A Career Coaching Success Story…
I wish you could shadow me for a day and see the wide variety of fascinating discussions I get to have. Each one, whether with an individual or a team, is utterly unique and just so… human.
Alas, given that all of my coaching conversations are confidential, that will never happen. BUT I can share some anonymous vignettes, with all the pertinent details removed, to give you a sense of what I get to work on with people. Maybe they will spark some ideas for you?
Joanie (not her real name) was recently laid off from her job after several years. It was unexpected, but she did not panic because she had never had trouble finding work in the past, given her set of skills. She was also good in interviews, and anticipated it would not take long to find something.
We met for some coaching in how to start her search, and some of my questions made her nervous. I told her the “job search game” had changed pretty dramatically in the AI era, and that many companies now used ATS (Application Tracking Software) bots to review resumes and applications, which would in turn require Joanie to update and reformat her resume in some significant ways. She gulped pretty hard, given that she had not had to look for a job in six years.
As part of my coaching, I offered to help her with these changes with some tools I’ve been using with other clients. Furthermore, I coached her in how to leverage LinkedIn for her job search. We talked through a serious glow-up of her profile, how to use the job search tools, regular posting, keywords, networking, etc. Though initially resistant (“my family has decided to not use social media,” which I totally respect!) I was able to help her see how much more positive LinkedIn can be, and that it’s more of a “professional development and networking” site than a social media site.
We did a bit more coaching on all of those moving parts and fast forward to a few weeks later. Here’s the message I received:
Just following up, I accepted a job with __________ today 😊 They were hiring [for a position] that matches my resume perfectly. LinkedIn helped a lot. That's where I first saw the listing, and without Linkedin I wouldn't have known that I had two friends on the inside, people I worked with closely at a different company. They talked me up to the hiring manager, who said she would have missed my resume otherwise. So it all came together! Glad to have found something I'm excited about. Thanks for all your help and coaching!
As a career coach, I will never guarantee that I can help you find a job — if anyone makes that promise, run away as fast as you can! But I do know, after working with so many clients, that I can walk you through a process that helps you to get more clear on what you want, what you have to offer, and how to look in more focused ways (rather than aimlessly applying to as many jobs as possible). Furthermore, I am able to listen and provide some ongoing support during a tense and fraught time.
If that sounds like something you might need, just go to the landing page and hit the CONTACT button at the end of this page to set up a complimentary 30-minute call and see if it makes sense to work together. Thanks for reading and be in touch!
