Early-Career Planning and Early-Career Job-Search Coaching
Relying on trial and error to make career and educational-planning choices is both frustrating and ineffective. So many career possibilities are available, it’s no wonder you don’t know where to start. To find what’s right for you, you need information – about yourself, what you like, what you’re good at – and about the career options you are considering, or maybe hadn’t thought about yet.
If you’re one of the many students today who during, or even after completing post-secondary still has no idea what you want to do after you graduate – or even what your education has prepared you for, Insight to Action can help. Together we will work through a process to equip you with the information you need to make a confident decision about educational programs you should consider, and the attitudes you need to embrace to position yourself for career success in the future.
Is early-career planning right for you?
Consider early-career planning if you are:
- a graduate in your 20s or 30s who is disappointed in your early-career progress, and is still not sure what type of work you are suited for
- a post-secondary student who is unhappy with your academic program and uncertain what to do about it
- a senior high school student who wants to narrow the options and make the right post-secondary planning decisions from the start
How will early-career planning help?
Insight to Action’s early-career planning services will:
- help you become a more goal-directed, motivated and confident student pursuing an academic program that’s right for you
- ensure a suitable return on your educational investment
- equip you with the tools and awareness to make future career decisions
- provide peace of mind for you and your parents, by reducing the stress and expense that results from needless floundering to determine the right career path
How does it work?
Insight to Action provides a comprehensive career assessment and guidance process to assist you with career and educational-planning decisions. The process is customized to your needs and budget, and includes all or some of the following:
- in-depth review of your education, extracurricular activities, and part-time work experience and discussion of expectations, objectives, and options
- scientifically validated, online assessment of your interests, personality preferences and strengths
- one-on-one coaching to process the results of assessments and exercises, and discuss implications for your career and educational choices
- guidance in researching occupations of interest to obtain real-world information about the nature of the work, qualifications, employment prospects – and to research academic program options that will prepare you for this career path
How has early-career planning helped others?
Elaine’s clients share how Insight to Actions‘s career coaching made a difference to their careers.
“I have forwarded your information to my friend …who realizes like me that doing this type of homework ahead of time and when someone is starting their career can be very beneficial….FYI, I only refer people that are very good and I am very impressed and pleased with the work that you have done – definitely no hesitation in this case.”
VB, the mentor of a young adult seeking career and educational planning guidance.
“Elaine Sigurdson helped my daughter figure out where to go to university and what to study when she got there. An accomplished student in many areas, my daughter was having trouble focusing because she has so many interests and abilities. After some testing and discussions she was able to zero in on two areas and has now made her choice to go to a small liberal-arts school this fall! I don’t know how she would have made these decisions on her own.”
Donna Pappacosta obtained career coaching to assist her daughter with educational planning.
Early Career Job-Search Coaching
“I already know the kind of a job I want, but I don’t know how to get it.”
If you’ve already completed the career-planning process, or have determined what job you want, Insight to Action provides job-search coaching to help you conduct a professional job search.
How does job-search coaching help?
Whether you are breaking into the market for the first time, or already have a job and want to get a better one, through coaching you will:
- gain critical job-search skills that will serve you well through life
- get the training and support you need to complete your search in less time and with greater ease
- have increased peace of mind through this stressful life passage
- have the satisfaction and fulfillment of work that you enjoy, when you’ve achieved your goal
How does early career job-search coaching work?
Insight to Action’s job-search coaching program is customized to your needs, and includes some or all of the following:
- Self-discovery exercises to foster awareness of your strengths and achievements – what differentiates you from others and makes you unique. This is time well spent, especially if you are breaking into the market for the first time. It sets the stage for your being able to talk more confidently about yourself while networking and in interviews.
- Support to mount an active, strategic and creative job search, for example:
- development of a job-search strategy that targets organizations/ industries where your education and interests will be most marketable
- development of a resume that builds and enhances your brand
- guidance in the preparation of job-search correspondence
- creating a LinkedIn profile
- support in preparing for and conducting an active networking campaign
- preparation and practice for interviews
- guidance in selecting and preparing references
- referral to websites, organizations and events that provide specialized services for young adults transitioning to the world of work
- guidance in researching part-time learning opportunities that might make you more marketable
- support through the emotional challenges of job search to overcome discouragement, manage stress and stay focused on your goals
How has job-search coaching helped others?
“I wanted to say a big thank you for all of your help transitioning me through a challenging time in my life. I really felt aimless and overwhelmed and you helped me feel like I was taking concrete, positive steps in the right direction. I also developed a keener insight into what I bring in terms of skills, an awareness of my weaknesses, and what I need from my work environment to thrive and be happy. And your advice to never underestimate the power of “loose connections” and to reach out to others was what set things in motion for me, and ultimately the way I ended up finding my job. Thank you again.”
Danielle Abbatangelo, a university graduate seeking permanent employment in early career.
You may also be interested in this related blog post.
Job Search Advice for New Grads