I have a very different background to most Recruiters, who either have Sales or Human Resources experience. 

My background is quite unique in the Search Industry. I’m a CPA by Profession with both Public Practice experience as an Auditor and Consulting experience in a major Consulting Firm. In the course of my work; I inevitably worked with senior Executives in a variety of Companies across many Industries.  

These experiences gave me an excellent understanding of Business and how great companies operate. It is this Business Acumen and Perspective that I bring to every Coaching session that my Clients have with me. It helps me to truly understand what work they do and the Industry in which they work.

In addition I have supplemented that experience with more than 20 years as an Executive Headhunter and have conducted more than twenty thousand interviews to date. 

Furthermore as a Retained Search Professional I sat in on hundreds of Panel Interviews, (with Search Committees) where I, as the Facilitator saw firsthand how Candidates performed under pressure. Some fell apart, while others were exceptionally good. I learnt from all of them!

I watched in “real-time” and got my feedback directly, as it was unfolding. This experience made me realize that there are no accidents. People don’t get “lucky” in an Interview. 

The Candidates, who rose to the level of Superstars, consistently did well, and their secret lay in their preparation!

Over the years, I watched, learnt more, honed my skills and this knowledge I distilled into the Coaching sessions that my Private Clients get when they hire my services.

I have helped hundreds of people, who were overwhelmed and stuck, move from despair to getting the job that they wanted. Like Henry, who I mention in “Ace Your C-Suite Interview”.

Henry came to me after he’d been without work for more than a year. His severance had run out and he was truly depressed and under pressure to replace his income as soon as possible. He was a more mature Candidate and lamented that there were no opportunities or jobs for him, because of his age. He even told me that no head-hunter would even see him, because of his age.

I empathized with his situation, but ignored his argument that he was in this position because of his age. I told him that Companies hire people because of what they have to offer and what they can bring to the table. We worked on his Mindset and I continually spoke to him about what he had to offer by way of his education, experience and excellent track record.

As we focused more on the positives; Henry in due course forgot about his age and within 4 months – he literally had 3 confirmed Job Offers, each one offering more money and opportunities than he had ever had before!

There are many examples of Candidates who felt that the world was collapsing in on them, and they all had different issues, like John, who as a Chief Geologist had done some of the most amazing work for his Company, but it was a small company, who could not afford to keep him and eventually he was let go.

When John came to me, he was working two menial jobs, just to put food on the table and provide for his family. He also had no idea how incredibly great and remarkable his background and more specifically his experience was…. You see John had worked for this small company, for many years; throughout his University years and thereafter while he studied for his Master’s Degree, as well as several years afterwards.
He was paid well below the market value for his qualifications and experience; but he had absolutely no idea that this was the case. I felt that John could do so much better for himself and took him on as one of my Coaching Clients.

When I take on a Coaching Client; I do a very deep dive into their background and go through every aspect of their career and prior work experience with a fine toothed comb.

I do this in order to find out what their unique abilities and strengths are, and we build on these competencies to showcase the Candidates’ great expertise. These are the very skills and talents that Companies want to hire, but sadly most people have no idea how to uncover and showcase their greatest Strengths.

What was even more remarkable, and what stood out for me was that as I coached John, I found out that he had identified three specific “Discoveries” in the Gold Mining Industry where he worked.

Now you might not be familiar with the Gold Mining Industry, but even for a lay person, it does not take much to realize, that a “Discovery” literally means; “finding Gold” and depending on the quality of the Gold ore; it could mean an enormous trove of wealth for that Company. Miners absolutely LIVE for this!

Over the course of several years, John made Three “Discoveries” – Yielding a Total Value of over $10 Billion Dollars!

I was mortified! I looked again at his Resume; there wasn’t one single word that even mentioned this…..Then I asked John what he had received for these “Discoveries” – he became very quiet…. I asked him again, and he answered simply; “nothing – it was my job”.

I was simply heart-broken for him, and I know that in that very quiet moment, he realized that he had been used…So I doubled up my efforts to make sure that he knew how amazingly great he was!

More importantly, I asked him, if he thought that somewhere out there, (in the market place, at another mining company) – there was a CEO who would have paid a “Premium” for a Candidate like him?

John just smiled and said quietly; “I don’t know”, – He had never even given himself the chance to think about it; because when I coached him, he was in survival mode and living paycheck to paycheck.

What John was experiencing, is often referred to as “situational depression” when one is so filled with despair that you can’t see your way out of your situation.

When one is in this space it’s impossible to be visualizing great opportunities, setting goals and focusing on taking the right action and working towards them. One simply doesn’t have the foresight or energy to do it…

BUT I knew his worth and I inculcated into him, how much he had to offer and that there was the right position out there… for him; in a Major Corporation, reporting directly to the CEO or a Senior Executive Team, who would revere his skills and feel so fortunate to have him!

Fast-forward several months… John found a Senior position, working for a Major Mining Company, heading up a Division, whose Mandate is to oversee “New Discoveries”.

It’s been a few years since I coached him. He’s thriving! Working for a Company that can afford to pay him, what he deserves and what he’s worth; doing a Job that he loves!

I love telling this story, because of all my Coaching Clients, John’s experience with working with a Career Coach literally changed his life!

Most of my Coaching Clients cannot see their true value and have no idea, “how to sell themselves” or “showcase their Strengths, amazing Expertise and often unusual or unique Experience”, and these are the very things that a Company is looking for in a New Hire and would gladly pay a Premium for.

My Coaching Clients come to me with all kinds of challenges and different issues, because we are all unique. Private, One-on-One Coaching with an experienced Career Coach will give you the insight that you cannot see on your own.

Based on my past experience, I know exactly what Companies are looking for in a new Hire, and because of my specific expertise, I know how to “polish that Diamond in the rough” and showcase, a Coaching Client’s Talents, Education, Qualification and Unique Experience and Expertise; even when they themselves can’t see it!