Is 2018 the Year You Want to Get a Better Job?

As we approach the end of another year, it is a really good time to take stock and consider whether you are where you hoped to be.

Life has this funny way of throwing circumstances at us that we could never have planned. I get it. I live it! However, I also think there is value in having a plan for your career and job search and would like to share with you a case study from one of my clients from earlier this year.

One of the many things I enjoy about working with my clients is that they are kind enough to take the time to provide me with feedback about my services.

It is my hope in sharing this individual’s case study with you that you consider where you are at better understand how I help. My focus is on helping you achieve great career satisfaction by partnering you on your job search.

Why Clients Decide to See a Career Coach

Many of my clients feel stuck and come to me (or are nudged to come and see me by a loved one who’s sick of hearing them complain) to help untangle where they are at in their career.

In this case, my client’s wife was working with someone who knew me and suggested he should make contact with me to help him find his next role.

When I first met with this client he’d just left a job he did not enjoy. He needed to clarify in his own head what it was about a future job that he would find enjoyable. He wanted to identify the elements that a job must have and, where possible, would ideally have, that would make it worth applying for.

While he understood that no job is perfect and each carries elements that people don’t fully enjoy, when we explored the ”must have” elements of future roles, we talked about the core elements of the role.

So here, in my own client’s words, is his description of his experience with me. And, yes, we did find him that new role that was definitely worth applying for!

Unpacking Skills, Preparing Documentation & Interview Preparation

The process was simple and effective.  We quickly identified the help I needed and then, after you provided me with guidance, recommendations and feedback, I grew and refined my skills in preparing application documentation and preparing for interviews.

While I was 18 years into my career your feedback and advice enabled me to move my CV, cover letter and overall approach from ‘good’ to ‘great’.

Important Learnings Along the Way

I learned many things from you, including:

• How to be succinct
• How to proactively follow up my applications
• How to phrase my responses so they were factually accurate but were constructed with stronger wording

I also learned that it was okay to be quite structured in answering application criteria and not always needing to use a traditional cover letter format.

I also learned more about myself and could see parts of my style and personality more objectively.

Sage Advice on Who Would Benefit from My Approach

I would recommend you to my friends, family and work colleagues as someone great to work with.

However, for this kind of work, I would be selective in who I refer to you as I don’t want to burden you with people who are hard to please.

When some people leave a job or are made redundant, they suddenly want to change careers or apply for roles that are far too much of a stretch. I would anticipate that lack of progress/success in their application process would prove frustrating for both you and the applicant.

I would not want you to work with people who would think their lack of success is due to the way you coached them, when in fact, it was due to their unrealistic expectations.

Is 2018 the Year I Guide You?

And so there we have it. A case study that gives you a very honest appraisal of the ways in which I can help you find a job that is better suited to your goals. By helping this client in the areas he described, together, we were able to ensure he met his career objectives.

And I’d love to help you if 2018 is the year you want to get a better job.