“Thank you again for all your input and helping me focus on the direction to move in.” Chief executive, environmental services
“My coaching experience motivated me to look at myself and how I could change my sense of career direction when my confidence was low and I felt stuck in a wilderness.” Adult literacy tutor
“At a complete career crossroads a chance meeting with Heather proved to be highly fortuitous. Heather helped steer my thought processes; refine my cv; update and hone my interview skills and most crucially re-instill my self confidence. After our sessions, with my career mapped out, I was delighted to accept the role I had aspired to.” Marketing manager, retail sector
“I feel less likely to just bounce from role to role, like I have done in the past as I have a much clearer view of where I would like to get to in my career. I also have a much better understanding of my key skills and how to articulate them – the exercise of writing a functional CV was particularly helpful. I now have a great toolkit that I can apply to future career decisions.” Finance director, manufacturing sector
“I have had the benefit of Heather’s coaching and advice at two critical points in my career – in 2001 and 2014. On both occasions Heather’s help was invaluable and I would thoroughly recommend Raeburn career coaching”. Brand manager, drinks industry
“I’m really glad to finally make progress. Without a doubt, your help to improve my CV and get a better understanding of my strengths has made a big difference. Thanks for all your help getting me motivated and focused.” Resource planning analyst, financial services
“By far the most valuable part of my experience with Raeburn Career Coaching has been the assistance that Heather has provided me in enabling me to better market myself. This is particularly true when it comes to the writing of my CV, and especially the thought process behind identifying my strengths and emphasising them in my presentation.” Director of planning, health sector
“Overall I found the service to be excellent – very enjoyable and helpful.” Account executive, advertising industry
“You were extremely helpful, thank you for your time.” Senior policy officer, local authority
“Having an objective expert to help me identify what I wasn’t enjoying about my current role and what I needed from my next role was invaluable. I honestly can’t think of any way in which the service could have been improved. Heather was always available to meet me, even at short notice and was flexible around meeting up or using skype. The sessions were focused and structured and the homework activities useful.” Volunteer manager, charity
“I’m still profiting hugely from our sessions.” Museum curator
Examples of people who have benefited from Raeburn Career Coaching include:
Finance Director who had worked in the same company for over 30 years and had taken early retirement. Although he had progressed steadily to a very senior role in a large organisation, he hadn’t ever enjoyed his job. We worked on identifying and pursuing a new direction for him. He chose a portfolio of activities: some non-exec roles and some unpaid roles in the charity sector, which he is now thoroughly enjoying.
Marketing consultant who had taken a career break to have children and who now wanted to do something different which fitted better with family life. We spent several meetings helping her become clearer on what her options might be. She decided to mix a hobby with her commercial skills and has now set up a business providing table decorations. We spent the latter part of the programme working on how she would achieve this.
Law partner who had decided that private practice was not for him and wanted a role which fitted better with his values. We explored what kind of sector, organisation and role would suit him best and as a result he was able to focus his job search efforts to find a role in the not-for-profit sector which uses his legal experience and gives him a sense of fulfilment.
Chief executive who, having spent several years in a very demanding role, wanted a better life/work balance. Through her previous role she had build up a very extensive network of contacts in her sector so we worked out how she would use this network to research a potential consultancy offering. We then “packaged” her and planned how she would promote herself across this network. She is now trading successfully.
Youth project manager whose project had run out of funding and who wanted a more secure future. We worked together to prepare her to apply for teacher training, and then again to help her secure a maths teaching job in a secondary school after graduation.
Director of Programmes for a major television company who had left very suddenly and very publicly. We worked through how to deal with the situation both on a personal and a public basis, including formulating a strategy to deal with the media. Then we planned how he could network to secure a new role in the industry, which he did within two months.
Financial analyst who was feeling increasingly uncomfortable in the sector in which he worked. We explored the kind of role which would suit him best, and worked out that he could transfer many of his skills to a social enterprise setting. He researched different organisations in the sector and was able to submit a very tailored application which was successful in landing him a role in assessing organisations for funding.
Graduate who’d left university without the level of degree he’d hoped for. His confidence was very low and he couldn’t find a job. We worked through his career aspirations and identified his strengths and skills and worked on how he could project those to potential employers. He ended up aiming to work in a very different area to his degree and was successful in getting a job which was the first step in the career he wanted.
Head of Property in local government who was very disillusioned with the changes being imposed as a result of government funding cuts. She had worked in her organisation all her life and didn’t know where to start when looking to move. We spent quite a time helping her to see her career to date and her current position with better perspective, and building her confidence to use her well developed network. She is now a Business Development Director with a local housing association and is thoroughly enjoying the change.
Office administrator who was bored with her job and wanted a change. We used the wide variety of interests she had outside work to identify the skills and preferences that should influence her new career aim. We then worked hard to ‘repackage’ her and she was successful in moving to a more challenging and satisfying role in the charity sector.
Commercial director who wanted to expand into a broader leadership role. We worked to help her to gain two non-exec directorships which helped her to broaden her experience. After nearly a year, she was able to apply for and secure a role as MD of a small quango.
Management consultant who was finding the lifestyle associated with her role far too stressful and demanding. She had always enjoyed the people management and building relationships part of her role most satisfying, so we identified HR as an area for her to pursue, and she has since completed a CIPD qualification and is now working in the HR department of a large engineering company.