Have you ever wondered if career coaching is worth the cost?

Do you ever ask yourself what a full length career coaching programme would give you?

Or why some coaching programmes seem to last longer than others?

Well it all depends on the results you're looking for and also the personal approach of that particular coach.

In my practice, I have seen time and time again how career change often takes longer than people think.

I often describe it to my clients as 'trying to turn around a super tanker'.

Your life and career have been going full speed ahead in one direction, and now with your coach you're trying to things slow down for a moment, re-evaluate and potentially change course. Which all takes time.

Which I why I decided to work with my clients via an in-depth, 12 session course that gets them the results they are looking for. Which are most commonly:

• Finding clarity around what is most important to them both in their work and in their life

• Coming up with inspiring new career options

• Needing help to choose one option that’s the best fit and putting together an action plan to help them reach their goal.

The idea is that we do this programme together once, we do it right, and then you will be able to come back to it time and time again to help you make career decisions in the future. No more wrong turns.

In the clip below, I explain a bit more about how I work with clients and what's included:

And you can always learn more via my career coaching page here.

Hope that helps explain a bit more clearly what my approach is! Got more questions? Just email me at hello@juliettedykecoaching.com and I'd be happy to help.

How to beat the 'back to work' blues

Have you been away yet this year? Or planning a summer break but dreading the 'back to work' blues?

I’m just back from 10 days away with my family, and whilst I do miss the lovely weather, beautiful scenery and quality time with my loved ones, I am also excited to get back to the work I love. Which got me thinking about how things used to be…

 I really do remember that sinking feeling of returning to the office after a glorious week or two of sea, sand and sunset cocktails, and just wanting to cry 😭

It was like putting on a mask back on, where I had to leave the ‘real’ me at home and go back to the old ’work’ me again. But that was normality back then, I thought that was just what you had to do. You got to have your couple of weeks of freedom and fun each year, and then you had to put that to one side and get back in the rat race, because that’s what everyone does.

My daughter with the most excited ‘lolly’ face I’ve ever seen 🍦

Now looking back, I can see exactly why I felt so misaligned between 'real' me and 'work' me. Taking time off had allowed me to explore and live out some of the values which were most important to me, such as freedom, adventure, connection and family. But at the time I had no idea what my values really were and why it was SO important that I find a new career which was more closely aligned with them. It’s one of the key things you need to do in order to enjoy your work more.

So if you’re feeling unhappy at work and missing those heady days of holiday freedom, then take 10 minutes to really think about what you miss most from that time:

• Was it the chance to spend more quality time with your loved ones?

• Was it that you got to do a new and exciting activity each day?

• Or did you love the fact that you could set your own hours and do what you wanted without being answerable to your boss?

List them out and think about what values they might represent. Spending more time with friends might show that you have a strong value for community. Being able to go sightseeing and learn about a new culture might reflect values of learning and inspiration.

 As you dig a bit deeper into which aspects you miss and what values they represent, you can also think about how to bring more of them into your day to day life now. How could you introduce, for example, a bit more adventure, creativity or fun into your daily life and work?

Remember, you don't have to keep waiting to live your most authentic life. You can get started today.

Speak soon,

Juliette

How to get through work when you hate your job

I remember those feelings so well. The Sunday evening dread. The knot in my stomach when another full working week was looming ahead. And then there was the morning commute to get through as well…

It can feel so frustrating when you’re desperate to move on but your current job is already very demanding and takes up all your energy. Discovering a new career path can take time, so it’s important to find ways to make your current day to day work more bearable in the short term.

Here are the things I wish I’d known when I was going through this phase of my own career change:

Tip 1:

Set some healthy boundaries. Are you feeling overwhelmed or burnt out? Then reclaim your time and energy. Are you working long hours? Are you saying yes to endless additional tasks and projects on top of your existing work load? Then review your case load with your manager. Start saying no to extra assignments. Delegate where possible. And leave work or close your computer on time at least one night a week. Then build up to two, then three… Start putting your needs first and see how much more energised you feel.

Tip 2:

Find an ally. It could be a trusted colleague. Or a friend who has been through something similar. Or a coach or therapist. Having someone to unload your worries to can really help you get through a stressful time and prevent it building up and coming out in destructive ways at work!

Tip 3:

Practice gratitude. Try to remember the good things about your job. Imagine that someone was applying for your role and you had to write a job description for them. Think about the 3 best things about it and write them down. Does it give you opportunities to learn new skills? Be creative? Does it offer variety? A chance to meet new people? To mentor younger or new staff members of staff? Cultivating a sense of gratitude and appreciation has been studied in universities and found to be associated with increased life satisfaction, increased happiness and more positive emotions.

Tip 4:

Try re-ordering your work tasks. Think about the tasks you do in your job day to day and see if you can change when you do them. Either do your favourite tasks first and start the day on a high, or leave them until the end of the day as a reward. It’s a simple trick but very effective.

Tip 5:

Our work relationships meet an important emotional need in us, so try to prioritise time with colleagues who you enjoy working with most. In the age of virtual working, it’s not always easy to arrange face to face time these days. However where possible arrange in person meetings with them, or a lunch date, or if you’re in the office then actually get up and walk over to their desks when you need to talk them. And the colleagues who you don’t get on so well with? Try and limit your stressful interactions by communicating more often by email or text rather than face to face.

Tip 6:

Make the most of any training or upskilling opportunities. This could be a perfect time to focus on any gaps in your skillset or deepening your expertise in a particular area. If your current employer offers training or courses then absolutely make the most of it. It’s beneficial for all parties because it will make you better at your current job as well as making your more attractive to future employers. If there aren’t any training opportunities at work, consider signing up for an evening class or an online class which help you feel more motivated and fulfilled in the short term.

So give those tips a try and see if they help to change the way you view your current job. I’d love to hear how you get on so comment below and let me know!