Don’t Dream it, Live it

Career Coaching

Whether you want to land a new right-fit job, or have a complete career change, through career coaching, I provide insight, tools, and top tips so you can identify and land a job in which you will feel happy, fulfilled and thrive.

In your career coaching sessions, we cover topics such as understanding where you want to work and why, defining your personal brand so you stand out, job search strategies, CV development, cover letters, optimising LinkedIn profile to get noticed, networking, interview techniques, and salary negotiation. Work-life balance needs can also be covered.

Job Motivation, Organisational and Cultural Fit

Motivation & values

At the start of your career coaching sessions, we look at the motivation behind what you do well and uncover what drains you and why. In addition, we determine the environments you will thrive so you can decide where you want to work and why. As part of this, we can uncover your values to make sure there is synergy between you, the company, and the role.

Gallup Clifton StrengthsFinder

Gallup has found that people who know their talents and use them at work are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and report having a three times better quality of life. If you chose to do this assessment I will let you know, based on your results, what you bring to a workplace as well as what you need from a new role, so you will perform and thrive.

Work-life balance

If making sure that your work-life balance is right for your current season, then you can opt to have a combination of both career and life coaching.

Discover your purpose

You can opt to undertake additional coaching to enable you to discover your purpose

Job Applications

Personal brand

Your personal brand is vital in today’s job market. It is mentioned in CV summaries, LinkedIn profiles and enables you to be able to confidently introduce yourself in person. It is how you let potential employers know who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Whether you are a career changer or a seasoned professional being able to tell your story is key..

CV, cover letter and portfolios

As part of your career coaching sessions, I provide you with CV and cover letter templates then review and provide feedback on what you produce to make sure you showcase your results and achievements and get to the top of the applicant pile. If you have one I can also provide feedback on your design portfolio. The feedback given follows the latest best practices to ensure you have the highest chance of being shortlisted and getting through applicant tracking systems. In addition, I provide career coaching on how to edit CVs and cover letters for each role.

LinkedIn and social media

LinkedIn is a vital tool in today’s job search. As part of your career coaching sessions, we review your profile, work on optimisation and I show you how to use the platform to get noticed and make the right connections. Many clients tell me after following my guide they have recruiters reaching out to them about positions they are a fit for.

Job Search Strategies

Apply for jobs

We cover how and where to look for jobs, creating a target company list and how to reach out to them, as well as how to work with recruiters.

Networking

Many people get scared at the thought of networking but it is an important part of the job search especially in finding hidden jobs. Career coaching on networking includes who to reach out to, why, and how to do it.

Interview technique

Hiring managers require an answer to arguably just three questions. Can you do the job? Will you do the job? Are you the right fit for our team? During an interview preparation and practice career coaching session, feedback is given on improving answers, physical appearance, and body language. Following these sessions, clients report increased confidence and many say they believe it is the practice session that resulted in a job offer.

Setting up as a freelancer

If this is something you are interested in we can cover what you need to do to set yourself up as a freelancer.

Job Offers & First 30/60/90 Days

Your career coaching sessions don’t stop at interview. When you have been offered, you can receive coaching on how to negotiate salary and contract. If you decide the role isn’t right for you, then I provide coaching on how to turn it down in a positive way.

Finally, I can support you through your first 30/60/90 days in role to make sure you make an impact, settle and thrive.

Sam Davis

Cornwall

"Jenny Butter is a fantastic career coach. She has helped me to find direction in my career, which has been a persistent challenge for me ever since I left university. Jenny always knows the right questions to ask, at the right moments. This is essential in helping you really think in order to make those tough decisions!

Her advice and guidance throughout the process were invaluable. Before we started our sessions, Jenny and I had a conversation about what I was hoping to achieve, and having now concluded these sessions I can say that she truly delivered!"

Caroline Barley

UK

“In the time that Jenny Butter supported me through a big career and life change, I felt a real connection and understanding.

Jenny’s skill in identifying the character of an individual (even remotely and without being able to meet in person) and then working through appropriate plans, solutions, options and changes of direction is outstanding. The confidence she helps you develop in yourself is a very powerful tool.”

Oksana D

Cambridgeshire

“With Jenny Butter’s help, I have managed what seemed impossible. Not only have I found a new job but also a complete career change! Jenny helped me establish exactly why I was unhappy in my previous job, what kind of work would suit me best and gave me all the confidence I needed to do my best at an interview when I felt very low emotionally.

She was utmost professional, understanding, flexible, efficient and prepared at all times. I highly recommend Jenny’s career coaching to anybody who wants to achieve success.”

Raid Randal

Sussex

I have received unparalleled, extremely helpful advice about my career path. Jenny Butter has helped me shape my CV into an impressive reflection of my experience, and taught me to tailor it towards jobs I am excited to apply for. Thanks to her knowledge of the recruitment process, I landed two job interviews for companies that I really admire, and am hopeful for my chances.

She has given me a huge boost of confidence and a much-needed refreshment of my personal brand. Jenny is considerate, thorough, and professional in her coaching style. The time and effort she puts into coming up with solutions to her clients’ problem is always evident; her strategies are tailored to you as an individual, so as long as you are willing to put in the work, the results are exceptional. I would recommend her to anyone.

Frances Bristow

Oxfordshire

"Prior to working with Jenny I knew I couldn’t carry on with my career the way it was but the problem was that I didn’t know how to change it. Jenny got me thinking about my priorities in life and made me think outside the box when exploring job options.

When I found the job of my dreams she was brilliant in helping me prepare for my interview. I now have a job that I am really excited about and it suits both me and my family! Thank you, Jenny!"

Nicola Robertshaw

South Yorkshire

"Jenny has been a wonderful coach. She has helped me a lot in my job search and it is because of her guidance that before the end of our session I got an internship with a renowned company. Apart from the job search, she has also provided guidance regarding cultural differences.

I can confidently say that my time spent with Jenny has been totally rewarding, her coaching style has boosted my confidence. I highly recommend Jenny as a Coach."

Career Change

Have you ever dreamed of a career change?

Have you imagined doing a job that makes you come alive and gets your senses tingling? Have you ever tried to make a career change happen?

On this topic alone, I have worked with hundreds of people from diverse backgrounds and ages who have changed careers. Some have been in their early 20’s, others close to retirement. They have included a teacher, corporate marketing director, teaching assistant, support worker, online shop manager, architect, publisher, business owner, electrician, communications director, socialite, business consultant, charity fundraiser, stenographer, project manager, finance director, physiotherapist, finance director, office manager, finance assistant, vicar, and a journalist.

To date, nearly all have discovered a new direction and made their career change happen. A few examples; the project manager trained to become an art therapist, the finance assistant decided to become a gardener, the communications director became a primary school teacher, the business consultant is training as a software engineer and the publisher became a product/UX designer.

Some of the above are in life stages where a drastic career change is possible and permissible, yet others aren’t. If you think you are boxed in but still crave a change then please don’t give up hope. It is perfectly doable to find a new position in which you will be happy. There are five different routes you could take to become happier at work.

Your Options

1. Have a complete career change

Have a complete career change and retrain to a profession that better fits your strengths and motivations.

For example, the publisher went on a product design bootcamp, at a cost of £1800, and landed a new role as a designer within several months of completing the course. The starting salary was £35,000. She is happy.

2. Seek a new role in the same organisation

Seek a new role in the same organisation but find one that fits your strengths and motivations.

For example, the physiotherapist sought a promotion within the same hospital and now performs tasks much more suited to his strengths. He is happy.

3. Seek a new role in a new organisation

Seek a new role in a new organisation, one that fits your strengths and motivations and in which the organisational culture and values are a good fit.

For example, the year 6 teacher went to a different school and took a job as the SENCO lead (supporting children who have learning difficulties such as dyslexia). She is happy.

4. Stay in your existing organisation and in the same role

Stay in your existing organisation and in the same role, but seek development opportunities.

For example, the journalist completed a digital journalism course and uses the skills both in her current role and organisation as well as on a freelance basis. She is happy.

5. Go to a new organisation

Go to a new organisation, doing the same role, where you have a better personality fit.
For example, the Finance Director accepted a role in a much smaller organisation where he gained increased autonomy and the ability to work on an international scale. He is happy.

The Process

If you want a career change we follow the process of explore, dream, discover.
– Explore: We uncover who you are such as your strengths, motivations, skills, values and life wants and needs.

– Dream: You do some career assessments and research, review your options and from this draw up a shortlist. It is then time for you have conversations and explore to decide which is right for you.

– Discover: When you know which career change option you want to pursue, you can explore training options, we create CVs and LinkedIn profiles which position you in your new field, look at job search strategy as well as practice interview questions.

Personal Branding

Many people I coach are concerned about how to communicate a career change to future employers. That is where your personal branding statement comes in. We practice how you communicate your career change in your personal branding as well as how you talk about it to others in an interview setting. For example…

‘A full-stack software engineer and career changer, I bring 5 years of experience in customer complaints where I heard, first hand, what people didn’t like about the company’s e-commerce site! Full of questions about how websites function and the links needed between users, customers, and staff so items can be dispatched on time, I decided to retrain as a software engineer so I can develop sites that keep customers happy. Naturally empathetic, I help the people I collaborate with feel heard and understood.’