Finding where you belong within the world of work and securing a “best fit” opportunity demands firm, articulated goals of what you want for yourself in your career, along with a focused, tactical plan of action. You also need to present yourself with self-confidence which can sometimes be challenging.
Statistically, 85% of jobs are acquired with some element of networking which is a skill that is foreign to many. Networking takes courage, persistence, initiative, discipline and strategic thinking. Understandably, most people struggle with how to do it effectively.
This is where I make the difference.
I work directly with you (the young adult) to guide you with hands-on, day-to-day support on how to navigate today’s challenging job market. We do it all together.
Before we get started, I hold a readiness or “fit” meeting with you. The purpose of this meeting is two-fold:
Once this is done and we both agree to move forward, I will guide you through my methodology, with intensive, personalized, 1:1 hands-on direction and support.
I can be retained directly by you, or your parents can be involved. When needed, I can conduct Parent Update calls to let your parents know how we're progressing and answer any questions they may have—always without violating any confidences you may have shared with me.
I am totally flexible about how to structure our time working together. I typically start new clients with a 3-month commitment: the process of my methodology involves a lot of learning and can take some time. That said, we may discover that working monthly or hourly is better suited for you. It’s all about what you need.
Regardless, you will learn to step out of your comfort zone and find the job (or educational next-step) that will springboard your career.
Having a college/university degree is not enough to differentiate you in today’s job market. Through exploratory discussions, we will bring to light your unique qualities, experiences and interests that you can leverage to find, and land, the "right fit" job opportunity.
We start by identifying the type of job, working conditions, and company you’d like to work with. We will then explore your options: we always need a Plan A, B and C in action. For each plan, we will identify many different stepping-stone directions—work, education, or a combination of both. We will evaluate and prioritize them all.
Your resumé and a LinkedIn profile are a definite “must” but, on average, prospective employers look at resumés for no more than 30 seconds, max! That means yours needs to be clear, concise and easy to read. Cover letters, on the other hand, garner more attention, so they need to be customized for each job application to create maximum impact to pick you out of the crowd.
When I ask young adults about their network, many times they say: “I don’t know anybody.” Not true! Never true! Evaluating the personal touch-points in your life will always elicit a long and effective contact list for networking. You just need to be bold, think creatively, and stretch yourself in your outreach to people.
No question, this is the most frightening part of the process. Connecting with people to get information is beyond most everyone’s comfort zone. Learning how to send a properly written email, to ask questions in a networking interview, to listen and then know when and how to follow-up—these are just some of the critical skills you need to develop to capitalize on the power of networking.
This part of the process is not easy, comfortable or fun. If one approach is sluggish, we move to another and then to another. We work with multiple and often concurrent strategies. We may change our focus, our outreach strategy, deepen our network… the options are endless. Stay vigilant, keep active in your outreach, and continue to push on different courses of action are the keys to your success.
This is an exciting step! Interview preparation and personal presentation are critical for you to feel confident and be yourself in an interview. As you prepare for your interview, though, you need to continue to maintain the other activities in your job-search process. An interview is not a job offer, so you very much need to keep all of your balls in the air.
Celebrate! You deserve it! You found this job on your own, even if you had some guidance along the way. Once the celebration is over, you need to complete the final step of the process: keep your network alive! On a go-forward basis, you'll have nothing to fear when you need to look for a job again (which is very likely). You will know what to do.
“Working with Daphne was the best coaching relationship I’ve ever had. I thrive with accountability, follow-ups, and clear structure, and she delivered that consistently. Daphne always showed up fully present, prepared, and deeply engaged. I felt SO supported, challenged, and held to a high standard in a way that was both motivating and empowering. It was truly the best experience I could have hoped for.
“Daphne exceeded my expectations in every way. I began the process feeling a bit apprehensive due to my own self-imposed limitations, but it didn’t take long to realize how valuable this work is. I came to understand that if I wanted to move into the next stage of my life with clarity and confidence, I needed the right support, and Daphne was exactly that. The impact of our work went far beyond what I initially imagined.
“I recommend Daphne to everyone I can. Anyone who feels stuck, uncertain, or in need of direction, structure, or meaningful support would benefit from working with her. Daphne has a rare ability to meet you where you are while helping you move forward with purpose and clarity. She is truly exceptional at what she does.”
