Testimonials
Almost without realising it, the career coaching programme took me from not being sure about where I wanted to go in life to having a positive idea about what to work towards in the next five years, and gave me the confidence to reach for that idea.
I Fletcher, Accountant
When I first contacted Ros, I was unsure what my future held. I had little motivation to continue in my existing job, but could not focus on where to move to. The career change programme has helped me take a step back and work out what is important to me. I am now ready find a role that I know I will enjoy. It feels like a cloud has lifted and my spirits are high. It's not over yet, but I am well on my way to a better career.
AD, Housing Officer
I came to Ros as part of my personal development plan after failing an interview for a mangagement position. I knew I had the skills within me, but I needed a way to approach my career and personal development in a more holistic and structured way. I have to admit I was a little sceptical as to how Ros could help, but she gave me some real food for thought and helped me to look at things in a different way - to consider the 'bigger picture'. This has resulted in me passing a second interview for the position and has also made me much more confident in my career path development. Ros - feel free to paraphrase if you like! Thanks again for your help and support Matt
Matt Perkins, Deputy Regional Manager South West Region Business Link in London, leadership coaching
Two weeks ago I started as a researcher at a boutique executive search firm. So I'm still in recruitment, but working on more interesting and more senior positions. I've also made sure that I've joined a company that are going to play close attention to training and development, and I will, in effect, have a mentor. I said at interview it was something I wanted - and so I've got it! So far the first two weeks have gone very well, and I think I've made a good decision.
Tim Wagstaff, London
All my friends and family have commented on how much happier I seem and how well I look since seeing Ros. As for me, my life is going in an exciting and empowering direction for the first time in ten years. I still don't have the magic answer (I now think that solution would be limiting) but I feel for the first time I'm getting closer all the time. This has made all the difference. This, and the changes Ros encouraged me to make, have made every day feel exciting again. In short, I am 100% happier.
P Barnby, Career Change Programme
After many months of complaining about my job (I'd just got a big promotion and the new role and pressure it bought suddenly made me realise that this was not what I wanted from a career) my husband took it upon himself to find me someone to talk to about it. He found Ros and setup an initial call with her for me. Talking through the career change process with Ros made it seem so achievable and I immediately knew that I had to do this. I had in my mind what I believed were ideal jobs and I was quite surprised that by simply writing my mini biography and initial hopes and dreams that psychology was still something that, in an ideal world, I wanted to pursue. However, I knew this wasnt possible so I dismissed it. Ros picked up on my underlying desire to pursue this and helped me work through how I could achieve this, both in my current job and my long term career. She helped me create a vision of my future and this vision was so real (it was quite emotional) that I had to have it, so am 100% committed to seeing through my action plan. I've taken on the more people focussed role in my current job, enrolled in coaching training and made enquiries about volunteering. I know I will get there!!
Alison Shaw, Senior Tax Advisor
I wouldn't consider myself a straightforward case in terms of what I came to Ros for help with. In that sense I wasn't sure what final outcome I expected other than to feel a stronger sense of where to focus my energy to achieve desired results.
Ros has given me a toolkit which I feel will serve me for life, tools I can implement in my career and ultimately in my life which are invaluable. I didn't know what exercises we would do, but I was pleasantly surprised to find them working on many levels. Ros coached me in her special way to go beyond my comfort zone - she provides a gentle yet firm support and hearing her voice is exceptionally uplifting and soothing. Having a place of trust was key, to openly explore my hopes and dreams without fear of judgment, in doing so I discovered that what I was looking for wasn't far away, in fact it was right under my nose. Ros cleared away a lot of mental noise & clutter to help me find it.
I'd recommend doing what she suggests to anyone, as the rewards are quite incredible. The most valuable of all the things I received from working with Ros was a healthier self-esteem, stronger belief in myself, practical tools to negotiate difficult situations in work, and best of all - a definite sense of where I want to go with my business and clear goals to achieve that vision. I'm extremely grateful and will be back!
Claire Todd - Creative Director & founder of Stylehub Image consultancy
I first contacted Ros when I was at a very low point after a massive round of redundancies at the printing company where I work, and having been offered a temporary 12 month contract in place of a permanent job. I was looking at all sorts of possible career directions since the print industry was so badly hit by the recession and because I did not necessarily want to go back into a marketing career either. I felt overwhelmed by too many different ideas and depressed that none of them were probably achievable. But Ros helped pick me up and put me back together again. I found her approach energetic, motivating and inspirational. During the course of the 3 month career change programme she delivered well over and above all of my initial expectations.
Ros helped me take an unexpected and at times uncomfortable look at myself but in the process I was more able to identify my true life and work values. I had suspected that much of the work would involve reviewing my career to date, and career options based on that, but it was instead a much more refreshing and uplifting review of my life, values, hopes and dreams. I had for the first time to think long and hard about how I want my life to be in the longer term which was quite challenging as I tend to live too much in the now. But Ros supported and guided me throughout the process and now that I have a clear vision of where I want to be in 5 years time and a plan on paper about how to get there, I now feel able to bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be.
As a result of the coaching I now feel more in touch with my true self and that my life has a direction to it that I was lacking before. I now see my current job as a stepping stone to other things rather than somewhere I am trapped and not fulfilling my full potential. And I can honestly say that I feel excited about my longer term future!
Lorna Rose, Account Manager, Apple Web Offset
I would recommend speaking to Ros to anyone who feels like they could do with some constructive help in researching all the avenues open to them when considering a career change. She is very easy to speak to and the tasks that are set after each phone call are all enjoyable and challenging. I definitely feel much more positive about the future after the course.
Clare Hoppe, Programme Manager
Ros provided guidance through a period of change in my career. I found myself at a crossroads, with the opportunity to make choices about my direction and through Ros I found the tools and techniques to enable me to make those choices with confidence. It was invaluable to have someone to challenge me throughout this process and I have now set myself realistic, attainable goals and am motivated to search for the right role for me.
Rebecca O'Donovan
When I first spoke with Ros I was trying to decide what I wanted to do next in my career. Should I be aiming for a management position or looking to do something completely different? I wanted to put some structure into my thought process so that I could put together a clear plan.
Working with Ros, using various exercises and methods such as visualisation, helped me to achieve this. I particularly liked the work and life stars which have helped me channel my thoughts and come up with some solid tenets that I can refer to at anytime to ensure that if and when I make a change I can evaluate my decisions based on my succinct list of what makes me happy at home and in work. Funnily enough they have also helped me to feel much more 'glass ¾ full' about my current role, which actually meets the majority of my needs. So I have gone from feeling trapped with no choices to feeling positive and confident that I have the tools to help me with whatever options and choices come my way in the future.
I cannot recommend Ros enough for people who need some help and guidance in channelling their thoughts and plans for the future. She is very professional, very intuitive about which methods of breaking down this thought process will suit you as an individual and very positive and supportive. Although we are all going through tough times at the moment I believe that getting your head straight about what you really want, not just what you think you ought to want, what really makes you happy at work and out of work, is worth spending the money on to get some help and guidance from a service such as career coaching. The peace of mind of having an action plan will empower you to weather the recession and deal with the future knowing you have a clear idea of where you are going and how you are going to get there.
Hannah Graham, Sales
When I started working with Ros I knew I was unhappy in my chosen career but I did not know what I really wanted to do. I had some ideas, but was not really excited about any of them. I was stuck in so many ways. The process and exercises that she guided me through unlocked a few surprises and exposed some self-delusions. It was at times draining and emotional but I emerged with a restored self, full of energy and excitement and joy about the path I have chosen: a path that was definitely not on the original list! I recommend Ros and her wonderful, diligent service, even if you think you don't need it.
Dave Magner, Optician
Before I came to Ros I was a 28 year old accounting manager plagued with doubts that I was in the right profession. I was fed up with working with numbers and wanted a more dynamic job where I could use the creative side of my brain. I wanted a job that I felt passionate about and would come to work every day with a smile on my face and totally dedicated to my role. I had some ideas about what I might do and had done some research. But I felt I had no experience and was concerned about having to take a pay cut to get into the job of my dreams.
As a result of the Career Change Programme, I have decided that I would like to move out of finance into a communications and marketing role. Meeting people within the profession and reading about the industry has made me realise that this is the perfect role for me, and I love the action plan which we created together to help me achieve it. Ros and I did a Bridging the Gap exercise in which we listed the skills, experience, knowledge and contacts I already had before identifying the gaps and obstacles I'd need to overcome to realise my vision. This showed me that I already had plenty of transferable skills and I began to see ways of getting the experience I needed to move me into my first role. I am now exploring opportunities to do a project with the comms and marketing team within my current organisation and with my local rugby club.
Another useful exercise was when she asked me to get feedback on my professional strengths and skills from people who know me well. This feedback was positive and self affirming and it has made me feel more confident with my CV. We tend to write what sounds good and what we think employers want but then our CVs sound shallow. Now I have stuff I can put on my CV that other people have identified and my CV has come to life. It's also great because when I look at the skill-set required in a job ad I know I have this and this, and I feel encouraged to apply for jobs I wouldn't have applied for before.
From having a number of ideas floating around in my head, I now have everything on paper which makes it feel more concrete for me and forces me to get going. I am looking forward to making my new career a reality.
AH, Finance, Sports Organisation, London
I changed jobs two years ago and ended up in an extremely toxic workplace. I had lost confidence, was confused about my next move and doubted my judgement. I thought that undertaking coaching provided a good opportunity to review my career goals.
Coaching made me look at all areas of my life. I found that many of the techniques enabled me to handle volatile situations both in the workplace and with family! It has been great putting some of these historic feuds to rest! I feel I have reconnected with my intutition and have a more focused view of my life and needs. I did find coaching an extremely challenging process at times. However changing the way you handle issues requires effort I gained so much from the process and noted benefits from the start.
AT, Senior Manager, Museums sector
I enlisted the support of Ros to help me figure out the best approach and strategy to getting my next job when I realised there was a good chance my current role would be made redundant. We worked together over a 6 month period and in that time Ros was invaluable. The structured approach to our sessions gave me the opportunity to prepare and ensure I put time aside to get value from my time with her. She is very resourceful and provided lots of ideas and advise. Her style suited my needs and she was flexible in her approach as well as the timing of our sessions. Although calm and gentle in her approach Ros has a determined side and held me accountable for my actions and continued to challenge and validate my decisions. At all times I felt Ros was working with me to achieve my outcomes and I'm delighted that I've benefitted from her insights. Our time together has had a significant impact on where I see myself in the future; given me the confidence to make a career change and given me new tools to how I approach the job search.
Angie Brayshaw, Financial Services
Before coming to coaching, Anna Davies had been considering giving up her freelance business to go back into full time employment because it wasn't profitable. This is a list of her achievements in the six months which followed:
- Found purpose and renewed life for my business
- Created the concept Vilensky Event Music
- Realised the value of tracking finances carefully to give structure to make future plans for the business
- I have taken major steps to stabilize my income and to make it grow
- I have learned how to be more strategic in how to develop the business in terms of which bits have more value and therefore which bits I should prioritize - I feel more able to prioritize and as a result feel more motivated because I feel more confident in my business as a whole.
- I feel I have identified my business as a 'living thing' separate from myself.
- Have taken steps to learn how to market my new business venture
- Improved my teaching diary to suit my needs.
- I have realised the value of getting my business to work for me and how I want my life to be. A liberating and motivating thing.
Anna Davies, provider of live music at special events, performer and teacher of the cello
I came to Ros because I felt I needed to reassess the career choices I had made over the last 10 years that had been heavily influenced by my family commitments. I brought to her a sense of impotence and a total lack of direction. Through her very structured program, I was forced to identify head-on what my priorities and motivations are. The process was not always comfortable, but by the end, I understood much better what I want from a job and I recognised that I did have choices where before, I felt that I had none. Almost a year on, I have not made any changes to my career. However, with the tools provided by the course, I know that I am equipped to make those changes when the time is right.
Hannah Swain, in Compliance and transitioning to a new career
Before I started working with Ros I had been struggling for years in a career which I felt I had outgrown but just couldn't figure out where to go next. I felt overwhelmed by the potential options and lacking in confidence to explore new possibilities. I was really 'stuck'. Working through the exercises on the Career Change Programme helped me clarify what was really important to me and with Ros' support and guidance we worked through all the options to find the career that was the best fit with my life goals and values and which I feel truly passionate about. I now feel much more in control of my life, have a definite sense or purpose and more importantly a detailed plan of how to achieve my goals. I believe I would not have found that clarity and direction without Ros' help and I would definitely recommend the programme to anyone seeking to enhance their life and career.
JD, Career Change Programme
Ros was a tremendous help during my job search process. I was in the midst of changing directions in my career after 6 years in investment banking to financial public relations. Ros was able to help me with revising my CV, to tailor it to my new vocation, as well as thinking creatively about interview preparation. After our coaching session I had a more defined view of the messages I wanted to convey in the interview and a clear view of what I wanted to learn about the organisation from my interviewers. I felt completely confident and relaxed when walking into each meeting, which helped tremendously with building a rapport with my future colleagues. I would recommend interview coaching to anyone, and in particular those who are seeking to change career direction, as each industry has its own unique style and screening technique.
Dorothy, Interview Coaching
Before calling Ros, I had always known that I had always NOT been in the right sector for me. But when one is successful, rewarded and looked up to, it is hard to force oneself to change. For what? A tragic family event made me wake up to reality: I knew I had to do something to change, but how? To what/where? At that time I got introduced to Ros and career coaching with her has helped me see who I really was and how/where I could make my real self be happy professionally. It's a tough change but the rational structure of Ros' coaching reassures you that you're doing the right thing. She is also very supportive mentally and shows honest empathy which, when you're going through change, is crucial. I also am very thankful to Ros for having enabled me to cross some of my 'old-time career dreams', as I realized they did not match my personality/needs/values. Also for big travelers it comes very handy and cheap to coach via 'skype' as Ros offers it.
Josephine, Finance
I took Ros on as my coach from August 2007 through March 2008. In that time, I have worked out most importantly what my key values are through a series of exercises that we did together along with an evaluation of my skillset. This has proved to me to be extremely useful in determining my new career direction which is Events Management. I can thoroughly recommend Ros Toynbee for life coaching as she is reliable, responsive, flexible, resourceful, accommodating and empathetic.
KH, Business Affairs, film organisation
I approached Ros at a time when I was really unsure about what next steps to take careerwise. I had thought about some options but didn't really know what would be best for me. I think the main benefit of having Ros as a coach was having a structured approach to making career decisions and having her objectivity. We looked at my strengths, weaknesses and values and progressed through to researching different careers. The whole process left me with a level of clarity which had been missing before. Ros will not tell you what to do next in your career, but guide you through letting you come to your own conclusions. I am about to start a new job and I am more positive about what the future holds for me and my career.
Johanna, Marketing
Working with Ros was a real treat at a time in my career where I felt uncertain, lost and frankly a bit disillusioned. Ros's fine tuned coaching approach, her knowledge of people and motivational attitude meant that I got out a lot more than I had anticipated.
She validated what I suspected in terms of the person that I am and therefore most likely to enjoy doing, but much more than that, she helped me identify those key choices and short and long term realistic plans to get me there.
Outside of the sessions themselves, it also served as a springboard to have much bigger conversations with my partner about our life and what matters. Furthermore, the exercises and tools we used throughout, I can now draw on whenever I need to.
Magali Nedgar, Alliance Manager
I started working with Ros after an extended period in which I have not been satisfied at work and shortly after being promoted to a new role I felt was not the right role for me.
Through working with Ros, I regained a sense of direction for my career, came up with my vision for the next few years and learned a lot about my needs and wants, what motivates me and my values. I am now a lot clearer on my next steps and the skills I want to acquire in order to get there. If I can summarise in one word what it is that I gained through the experience it would be CLARITY.
I'd like to thank Ros for her patience, her fantastic listening, motivation and all the practical advice she gave me along the way.
David Shaked, Six Sigma Black Belt
Coaching with Ros has been a real inspiration for me building my business. Working from home and keeping some very strange hours over the past year gave me a tendancy to lose direction and spend time on things that just do not pay back but I could not see that. Starting with an entire life/work review, we were able to sort out what was important to me and my business and then focus on each aspect one at a time. Some tough talking and enlightening conversations have given me the confidence to be bold and let my business really flourish. I can highly recommend her if you think you could benefit from some help - even if you think you won't - you will!
Clare Gillbanks, Meet at Last Ltd