The programme

I am licensed to deliver the Firework career transition coaching programme. It is a proven framework to help you to find your way to more fulfilling work. I also bring all of my own coaching skills to the programme and create a space for you to explore career ideas that align with your values and match where you’re at in your life, asking questions to provide you with focus and prompt you to find clarity.

The framework is divided into three sections:

Explore - where you really get to know yourself and what you want from your work and life as a whole.

Dream - where you generate new career ideas in innovative ways.

Discover - where you formulate an action plan so you can find a route from where you are now to where you want to be.

How long will it take?

The process is fairly lengthy, but that is part of its beauty. Perhaps you ended up in your present career because you didn’t spend time working out what you really want. Perhaps you’re at a stage in life now where the stakes are higher and you want to make sure that this is the right decision for you and your future. It takes time to really drill down into what makes you tick and what you want next from your working life. I do ask for your intention to commit to the whole process. At the same time, I understand that life has twists and turns that come at us when we’re least expecting them, so I don’t market this as a huge package with a costly up-front price tag. As with all my other 1:1 coaching, you are welcome to pay as you go, but I do recommend that you only start the process if you intend to see it through to the end of at least the Explore phase, and ideally the entire programme: I want you to see the results as much as you do! For this reason, I offer packages of four sessions at a reduced fee when bought up front.

I recommend approximately 4- 6 sessions in the Explore phase, 4-5 sessions in the Dream, and 4-5 sessions in the Discover. So depending on whether you decide to work weekly or fortnightly, it could take between 3 - 8 months.

Career coaching vs mentoring

This is career coaching, not mentoring. I see it as taking place at the beginning of the career transition cycle, where you have identified you need a change, but you’re not sure where or how or what yet. Once you reach the end of the Discover phase, you might feel you want some career mentoring around interview skills or cv writing. This is not something I currently offer, but I would be more than happy to point you in the direction of someone who does.

Who is most suited to this process?

Ideally you will have arrived at a place where you know you want something more or something different. Sometimes people end up staying exactly where they are, but do so with renewed purpose and excitement. You should be seeing career/life-transition as a new project, and you will be willing to invest time, energy and money into it.

What if?

If you are in crisis mode, e.g. if you have been made redundant and have a financial need to find a job ASAP, then this is probably not the best time for you to be investing in this process. You need to be able to make time for dreaming, and for discovering new information about yourself. You ideally need enough space and ability to relax into the process. Also, if you are depressed or anxious, it again might not be the best option for you right now. I would recommend seeking therapeutic support before embarking on a process of career transition. I am happy to talk these things through during an introductory call.

Homework

Did I mention the homework? There’s homework! The homework is to speed up the process a bit, so that time together can be spent coaching rather than me giving you too many exercises to do in the session. If you prefer we could do many more sessions and meet more frequently, but I don’t really think that’s the best use of your time or money!

Will it work in non-career situations?

This framework would also suit someone planning a fulfilling retirement.