Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post Podcast Ep 10: Scott survives redundancy and steers toward Career Success appeared first on Letz Create.

If you’ve recently been stood down or made redundant during the COVID-19 pandemic you will be job searching in a heavily congested market. Find out how to overcome the challenges of job searching during a pandemic and learn exactly what recruiters are looking for in candidates. Nikki Domeney works closely with HR teams and supports the recruitment process. She discusses with us what applicants need to put their best foot forward.

Nikki Domeney, Director of H20 People and Culture, provides HR and engagement support which extends to varied industries such as professional services, IT and Sustainable Energy businesses. The name reflects her unique style and process, as well as her personal values. H20 symbolises Nikki’s ability to do a deep dive with her clients to assist them to grow with a process that flows.

She coaches and advises her clients on best practice for creating and maintaining healthy, thriving work places. She is forward thinking with a fail forward approach “so much learning and growing can be achieved if we pause recognise our mistakes as opportunity, without fear or judgement”.

Nikki brings over 20 years’ experience to building teams, driving proactive culture change, supporting business, developing policies and procedures and enhancing team engagement, as well as the recruitment process.

Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post 2020 Career Booster Series Ep 4: Recruiter insights when job searching with Nikki Domeney appeared first on Letz Create.

As an action-oriented person, my focus is on providing my clients with the ‘how to’ of a more successful job search. When I see a problem, I naturally move to solution and pride myself on helping clients develop a step by step action plan. However, sometimes my clients are not ready for action and just want to be heard.

A recent experience with a client was a powerful lesson in the importance of going to where my clients are and taking the time to check if they are okay before moving into solution mode. In this particular case, my client had recently been informed her role was to be made redundant. My role was to help her develop an action plan. I wrongly assumed she was ready to have this conversation, and it was midway through our first meeting that I realised we were not talking about what she needed to focus on. I had made the assumption that she’d done ‘the work’ required to process the news of her redundancy.

I chose efficiency over the relationship and as a result, she rejected me!

The Benefit of Hindsight

As you read this, you may be asking ‘Marina! Why would you share such a story with me?’ This is a good question and one I have considered myself before hitting publish on this blog post. The reason I am sharing this experience with you is because you too will experience rejection in your job search. I want you to benefit from what I learnt from this experience!

So what did I learn from this experience? Lots!

• Feedback helps you grow and develop
• It’s about teaching people the process, not just the outcome
• It’s about regularly checking in for feedback
• It’s not about me
• People get confused and frustrated by information and feedback they are not ready for or do not understand
• Job seekers can struggle with feedback if they have not dealt with the trauma of their situation (especially if there is a redundancy or termination involved)

And so what do I want you to take from this?

That feedback helps you grow and develop and rejection can sometimes be the best teacher!

What This Experience Taught Me About Myself

With the benefit of hindsight and some workshopping of the situation with a number of close colleagues, I am now on the other side of this. The rejection hurt at first, and I have taken the time to work through it, using the experience to inform my practice. This means future clients will receive a more empathetic Marina who will double check you are okay before she dives into action mode!

Specifically, I will also continue to focus on the following key areas with my clients, including:

• Going at the pace that feels comfortable for my clients
• Clarifying where they want to go during the conversation and making sure we cover the issues they are worried about
• Explaining the process and how I can help
• Asking lots of questions to understand what they really need and want
• Playing my understanding of their needs and goals back to them to make sure I have ‘got this right’
• Reviewing what we have discussed
• Checking what they are thinking / how they are feeling
• Clearly explaining and agreeing the next steps

And of course, we will move into action and solution mode. When they are ready!

How I can Help Your Job Search

If you’re just about to start your job search or are right in the thick of searching for a new role, I am so glad you’ve found me! I work with professionals who are actively looking for their next challenging role and are not quite sure how to write their cover letter, adapt their resume or prepare for their job interview. In some cases, it’s been a while since my clients have applied for work, in other cases they are applying for their dream job and want to make sure they get it right.

Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post Why Rejection is Sometimes the Best Teacher appeared first on Letz Create.

Does this scenario sound familiar?

There’s the rumour of redundancy at your office, with the HR team in a huddle. There’s been some ‘confidential’ information accidentally leaked by one of the executive team, who’s assistant overheard the redundancy plans and so now everyone knows about it and you’re waiting to hear what’s going to happen!

If you’ve experienced this situation, or worse, had no warning at all when an organisation chooses to offer or impose redundancies, the common response is often fear. I know this because I have worked in large organisations and been part of the HR team when redundancies have been on the table for employees.

I understand that you may feel fearful, embarrassed or even ashamed that you are considering a redundancy, but I have good news for you. Just like I do with all of my clients, I am going to explain to you why choosing a redundancy may in fact be one of the best first steps to help you build the life you want and start living out some of your dreams you’ve been talking about!

I know it may not feel like that now, so let’s focus on the basics to help warm you up to why I think redundancy can give you a strong sense of freedom.

How are you Feeling?

Let’s tackle some of the emotions. If not framed correctly, in terms of how you perceive the redundancy, it can certainly be perceived as a negative experience, especially if you were not prepared for a change and have held on to the way things were, not how they are.

When I meet clients who have chosen a redundancy I ask them how they are feeling about it. Specifically, I like to know when they were given the redundancy paperwork, what was their reaction. Were they upset or shocked?

I ask this because I believe it is essential for you to take a moment and spend some time reflecting on what’s just happened.

Tips to Survive Redundancy

My hope for you is to look back on your redundancy with the same positive feelings as a colleague of mine who describes her redundancy (in retrospect) as a gift.

The reality is that if the redundancy has affected you personally, every time you get a knock back with new jobs you apply for, your trauma is going to be revisited. When there is a knock back you may take this personally. When you personalise a knock back, you start to say to yourself ‘I am not good enough’. So I need to be sure you are strong and ready, and this is how you will survive (and hopefully also blossom) as a result of the redundancy!

1. Talk About It

Emotional distress as a result of this unexpected change of events needs to be processed, so make sure you seek any counselling that is offered to you as part of your redundancy or make the effort to talk to your partner, family or friends about how you are feeling as a result of these changes.

I believe it’s really important to talk about your redundancy and to try to frame it in terms of the freedom it can potentially offer you! If you can move yourself emotionally to the idea that the decision has been made and you’re feeling comfortable that this change is an opportunity to take control of your life, then you are beginning to understand the feeling of freedom, and often also the relief, that can come with choosing a redundancy.

2. Take Time To Reflect

This means that rather than jump straight into the next step of job search, you need to take time out to reflect on who you are, what’s important to you and how you can use this change to build a better life. I recommend you ask yourself the following questions.

What can I do for the next 10 years?

What are my skills?

How can I transfer these to other industries?

How can I build a better life?

Think back to your childhood or consider any unfulfilled dreams. Do you want to explore self employment and start your own business?  Is there an industry you have always wanted to work in?

Take a moment…

How I Help

If you are considering your next career move, planning a change in career direction, returning to work or exploring a redundancy, we have the tools and experience to partner you through this journey.

The results we achieve through our down to earth and practical approach are recognised by clients as a key enabler in creating a better plan for many aspects of their lives.

Get in touch to map out your next career move. Contact Marina on 0414 443 815 or email marina@letzcreate.com.au

Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post Why Redundancy Is a Unique Time to Take a Moment appeared first on Letz Create.

In my experience coaching many people through their redundancy planning, there is a period of time when the dust starts to settle, and you start to consider your options. The three most likely ways people navigate their redundancy include:

1. OMG! I’ve been made redundant and want to get a new role. ASAP.

2. This change triggers a desire to want to explore other options. What do I want from my life?
   In these cases, the individual may still go back to a 9 to 5 role, but they are more likely to consider roles or opportunities that are more left field than they previously considered. While they are still looking for a job, they are seeking greater satisfaction in the work that they do.

3. I want to work for myself. I always said so, and now I am going to do it!

How you navigate your redundancy is also influenced by your stage in life. In your 30s your career is still vital and you have an attachment to the next step. This is an opportunity to pay off some debts and then get back on board the corporate train and keep riding.

If you are in your 40s, you may have a mortgage and small family and have to work. Again, you may need to get back on the job train ASAP.

 Dealing with the Emotions

“A bad job is like eating too much sugar. You know it’s not good for you, but you cant stop it”.

With the benefit of hindsight, I now view my redundancy as a healthy turning point for me. While my journey through leaving a role I had known for so long was not an easy ride, I realise that it was my experience with this change in my career direction that has formed who I am today and the services I offer to my own clients.

After taking a break, I came back and started applying for jobs and was shortlisted for most of them. I was 45 and was starting to think – do I really want to go back to a 9-5 role and be super stressed? I wanted more work life balance. I wanted to be able to dictate my own terms.

While I still work long hours now, I love it and am doing it for myself. No office politics. No boss. No one telling me what to do. I am in the driver’s seat and am creating my own destiny. I would not have it any other way!

My Suggestions for Redundancy Planning

For those of you who are not in a position to start your own business, retire early, or take a 12 month sabbatical think carefully about how you use your redundancy payment. If you do wish to continue full time work and would perhaps like to consider roles outside of your industry or opportunities that are slightly left of centre of what you are currently doing, this can take some time.

I’m not suggesting you don’t take holidays, pay off your mortgage or renovate your home, but if you are going to be  out of work for an extended period after being made redundant, here are some tips to help plan, from Bravo’s pre-redundancy career strategies –

• Be proactive by always thinking ahead, and take the time to research other career options.
• Consider engaging a good career coach who can work with you to explore your personal needs, skills, interests and values and define what your options are for new employment.
• Keep developing your professional network, focussing in on people who are working in the industry you are targeting.
• Ask your contacts for advice on how to break into the industry and what skills and qualifications are prerequisite for entry into that sector.
• Undertake regular online research and leverage tools like LinkedIn to see who is doing what.
• Make the time to attend events or conferences in the sectors that interest you and establish new contacts.

In my experience it is those people who have a plan and take the time to consider their options who are the best placed to make a decision during times of change.

And remember, I am here to help!

Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post How to Navigate a Redundancy Mid-Career appeared first on Letz Create.