What one of our candidates has to say about our services

The interviewee is known to NOVA Partners and has given full permission for NOVA Partners Career Management to publish this article.

Career Transition services are often written about from the point of view of the organisation offering the services or the organisation making use of the services for their employees.

This time, we want to step into a candidate’s shoes and understand whether they found the experience to be valuable or not.

An ex General Manager from a large organisation kindly spoke to us about his career transition experience following the completion of a 2-month program. The program covered resume creation, building a new LinkedIn profile, mapping out a job search and networking plan, and polishing up interview skills.

So, what did he have to say?

How did you feel about leaving your role after such a long tenure?
“At my age, I was really apprehensive, however it as a decision I needed to make. It was time to move on. My son was also starting his own business and I wanted to be available to him. It’s funny, before starting the program I thought my resume was fine. My consultant changed my view!”

How were you told about the NOVA Partners program? What did you expect?
“When I resigned, [the company] advised me that they would be providing the program, which was really supportive of them. I thought it was just going to be writing my resume, but it ended up being so much more. It was exactly what I needed. I hadn’t placed much importance on LinkedIn which was a mistake that the program helped resolve. Also, the importance of networking. In New Zealand, people don’t seek out help from contacts, but here in Australia you have to use your network. That was a key learning for me.”

Did the program deliver more or less than you expected?
“My consultant really challenged me on the best way to find a job. She was so right. Everything from getting the right photo on LinkedIn, to interviewing skills and networking in the right way. The whole process was critical to me, to really make me think differently about how to approach the job search process. It really built my confidence.

I also got given questionnaires to help me decide what I wanted to do next and who I was in terms of my values. That happened right up front which was so beneficial.”

What do you think are the most important attributes of a good career coach?
“They need to be an engaging subject matter expert that you feel confident in. Mary knew what she was talking about. She was exceptional, very obliging and helped me build my confidence. She also ‘forced’ me to get things like my LinkedIn where it needed to be. It kept me on track.”

Do you have any other comments?
“I’d highly recommend a career transition program like this. Before I felt like I had no base. After, I had no apprehension about getting my foot in the door and getting interviews (which I have been).

So, in summary, career transition services can really be of value, if they are delivered in a bespoke, individualised manner by an experienced coach that understands both the mechanics and emotions involved in searching for a new job. Selecting the right partner to deliver these services is critical. In this individual’s case both he and the company benefited. Maybe you can too?

If you would like your employees to have a similar experience when transitioning out of your company, contact NOVA Partners for a confidential discussion on 1300 966 867.