Career Coaching Success Stories. In the following three case studies, the names of the clients have been changed and some details have been deliberately omitted to protect confidentiality. The facts are true.
Case Study #1
Charles, a Project Management professional and IT specialist came to me when he lost his job due to company reorganization. He wanted to relocate to a larger center to be closer to family. He had few business contacts there and was afraid he would not find what he needed in that region. The coaching process helped him develop a clear vision of the criteria that would make a job a great fit for him. He actively researched the market in that region to see what organizations had needs that matched with his areas of expertise and greatest interests. Charles appreciated the regular coaching sessions that helped him develop and use an effective search strategy, and provided him with an objective sounding board for ideas and thought processing. Reporting on his progress regularly made him more accountable and kept him motivated to keep moving steadily in a positive direction.
Having clarity on his expertise and work preferences helped him to prepare effective written job search materials specifically targeted to each job he applied for. He developed a networking strategy that was workable for him and in a matter of weeks he had interviews, followed by an offer that landed him a job that was quite a good fit, that was located in the region in which he wanted to live and at a higher income level than his previous job.
A few years later he reactivated the coaching process when organizational changes led to another job loss. He re-assessed his preferences and needs, updated and strengthened his resume and developed his search strategy. With the support of coaching, he found many ways to reduce stress during this time of chaos and uncertainty thus giving him more energy to put into the search. Some days were difficult as it seemed that despite all his hard work, nothing was happening. The structured process helped to keep the momentum going to continuously take a focused, targeted approach and maintain a positive outlook. Suddenly one of his networking contacts introduced him to a company that had a need for his expertise. He contacted them and quickly landed an interview followed by a great offer.
Case Study #2
Kathy came to me about two years before she was due to retire from the organization for which she had worked for over 20 years. She enjoyed her work and there was great fear about the future and how she would spend her time when she no longer had the steady and mostly satisfying work she was so used to having. Through her assessment process, coaching conversations helped her clarify her vision of an ideal future and what actions needed to be taken in order to make it happen.
Some of the steps seemed daunting at first, but through coaching, she found ways to move forward despite her fears. Her self esteem and confidence gradually grew, replacing fear and anxiety with excitement and eager anticipation. She began to recognize the many possibilities open to her and avidly researched the ones that were of particular interest.
Next, she determined that she needed and wanted further education in her chosen field. She explored and analyzed her options and took the steps to begin to get the training she wanted. Having done this work, her focus shifted from the chaos of the unknown to clarity and peace of mind knowing she is headed in the right direction for her.
Case Study #3
When Jack came to me he was managing a highly technical team project and was not sure that he was in the right line of work. Although he was well organized and a good project leader, he often felt overwhelmed and under qualified when it came to the technical aspects of the work. Thus job stress was extremely high and was negatively impacting his life. He had been thinking about making a career change, but wasn’t sure about what direction to take.
Together we explored his interests and values (he is especially passionate about skiing), skills, knowledge, personal attributes, and more. Through coaching, he gained clarity and new insight about himself and learned how to take an effective targeted approach in his search process. By giving himself permission to listen to and follow his heart Jack took some small steps in a positive direction.
Recalling that he enjoyed promoting events in some previous volunteer work, he made a decision to learn about marketing and invested in some evening classes. The courses turned out to be more than just an opportunity to learn about marketing. He met many new people in the process which helped him to broaden his network and his vision of what could be. He discovered that marketing skills could be used in endless ways and places and could even help him in his current job.
Later, as Jack’s company went through yet another major reorganization process, he was given the news that he was no longer needed there. It was a shock and a disappointment to suddenly be cast adrift from the company where he had given his best effort for a number of years.
The sudden loss, though difficult, was also a huge new opportunity. He chose to focus his search on marketing related jobs. In a few months he took another leap of faith when he accepted a 1-year position that required relocation to another part of the country. It was a welcome move because it meant living in a mountainous region where he could ski more often. A year later, he landed a job as Marketing Coordinator in the Tourism industry in a nearby region. All the steps that Jack took, both small and large, required a certain degree of risk. He is delighted to report that he has no regrets. He has happily moved in new directions that he never thought possible.