactive approach can do. A career plan that lets you apply long-term strategic thinking in your life — because your career enables what you can do outside of work.
For Esteban, there wasn’t a pressing need for change when we first came in contact in the spring of 2024. He was happy at his job at the time, feeling like everything was running smoothly and not even thinking about doing something else.
Like many experienced professionals in construction and project management, Esteban was used to being contacted by recruiters from time to time.
“I had it good, so I wasn’t thinking about changing jobs at all. I still got offers now and then in waves, often at the end or start of the year when new projects are starting up.”
Most of the outreach felt similar, and at the time, Esteban didn’t give it much thought.
“Headhunters would call and say: ‘we have this role, are you interested?’ and they want a yes or no answer. But they don’t really ask what you like to do. Sometimes it would sound interesting, but I wouldn’t really reflect on it any further than that.”
Strategic career planning without applying for jobs
That first conversation with Worko happened before a major life change. A few months later in October 2024, Esteban became a father. With a new baby at home and upcoming parental leave, questions around flexibility and sustainability started to matter more.
“When you contacted me again in January, my world had changed, and my thinking too. In construction, if you’re not on site at 7 in the morning, it’s a problem. It didn’t really matter before, but I couldn’t live like that anymore.”
At the same time, he wasn’t ready — or willing — to actively job hunt.
“I didn’t have the time or energy to apply for jobs,” he says. “Especially when you don’t really know what the roles actually mean.”
A career conversation without pressure
What stood out with Worko was the pace. Instead of presenting a role, the conversations focused on direction. Nothing was rushed, and after our first career planning meeting, Esteban was given time.
“I was asked what I like to do — and what I don’t like,” Esteban says. “That was different. The conversation was built on questions like ‘what do you want for yourself this year? In ten years?’ And based on those answers, you came back with ideas.”
“That summer planted a seed in my head. I don’t know exactly when it started — I can’t explain my own psychology well enough for that — but it stayed in the back of my head and grew into something more.”
“I have my own expression that I like to say: you don’t know what you don’t know. This was one of those things.”
How proactive career planning creates clarity over time
When we reached out again in early 2025, Esteban was in a different place.
“Six months earlier, I probably wouldn’t have been open to career planning in this way,” he says. “But at that point I saw the value of having a conversation like that much more clearly.”
Together, we explored what he actually enjoyed in his work — and what drained him.
“I like planning and financial steering,” he explains. “Then there are a lot of other site tasks that are important, but don’t really give me any value as such. At a big contractor firm, my ability to affect things was limited. I wanted a place where my voice mattered.”
The goal of the conversations between us and Esteban was always to understand his personal strengths, wants and needs, to be able to find that perfect fit. So when one particular opportunity came up, matching what we had discussed, it was presented to him — even though it wasn’t what Esteban himself would have been looking for.
“It wasn’t what I usually do,” he says. “But it sounded interesting. And I trusted that you understood both the role and me, since you’ve been talking a lot to both parties.”
Choosing a new role based on life situation and flexibility
For Esteban, the most important factors weren’t prestige or title, but how well this new position might fit with his new life as a father.
“It always depends on the life situation you’re in. For me, flexibility was the main thing. And in my first conversation with my future manager, we clicked straight away. The vibe was right, and it has stayed right ever since.”
The role allows him to focus on the parts of project management he enjoys most, while offering flexibility that fits life with a small child. He also has a larger influence than before.
“I can say what I think, and I know someone will listen.”
Why starting with preferences works better than headhunter pitches
Esteban is clear that if he had been contacted directly about a specific role, he probably wouldn’t have responded.
“If you had just asked me if I wanted to be a consultant at some company,” he says, “I might have said no — or not answered at all.”
What made the difference was the order of the conversation.
“We talked about what I like, what I don’t like,” he explains. “What I see for myself this year, in ten years, and what direction I want to go in.”
Only after that did opportunities enter the picture.
“That’s why I think the approach was very good,” Esteban says. “It’s completely different from other headhunters.”
The long-term value of proactive career planning
Looking back, Esteban describes the biggest value of working with Worko as having space to reflect, without pressure to act. The ongoing dialogue helped him think long-term after planting that first seed.
“It’s one thing to plan for your future career, and another thing to feel like you have to change jobs right now. Now, I’m thinking further ahead, like maybe in five years I want something else,” he says. “Then I know I can take a meeting with my contact at Worko again in six months and talk it through, see what’s happening on the market.”
“My employer should continue their collaboration with Worko too,” he adds with a laugh.
Another highlight of Worko according to Esteban is the much-appreciated follow-up and continuity.
“You checked in regularly, asked how things were going and whether it still felt like a good match. That felt good.”
Who proactive career planning is for
We asked Esteban if he would recommend Worko to other people — and his answer was “yes, without a doubt.”
Especially to people who feel uncertain about their next step — or don’t know what they want yet.
“If someone says to me: ‘I don’t know what I should do,’ I would recommend Worko immediately,” he says.
For him, the difference was simple.
“You didn’t start with a role — you started with me. It was like a team effort, and a smooth process,” he concluded, highlighting the partnership that enabled him to embrace new possibilities.
Curious about your next step — when timing matters?
To quote Esteban: you don’t know what you don’t know.
This story serves as a reminder that career paths are often winding, and sometimes, the most rewarding opportunities arise when we least expect them. Esteban’s journey showcases the importance of being open to change, and of allowing yourself the time and space to explore what might come next.
If you are interested in finding your next step together with us at Worko, be sure to join our network and become part of our career planning journey.
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