“I entered this career change program demotivated and with my head down; but walked out proudly with my head held high”

What’s the reason you sought for career guidance?

After a period of illness, I was unable to sell myself. I’d applied for a number of jobs without success even though my profession is communication! Although I felt I had a lot to offer, I realized I needed help. I was recommended this course by a friend who’d received good help through the processes she went through during this time. I simply wanted help sorting myself out. I struggled to find a common thread in my career, but I did! Now I got it systematized.

We learned to sell ourselves without overselling. The mapping matrix was a great way to dig into my own experience. The methods led me to become a racer to customize applications based on this simple tool because of the analytical approach. Going analytically to look for jobs was innertier. I was also taught to look at experiences/roles other than education and work. For example, the transferable skills from my role as a river kayak instructor. Then I carried out management and teaching, had to keep calm and benefited from my personal qualities of standing in a stressful situation and making quick decisions. I made people safe. Previously, I hadn’t thought that leading people in such a situation was something that an employer would pull forward to.

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

Going outside the box! Dare to stand out. Creating a sales pitch in the application instead of traditional applications. Using sales theories, or kamikaze applications, as I call it… it worked like a beating. I had a hit rate of 50-60% for interviews. I entered this career change program demotivated and with my head down – but walked out with my head held high.

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

This program led to my dream job! I never would’ve got the job as a senior communications advisor in IKEA Norway without the knowledge I gained from the course. I probably hadn’t even applied for the position. The first thing I thought was that “I’ll never get this job!”. Then I realized that, after all, I’d had both the knowledge and the necessary tools. So even though I thought I’d most likely not get the job, I wanted to apply for it as a test. I went all in and did it mostly for fun. I made the application at the homepage of IKEA and it worked! My boss at IKEA went around to the entire communications department and presented the application – “this guy here is going to start with us”. This is an example of one of the things I learned from the course: Don’t write that you’re creative. Show it. So then, I did it!

You often get a pile of rejections right in the middle of nowhere. And that’d give you lots of opportunities to break your self-confidence. The first job you apply for, you probably won’t get. Getting help to shake off the rejection, learn from that rejection and move on, is gold. The process of these methods and the personal mentoring had created a drastic course change in my life.  I wouldn’t have had this career journey without this career change program.

What’d you benefited the most from afterwards?

I’d become better at analyzing applications and highlighting relevant experience for each individual application I’d applied for. I now have a more conscious relationship with the competence I actually possess. After sorting out my career, it’s easier to see the next step. Now I’m more able to control my career development and I’ve become better at selling my competence. I’d gained a strategic overview of my own career.