How performance coaching helped a single mom land a new gig and the earnings to match her worth

Andrea started out in teaching, she was always passionate about development. Early in her career, she relocated twice, turning her career path into a series of long-term occasional and supply teaching assignments. She found herself having to prove her worth every semester in the hopes of winning consistent assignments with consistent kids in a consistent community. After a decade of teaching, she made the difficult decision to start again. 

Following several roles in different organizations, Andrea found her way back to education, winning an administrative role with one of the country’s top universities. She started out earning below her skill and education level in order to make the career transition. In those early years of her new role, the on-the-job learning was energizing. The security and health benefits were important advantages for her as a single mom, too. Then as the years passed, she seemed to stand still while others continued to be promoted around her. Did she need more qualifications? Why couldn’t she get ahead? She went back to class and earned a master’s degree, but it wasn’t the extra credentials that moved her forward, it was professional coaching.

Andrea secured Jason Sealy as her performance coach to help her navigate her next career change after seeing how effective professional coaching had been for other Masters students. The process was emotional and challenging, but she was a committed student. She found a connection in her coach and enjoyed practical conversations with a careful listener. She answered the questions that no one had cared to ever ask her before. After years of being looked over, and not listened to, her confidence had waned. Collaborating with her coach enabled her to see which skills and behaviours were working to her advantage, and which ones weren’t. With a renewed view of her strengths, she tapped into those superpowers and set her sights on new opportunities. 

Through the performance coaching process, Andrea learned to separate fact from fear to fuel more productive self-talk. She focused on her strengths as she learned that while she may not control the outcome, she could control how she showed up - helpful reminders as she dove into the scary new world of leaving her job, and trying something new.

For Andrea, coaching became an essential resource that she’d recommend to anyone, wherever they are on their career path, because, “you need to have that objective third party who will be able to give you the confidence and encourage you on your strengths, but also call you on your bulls*t.”

After months of dedicated self-work, Andrea found a seemingly bespoke role in a new organization that combined her experience and interest in both business and education. Within months of securing a new job, she was thriving and contributing. Her confidence returned. With her renewed confidence and commitment, she once again embraced new challenges and even negotiated earnings to match her worth.