Matthew’s Career Coaching Story

Meet Matthew. Matthew is a Property Consultant from London who I have had the pleasure of working with over the last few months. Matthew has been kind enough to share his career coaching journey with us in his own words, and what a journey it has been! Over to you Matthew…

“I needed to change jobs”

Like many people, the stresses of working from home and trying to keep my career on track during the pandemic had taken their toll, but the experience had also strengthened my conviction that if I was to fulfil my career ambitions, I needed to change jobs. I was working for an abusive boss in a toxic work environment and I knew that this was unsustainable, not just for my career but my own personal wellbeing.

The only problem was that after a particularly bruising experience of job hunting previously, which was exacerbated by a lack of clarity and direction and which had pushed me as close to breaking point as I’d ever been (and I consider myself to be fairly resilient), I wasn’t sure how or even if I could summon the energy, resolve and focus to get out there and hunt down another new job whilst continuing to hold down my existing job.

I therefore decided that I needed to approach things differently this time around, and that I needed help with this process, given my previous experience but also my age (40 at the time) and the importance of getting this move right.

I’d been interested in the idea of speaking to a career coach for a while, and this felt like the right time to explore this further. After doing some research online, I came across Clare’s website for Fortem and, having read some of her blogs, I got a good feeling. Her approach and way of seeing things really spoke to me so I contacted her to see if she could help. It was a turning point....

 My experience with Clare…

..My sessions with Clare really helped me to distil my thoughts, work out what was important to me in seeking my new path (my values), how and where I should be directing my energy, and crucially, how to put it all into action. As well as giving me the space to talk about myself and my career to date with an impartial and constructive ear, her processes enabled me to achieve the clarity of thought and direction I’d been missing up until that point. In turn, this all combined to give me more self-confidence and galvanised me to start looking for my new job with a renewed sense of purpose and conviction.

A few months later, after some targeted job applications and conversations with recruiters which were consistent with my values-driven approach learned from Clare, I landed my new job at a company I’d wanted to work with for years with an amazing reputation in the industry. Not only that but this new role also came with a higher salary, promotion, and opportunities for progression. It really was my dream job.

Whilst plenty of hard work and a decent amount of luck on my part were significant contributing factors in securing this new role, I know that my time with Clare, and everything I learned with her was instrumental in pulling it all together and elevating me to a position where I was able to create and seize this amazing opportunity. Reaching out to Clare for help was one of the best career decisions I ever made and I would have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone who is looking to make a positive change in their working life.

Thank you Matthew - so happy to receive your lovely comments. This is why I do what I do. If you aren’t happy in your career, this often spills over into your personal life too. I love working with people like Matthew to see the transformation that comes with career and leadership coaching.

Could I help you like I helped Matthew?

Book your free 30 minute consultation and let’s chat.