Business Overview
The client had a background in law which opened up the potential to work in UK, European and International corporate organisations. The long term aim was for a Board Director role leading to CEO opportunities. Due to a takeover gardening leave suddenly became an unplanned for reality. How to use the time wisely and effectively to find the job that would be the right one so that career plans progressed seamlessly? The CV was a great place to start as that was the client’s ‘shop window’ in effect.
With the coaching agreement in place and the timescale realistic it was time to discover what was the ‘raw material’ available to work with. The client dug deep into every aspect of work and non-work life to bring to the surface skills, abilities, qualities, gaps to weave into the perfect CV. Questions to aid their collection were essential being both challenging and supportive.
Delivery
It was always my CV: Halina simply helped me discover what was there and how to present me to show my value. She was always there with no attachment to any outcome and encouraging me to take responsibility for my choices.
Sharing the process, having someone to walk alongside me and be my best cheerleader believing 100% in me. Making the decision to commit myself and my time.Great presence which created trust. There was always empathy with a toughness to keep my focus on the outcome that I wanted. Encouragement to step back and look at the facts apart from the emotions that hovered in the wings.
How we did it
Getting the wording, the language right – the whole editing process needs lots of patience and commitment as an investment in one’s future. One might not be that bothered. It is always a choice to make.
Make sure you are clear about your standards and have the editing process appropriate for you. Make the process time specific. Go for a version that is as good as it can be at the time. Have an absolute deadline. Be clear about what the process is about and what outcomes are wanted.
And now, as a result of that work on the CV, this client is a Group Managing Director International of a major corporate.
Working in partnership
It was a partnership as we worked through the process; the having someone to walk alongside me and be my best cheerleader believing 100% in me; the making of the decision to commit myself and my time; a coach with great presence which created trust. There was always empathy from my coach with a toughness to keep my focus on the outcome that I wanted. Halina encouraged me always to step back and look at the facts separating them from the emotions that hovered in the wings.
Achievements
The client said ‘I needed another perspective from someone who could look dispassionately at what I had done, identify and reflect back to me key indicators of my worth in employment terms and enable me to translate those into reality through to interview.
So what did the process of sorting out my CV involve? Absolute honesty on my part, complete preparedness to have what was on paper gone through with a fine tooth comb and to have some challenging questions asked, patience as the versions moved towards the winning product, trust that the outcome would be excellent, clarity evolved as the process gained momentum, being ruthless to eliminate what wasn’t needed or didn’t serve me or didn’t show me to best advantage. Always asking the question ‘So what?’ and essential to make the process a priority! Halina manages expectations and enables expansion of how one acknowledges and recognises one’s skills and abilities. This process certainly built my confidence; there was lots of reflection back to me as to what I was good at. o have someone working in partnership was invaluable as it is hard to do this by oneself. There was accountability, help to maintain focus and objectivity.”
Quotes
“This was a ‘whole person’ process with a focus on the particular job made extraordinary by Halina’s clarity and experience. A crucial element for me was that she has had a full and varied portfolio career – many jobs, a cross-section of skills and resources – and that all this was on tap for me”.
As the client, I was allowed to really think about what I wanted and what I was trying to say through the medium of this CV. This I felt was a privilege and so unusual that I gained huge freedom to create a CV that gained me a dream job with excellent financial benefits as well as the potential to progress to the very top levels in the organisation should I choose to do so. I might choose to look for an even better opportunity because I know that I can because I now know my worth.”
Career Progression to Group MD International of a major corporate