Building Resilient Careers and Organizations.™
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect during my first session?
Before our first session, we’ll connect by phone (or Zoom) so that I have a basic understanding of your situation and needs. As a result of this preliminary conversation, your first session, and subsequent ones will be customized to meet your needs and priorities.
If you’re unsure of what type of career or job makes sense for you, we’ll start with a short test (psychometric assessment) and a structured interview. Then I’ll have enough information to devise some viable options for us to discuss and for you to consider during a second session. These options are meant as a starting point or springboard, you’re not obligated to pursue those suggested options. In many cases, clients have selected one of those options and been pleased with the results.
If you’ve already decided on your next career or job then our first session might be a working meeting where we improve your resume and/or cover letter or practice answering realistic interview questions.
What would my second session look like?
I’ve been stuck a career rut for a long time. What do you do differently that will help me? What exactly is I/O psychology anyway?
I’ll answer your last question first. And to do that, I’m going to turn into a science wonk for a second to share a definition of I/O psychology: it is the scientific study of human behaviour in the workplace and applies psychological theories and principles to organizations. My field focuses on increasing workplace productivity, culture, and related issues such as the physical and mental well being of employees.
Here’s why I/O makes an enormous difference!
I tackle career ruts differently than other career coaches. I use theory and practice to solve my clients’ problems. More than career coaching, it’s career psychology.
I’ve been using my specialization in I/O psychology at the doctoral level for over 20 years to solve practical problems in employee development, human resources, leadership development, recruitment, and the assessment of job applicants’ ability. I understand what happens in practice.
Your address isn’t published. Where will we meet?
What services do you offer?
Since I have skills and expertise that allow me to do career coaching and human resources (HR) consulting I offer both.
Career Coaching:
- A standardized test and structured interview to assess your skills, interests, and current circumstances
- Action-oriented feedback based on the test and interview to help you decide on viable career options
- Resume/cover letter assistance and mock interview preparation to help you land the job
- In instances where self-employment is appropriate, you’ll get concrete help with starting your own business (in other words, startup business coaching)
- Assessment of leadership skills for hiring, employee development, and for promotion and related coaching
HR Services:
Assistance to small business owners who need to hire new staff
Outplacement services
How much will this cost me?
My rates are competitive, since I offer customized services to suit a range of budgets. Total fees will depend on the amount of time required and whether it’s group or private coaching. I’m friendly! Call me anytime for details.
Do you offer the exact same coaching program for everyone?
No, I offer coaching programs that are geared towards your specific needs. For example, if you need help deciding on a different career direction, but you don’t need help with resumes or cover letters, then we focus on making a sound decision around what type of career you’ll pursue. If you know what you’re searching for but you’ve had poor outcomes at job interviews then we can work on mock interviews to make sure you’ll succeed at your next interview.
These coaching programs are unique. This means I’ll never ask you to read 100+ pages of documentation and then try to apply what you learn. I may give you the occasional article to read but I focus on delivering customized solutions.
How long will I need to see you? Is this like psychotherapy?
This is not like psychotherapy. This is not meant to be a long-term process. The intention is to provide concrete and accurate advice and services efficiently so that you build a resilient career.
Most people have four to seven sessions, spread out over weeks (or months). Some have only one or two sessions e.g. to prepare for a job interview, but some have more than seven sessions when their transition from one job to another is more dramatic or extreme.