“The methods in the course have taken me from the unemployment queue to my own company and millions in income.”

What’s the reason you sought after career guidance? What’s the change you wanted in your professional life?

I was unemployed, struggled with interviews and applications. Couldn’t afford anything but only depending on unemployment benefit from NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration). The methods I learned in your career change program changed everything.

What’s the most non-traditional or “different thinking” thing you learned?

Everything about working with CVs, applications, interviews and how to sell yourself in your own way was a completely new way of thinking… and very different from everything else I’ve learned about applying for a job. Just having to write your own success stories… success stories? Me who’s unemployed? But it turned out that I had a lot of stories and there’re going to be more!

How did the knowledge and methods you gained influence your further professional life.

I ended up with a very broad mindset, and learned effective methods and paths to a good future in my working career. First of all, it’s difficult to see what you’re good at and to see what you’ve actually achieved on a daily basis and up to the present day. The method for mapping competence was an eye-opener. The Excel sheet I filled in analyzing all my formal and informal roles gave me a boost. I actually had a very broad competence and experience! You really have to go inside yourself and open yourself up, which we all may not always be very good at.

What’ve you benefited the most from afterwards?

I experienced a lot of new learning on the course which I’ve taken with me further and built on. Inside of me, I had future dreams and the advice I received enabled me to achieve them. We all are different and have different interests in our careers and what we dream of, what we want to work with, what experience we possess, and where are we in life. There’s a lot to think about. I gained better self-insight, increased motivation and more faith in myself. A different approach to good wording on CVs and applications was important. The awareness and methods I learned made me stronger in my faith in the future. Finally, I went to interviews with my head held high and with more faith that I can be offered this job.

A tailored CV and application in line with what I learned on the course gave me a permanent job where I’d use my knowledge. After 1 year I was ready to relook at the dreams which I’d shelved. Now I’ve my own private limited company (AS) – hired myself and others for consulting assignments and have several millions in income myself. And, I still use the knowledge I gained during the course in every way I can. I couldn’t have dreamed of a greater success story before I walked through your door, Vigdis.

Tommy Carlsson,
founder and general manager,
TCpro AS