Wellington Woman magazine article written by Aurora Rees, Summer 2009 edition

Whether it’s finding a new job or becoming reinvigorated in your existing role, being happy in what you do is an important aspect of life. Given the amount of time we spend at work, finding job happiness and balance is vital. However, finding the courage or the tools to get what you want and where you want to be, can be daunting for many people.

The advice and support of a trained career coach may be just what you need to show you the way. What is career coaching and how does the process work?

For career coaches Tracy Keith and Amber Hawthorn of Career Analysts, a nationwide occupational consulting firm, it all begins by talking to their clients and helping them to assess which areas they wish to concentrate on, getting them to visualise what they want, and equally as important, recognise areas they feel confident in.

“Coaching helps you examine why you may not be happy in your current role,”  explains Amber. “You may not be motivated and sometimes you don’t understand why. For example, you may benefit from ongoing training, or your manager may not be appreciating your potential.”

“Or you could even be with the right organisation, but simply in the wrong team,” adds Amber. Their process is tailored to fit each individual client, which is important when reaching out to different personalities.

They describe their clients as having an inner strength. “Even though they may feel unsettled,” explains Amber, “they still know they want change in their lives. Then it’s up to us to build on that strength, and up to them to learn to work with it and develop it.”

“People often get a misrepresentation of what coaching is though,” says Tracy. “They think it’s counselling because you talk about how you feel right now, but in reality it is an opportunity to explore hidden talents and what possibilities may be out there for you.”

They call career coaching a ‘journey’ on which your coach helps you to discover areas you want to improve and set realistic goals you want to achieve. Common focuses for Career Analysts’ clients include energising their careers, useful interview techniques, designing a killer CV, confidence building exercises, renegotiating your value and career path development and/or acceleration. Similar techniques can be applied to other areas of your life to achieve your personal goals; for example physical fitness or personal relationships.

“The tools that we use,” says Tracy, “are value-based, allowing you to identify what your values are and what you’re motivated by. We’re looking at what you’re actually good at and where you r talents lie. Or even the stuff you’re really good at, but don’t want to do anymore!” Career Analysts assist in providing a fresh perspective. This helps to develop a new attitude to what was previously viewed as being ‘stuck in a rut,’ so to speak.

Tracy and Amber encourage their clients to be aware of and focus on the positive aspects of their work. “When you’re really ‘buzzing’ at work, it’s worth understanding what that looks and feels like so we can try to recreate that,” explains Tracy.

One area that they find to be a consistent focus point for clients is fear of change. Factors that fuel this reluctance to pursue a career change can include finances, losing status or respect, lack of confidence and fear of failing. “It’s natural for everyone going through change to experience heightened anxiety and to feel as though they are falling and there’s no one there to catch them,” says Amber. “This is where the role of a coach comes into play.”

Career Analysts’ approach with clients is designed to help them conquer their fears through an interactive process. It’s meant to be challenging but enjoyable and rewarding at the same time. According to Amber, clients are encouraged to continue thinking about various strategies when they get home. This can be something as simple as a brainstorming session or even just thinking about some relevant “new ideas and new concepts” associated with their goals.

“You’re finding out who you are and that’s part of the journey,” Tracy says. “And in the process of the journey, you sometimes don’t even realise a change has taken place. Part of our role is to reflect what we see and hear during our time with our clients. This is the exciting and inspiring aspect of our role.”

Both Amber and Tracy have experience in the New Zealand recruitment industry and are well networked.

Tracy has been working in career coaching for 11 years now and has corporate, government and voluntary sector experience. She is an accredited coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF), a qualified coach with Results Coaching Systems, and has been self employed for five years. Tracy is also a Board Member for Dress for Success.

Amber has a background in education and recruitment within the corporate sector. She underwent the same sort of career change she now helps clients with. For the past five years she has been more dedicated to the area of careers. “I know what it’s like to be a square peg in a round hole,” she says. “Sometimes in your career, you lack positive reinforcement and you feel like it’s just a hard grind. It feels like it is all for nothing and your career is slowly deteriorating.”

People thinking of a career change or needing to empower themselves in their  current role should, according to Tracy and Amber, have a planned approach and try to showcase their talents. A good career coach can be a sounding board throughout the process and help uncover thoughts and behaviours the client may not have even known were there. However, there are questions anyone can ask themselves to help explore where their true passions may lie.

“What aspects of your role do you enjoy?” Tracy asks. “What do you love about doing that particular activity? What gets you excited? What are your values and are they aligned with the organisation and role? What would you like to be different? What is one small step you can take to get you started on making a positive change?”

A good first step which they suggest is to get past the fear of failure that’s holding you back. Do this and you’ll no doubt feel empowered and be able to find a job you love or simply learn to love the job you already have.

“Take time to be reflective, relax and enjoy life,” concludes Tracy. “Make time for yourself. Be selfish!”

Wellington Woman article written by Aurora Rees, Summer 2009 edition