After being laid off from three different oil and gas companies in a span of 10 years, Frances* decided she’d had enough.
“I want security now,” she told her career coach at their discovery meeting. “Nothing is as important as knowing I’ll have consistent work and in the same place, as my children grow up.”
Frances loved her work as a project coordinator, organizing vendors, and schedules, and making sure everyone knew what they had to do and had the resources to do it successfully. She knew her discipline and focus along with her commitment to meeting deadlines and to following up was appreciated by her team and her boss. People relied on her. She enjoyed the pace and excitement of the energy industry, and liked knowing that she was taking good care of her family.
Each time a project ended or a reorganization happened though, Frances had to start again. This time she wanted to be in charge.
Her coach asked Frances to become really clear about answering, “What do I offer?” Not just listing the duties of all the roles she had held, she needed to assess what was truly unique about her: her experience, skills, values, strengths, interests, learning, talents, everything, was examined. She started
to see a theme emerging. She was much more than the functions of her previous jobs.
With her coach’s support, Frances explored “Who needs what I can offer?” – the “reconnaissance” step in an effective work search. She wasn’t looking for another job at this point; she was looking for fit. Then she was asked to consider, “Where do I want to offer my experience and skills?
Workshops gave her new insights and ideas. Assessments reinforced her self-worth. A clear direction was beginning to emerge and partnering with her coach, Frances developed a well-organized action plan. Her project management skills were serving her well. She had a direction.
Frances narrowed her search to three top targets, where in return for her experience and unique strengths and transferable skills, she would feel secure in her job. She was increasingly clear about the value she was bringing to the marketplace.
After two months, Frances accepted an offer with the provincial government and settled into interesting work. Ten years later, she continues to feel secure and valued.
“I can look back now and be glad I was laid off. With my coach’s help and the resources of my transition program, I was able to get clear about what I wanted and where I wanted to be.”
*We take our clients’ confidentiality seriously. Please note while this client’s name has been changed, the story and results are real.
