Career Coaching: Martha

Did you undertake coaching in your final year or after graduation?

In my final year. (Current date July 2023, graduated 2023)

Where were you in relation to your career planning/making applications before you applied for career coaching? 

Before starting career coaching, I had a lot of passions and potential interests, but was unsure how to translate these into employment opportunities. I felt overwhelmed at the range of options available for after graduation. I was looking for a path forward and wanted to improve my interviewing and application skills. 

What did career coaching involve, and how did it help you?

My careers coach, Jackie, found me numerous opportunities that fit with my interests. She suggested that I apply to the Change 100 summer internship programme for disabled graduates – a competitive scheme with numerous assessment stages. In our coaching sessions, we worked mainly on what makes a strong application and a strong interview answer, using the STARE method and other techniques. My coach also gave me key tips and resources for the group assessments I was participating in. All this was invaluable in getting me through the selection process for Change 100 and in helping me access other opportunities. It was great to have someone to look over my application answers before submitting, too.

Where are you in relation to your career planning/making applications now? 

I was fortunate enough to obtain a three-month summer internship at Macmillan Cancer Support as a result of my success in the Change 100 application process. I am now working as ‘Information and Development Intern’ in their editorial department. This scheme has also given me access to professional mentoring and to development sessions with other graduates. I am really excited to have obtained an entry-level position in the charity sector, and the opportunity to develop myself at the same time. In terms of future job opportunities, I think that the skills I learnt through coaching have put me in really good stead. I have much more confidence than I once did, and a far clearer direction for my life/career post-graduation.

Would you recommend careers coaching to other students and graduates? If yes, why? 

I would highly recommend careers coaching to any student. Especially if like me, you have a disability or other circumstance that can make applying for jobs seem intimidating. Change 100 has proved perfect for me as a first step – and I’m grateful to my coach for finding a programme so suited to my needs and interests. One of the key things I gained from coaching was the opportunity to practise talking about myself and my experiences in an ‘interview’ format, and to get immediate feedback on my strengths and weaknesses. The support felt very personalised; it was always tailored towards achieving my specific goals. Overall, I found careers coaching to be a wholly positive experience. It has really demystified the job application process for me and given me a blueprint for how to succeed.