Category Archives for "Career change"

From naval officer to portfolio career

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change

Calls for flexible working practices are often in the context of women who want to balance work and family.

And I’m increasingly meeting fathers who have taken a step off the corporate ladder. They go part time or self-employed so that they can take a bigger part in bringing up their children, and pursue work that feels meaningful and interesting. Often they have a partner or spouse who is committed to their own career, and find a more balanced approach works for the family.

Here is the story of a father in this situation. Paul Coverdale is a former Naval officer who now has a portfolio of professional projects, voluntary work and active fatherhood. All these are linked to his passion for sustainability.

A linear career

Paul initially followed what he described as a linear career”. After school he took a degree in meteorology at Reading University.

Armed with his degree, Paul felt he had: “two choices as I saw it at the time.” One was at the Met office, the other was a forecasting role in the Royal Navy. Forecasting had traditionally been a teaching role within the Navy, but changes meant that this role would involve going to sea. “It sounded exciting!” So Paul joined the Navy at 22.

Paul became a naval officer and learned to be good at leadership. “I wasn’t hugely confident and they brought it out.” Paul describes his first eight years as pretty successful. “I was cherry-picked to augment naval staff at sea, and involved in the second Gulf War. It was hard work but incredibly rewarding. I was entrusted with a lot of responsibility.” Paul was promoted at an early stage and send to Iraq, where he spent 6 months in 2006 in Basra. “It gave me more confidence. Opened my eyes to the world.”

Downsides of military life

As time went on, Paul became increasingly aware of the downsides to not being at home. He wasn’t able to put down roots: “I bought a flat which I never saw.” And it was difficult to maintain relationships: “I couldn’t countenance being a father under these circumstances.”

Paul compares this to being on a see-saw. Over time, the balance tipped and Paul felt increasingly that the hierarchical nature of a military organisation was no longer a good fit. “I realised I wasn’t well suited. I became aware of becoming insitutionalised and turned into a person I wasn’t.”

Paul was pragmatic and didn’t leave in a hurry after this realisation, but he negotiated a posting at home for the last part of his service and left after 16 years. This was a natural break point, and meant that he left with a pension.

Although not everyone will be able to gather a pension by this stage of their careers, there is much to be said for a sensible planned career change. (When I work with people who are considering a big leap, I help them think through the options, and recommend people build up a financial buffer if they can.)

Back to study

Returning to university or other forms of study can provide a transition into a new career. After leaving the Navy, Paul took at full time “Environmental Techology” MSc at Imperial College London, writing a thesis on intrinsic value in business.

“I knew I wanted to do something connected with the environment. I knew about weather and climate change. I knew that we need to do something about it.

“The degree helped me broaden myself and explore sustainability more widely. Part of me had an interest in business too, and my degree looked at what is a sustainable business. This was fantastic. I loved studying again. Enjoyed the challenge.”

Knowing what you don’t want

After his Masters, Paul faced a dilemma. At his stage of life he wouldn’t be going into a graduate scheme or internship. So he took time out to work out what he wanted to do.

Like many career changes, Paul knew what he didn’t want: to work with one company, 9-5. “I wanted to pursue lots of things and have time with my daughter. I wanted to blur work and life. “

Pursuing curiosities

So Paul decided to pursue his curiosities. He volunteered for the National Trust, starting writing, set up a website, and set about talking to people and collaborating. Initially he did this alongside apply for jobs, but then he made a decision to cease job applications and focus on setting up new projects and participating in a range of voluntary local activities, such as donating blood platelets, organising events for Parkrun, and as Secretary for the Royal British Legion.

Another priority was spending time with his daughter “we were in the garden all day Monday”. Paul’s wife works in London, and this arrangement brings benefits for the whole family.

Future Debates

Paul is full of ideas and enthusiasm, and one of his current portfolio projects is Future Debates.

The idea was sparked by Paul’s MSc studies. “My group focused on business and the environment. We would get together on Friday and choose a topic that had been covered by one of our visiting lecturers. We’d each have a go at facilitating a debate and choosing questions. It was really interesting, and part of the course that I missed the most.”

After university, the group wanted to carry on, but found the opportunities to meet limited. But a spark has been lit: “the idea of setting something up was rattling in my head. “

Paul decided to trial a debate a co-working space in London in August 2016. He went to the space to co-work, and run a series of Future Debates as an experiment in the lunch hour. The format is up to 12 people, round a table, discussing a theme such as the future of work, technology and happiness, or dealing with plastic waste.

“I did about a dozen. People loved it.! It gave people an opportunity to talk about something that matters. “ After his success in running groups in London, Paul decided to set Future Debates up in Winchester, where he now lives.

Inspiration for action

The inspiration behind Future Debates is to achieve more than a talking shop. “I’m hoping action will follow on from words. We’re looking for ways to solve problems, though small groups coming together.”

Having attended a Future Debate, I can recommend them as a way to refresh your thinking, learning something new, and clarify your ideas.

No regrets

Paul accepts that no everyone is in a financial position to take a break from earning, and points out there are lots of ways you can fund a career change or follow a passion, for example by funding a change through part time or freelance work.

“It is a big step, but not something to be frightened of. I don’t regret it at all, I’m a lot happier”.

You can find out more about Future Debates here.

Career Change Toolkit

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Is it too late to change career at 40? (or 50…?)

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , freelance

“Is it too late to change career at 40?” “Am I too old to start a new career at 50?” You may have asked yourself this kind of question. It’s one I hear quite often. And my answer is “No, it’s definitely not too late”.

There are many options open to you at 40 and beyond to change career. And often the barriers to change are internal rather than external. It helps if you focus on what you CAN offer, and regard your age as an advantage rather than a drawback.

Mid-life experience

You reach mid-life with a wealth of experience. You are have more understanding of the world. You may also have more self-knowledge than earlier in life. This doesn’t mean that career change is easy. Like anything worthwhile it may require tenacity, focus and resilience to make a shift. But this is true at any age!

What can you bring with you from your work (and life) experience into a new career? Do take the time to review your own skills, strengths and interest, and reflect on what you would really like to be doing. And take time to research the options available to you.

Here are some viable mid-life career change options.

Consultancy

Consultancy can be a good choice if you have some specific expertise and enjoy the field you are in. It can offer you more control over your working life. Your current employer may be willing to offer you some work on a freelance basis. This can help you get started. Generally you will need to find other clients too, so your employer doesn’t fall foul of employment legislation. You may like to contact other companies in your field, or sign up for consultancy opportunities on a job board like Indeed.

Sideways move to change career

If you would rather stay in employment, but want a change, consider a sideways move. You might like to take your transferable skills into a new sector. Or build on an established track record in your current sector but look at changing your job role. For example, you could take sales skills from a commercial environment and move into a fundraising role with a charity.

Start a business

Have you always wanted to run a café, run a drama club, design curtains…?  Starting your own business can offer you control over your future. It’s not for the faint hearted, and if you’ve always been employed there will be a learning curve. But it can be exhilarating and rewarding.

There are various routes you can take. For example: you can go it alone, find a business partner, or buy into an established business model through a franchise. It’s essential to undertake research in the early stages to establish if there’s actually a market for your business idea.

Portfolio career

A portfolio career is where you have two or more jobs or businesses giving you strands of income. This approach can be a ongoing way of working, or it can offer a way into a career change. A part-time job in your current line of work can free up time to explore other options whilst bringing in an income.

For example you might work three days a week, and spend two days studying for a new qualification, or building up a small business on the side.

Volunteer

Volunteering is another way to gain helpful experience, in return for your time. This can fit in with a portfolio career approach, a sideways move or even a complete change. By giving your time on a trustee board you could get experience of leadership and governance. By running workshops for young people, you could gain experience and find out if you would like to work in this field. Voluntary work can also help grow your network and build confidence. Find volunteer opportunities on Do-It.org

Retrain

There have never been more opportunities to retrain, without having to go back to full-time study. Apprenticeships are being given a particular push by government at the moment, and they are not just for the young. And there are job shortages in certain sectors such as nursing which means that age isn’t a barrier to finding a job after retraining.

Thinking about a career change? Please get in touch if you’d like some help with clarifying your next steps.

Career Change Toolkit

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Contemplating career change or job search can feel daunting. Download this free toolkit full of resources and tips to help you feel more confident about your next steps.

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Setting goals? Try this first…

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Motivation

At this time of year it’s common to set goals for the year ahead.

But what if you start by thinking about your values. How you can make 2017 a year when you live your values more deeply?

I’m not suggesting that you don’t set goals. Goals are important to help you get things done. They can also help you to stay motivated. But if you start by identifying your values, this will help you set goals that really matter to you.

And committing to living your values more profoundly will have an impact on HOW you go about achieving your goals, and on your quality of life and relationships. And it can help bring a greater sense of meaning and purpose into your life.

What are values?

They are what’s important to you at a deep level. A value is a quality, or way of being. Whereas a goal is something you do or achieve. For example, a goal may be finding a life partner, whereas the underpinning value may be for love or connection or security.

Identifying your values can help you set goals that are worthwhile for you. They help you focus on what is important to you, not what others may think important. They can help give your life meaning and purpose

For example. you might set a goal to find a higher paying job. But if you start with values, then you might realise that you value time with your family more than anything else. You want to earn more so you can provide a better standard of living and more holidays for your family. This doesn’t preclude earning more, but not if it is going to mean less time at home. This understanding can then influence the goals you set for your job search.

How to identify your values?

Here are three ideas:

1. Ask yourself what is really matters to you, and then look for the underlying values. For example you may feel at your most happy and fulfilled when you are stretching yourself and learning something new. It may be that the underlying value here is love of learning, or personal growth. If so, how can you bring more of this into your everyday life, and future plans?
2. Conversely, if there is something in your life that makes you unhappy or angry, this could point to a violation of a value. If you feel angry that you are not being paid or treated fairly at work, this could point to an underlying value of justice, equity or fairness. Identifying this can help you in finding work that is more in line with what matters to you. And right now you can make sure you are fair in your dealings with others.
3. A third approach can be to use a list of values as a prompt. Try this 3 part exercise to help you to identify and prioritise your values, and set relevant actions and goals as a result.

Ideally, your job or career will be a good fit for your values. The culture of your organisation or company will feel right. And your work pattern and remuneration allows you to fulfil what’s important outside of work.

If you feel that your current job is significantly out of sync with your values, it may be time to make a change.

Career Change Toolkit

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Contemplating career change or job search can feel daunting. Download this free toolkit full of resources and tips to help you feel more confident about your next steps.

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Lessons from 13 years of self employment

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Networking , Small Business

In October 2003, I took the plunge into the ocean of freelance life. I left a communications management role to became a self employed consultant, facilitator and coach.

It’s been an exciting journey with twists and turns along the way. Over time my business has changed, and coaching and training now takes centre stage. I now run a management training business, and offer a career coaching service.

If you’re thinking about working for yourself, you may find these tips useful. They’re all based on my start up experience.

Plan ahead

If you are considering self employment in the future, think ahead and start planning now. Two things that helped me were saving up three months’ salary as a buffer, and setting up some freelance work before leaving employment.

Consider a part-time job

If finances are tight, consider looking for a part-time job to pay the rent. But be wary of part-time jobs with irregular hours. If you are going to work for yourself, you need to be disciplined about your time. This is easier if you have specific days in your diary to focus on your business.

Have a vision of where you want to go

Be clear about where you’re heading. I went freelance in order to control the direction of my own career. I knew that I wanted to earn my living through training, facilitation and coaching. At the time, I was known primarily for my research, writing and editorial skills, and in the first year most of my income came through writing. I kept my vision in mind, and gradually increased my training and coaching work as well as gaining extra qualifications in these areas.

Be strategic in accepting work

Because I knew where I wanted to go in my freelance career, I was selective in the writing work I took on. For example I was commissioned to write a training needs analysis toolkit, and a guide to leadership development. Both of these were very much in line with my strategic direction. I turned down other projects, which would take me too far off course.

Let’s be realistic, sometimes you may need to take work just for the money. But don’t fill up your whole diary with work that distracts you from your goal, leave some time for the “Oh YES!” projects.

Get comfortable with selling

People sometimes have a negative view of sales. Perhaps you see it as pushy or just don’t see yourself as a salesperson. But as a freelancer, or small business owner, you have to be able to sell yourself and your services. Selling is only unethical if you’re trying to persuade someone to buy something they don’t want or need. Ethical selling is simply the process of listening to your potential customer, identifying if and how you can help them, and offering them the chance to work with you.

Build your network

The biggest shock for me in going freelance was losing the day to day social contact of the office. Even through I had a good social life and plenty of activities in the evenings, I found the days a bit lonely at first. It was the support of my network, mostly people I’d worked with in the past, that kept me going.

As well as keeping up with people you know, it’s vital to extend your network – in the real world as well as online. This is probably easier that it was 13 years ago, due to a growth in local networking groups. In most areas there is choice of friendly groups emphasising support and learning, as well as more traditional referral networks focused on generating leads.

And I know networking can be effective – the first networking event I attended in my freelance career led to £3K worth of business! Of course this doesn’t happen all the time and it’s a mistake to go networking thinking that work will fall into your lap. But you certainly open yourself to opportunities  by getting out and getting known.

In fact I’ve got so much out of networking over the years that I’m now leading my own Fabulous Women and Marvellous Men networking group!

Over to you

If you are currently in business or freelancing, what helped you in the early days? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thinking of taking the plunge?

Are you considering self-employment? A modest investment in coaching can really help you clarify what you want, so that you make the right choices for your future. Working with a coach is a positive step to getting unstuck and much clearer about your next steps. For expert help, book yourself in for a free no-obligation chat about your future.  Find out more HERE.

How to expand your confidence (this one comes with a guarantee!)

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Motivation

How often does a lack of confidence hold you back?

You may be familiar with the concept of a comfort zone. It’s that place where you already feel confident.  You know exactly what you’re doing. You’re good at stuff. You don’t need to worry about messing up.

But if you only ever live from that place, you will find yourself stuck quite quickly. The world around us moves on and changes regardless of how confident we feel about adapting to it. But if you can step out of your current comfort zone, it will expand and so will your confidence.

The Stretch Zone

So a very useful concept is that of the Stretch Zone. This is the area around the outside our comfort zone, where we do something that we haven’t done before. We stretch ourselves by trying out a new skill or technique, going to a new place, applying for a new job, meeting new people, putting ourselves out there in the world in many different ways.

And it can be a bit scary – understandably so. When we try something new we are not guaranteed to make a success of it. We may try something new and love it. We may try something new and find it uncomfortable.

However, one thing we are guaranteed in the stretch zone is learning. It may be learning a new skill. It may be learning something about ourselves – what we like or don’t like. It may be learning something about other people and how we relate to them.

And if you look at taking a stretch in that way, then you really cannot fail!

Action is the key

An important thing to remember about moving into the stretch zone is just that – it’s a stretch, it involves movement. The only reliable way to build our confidence is to take action. There are plenty of useful techniques and exercises that can help us feel more confident. But at the end of the day you won’t grow your comfort zone until you get out and DO something.

Confidence comes from action – and the right level of action. Beyond the stretch zone lies the panic zone – this is where you have gone too far out of your zone of competence and confidence and your “fight or flight” mechanism kicks in. So if you are facing a big challenge, break it down to small steps, including a step you can do this week – or better still, today!

I took a step out of my comfort zone this week and started recording and sharing videos on Facebook. Here is a quick video that I’ve made for you about how I did it.

I found my passion in business after having a baby

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Small Business

Becoming a parent is a massive life change. So it’s not surprising that motherhood leads some women to change career too.  This was true for Angeline Braidwood, owner of Sleepy Nico baby carriers.

Angeline had a varied early career. She worked in marketing and publishing and as a self-employed bookseller. But becoming a mother led Angeline to discover her passion.

“When I had my first baby Amelia, I walked from Balham to Tulse Hill, using a standard baby carrier. At the end of the walk I was in agony, everything hurt, especially my shoulders.  The woman who opened the door to me wore a beautiful baby carrier. I bought one, and found people stopped me on the street to ask where I’d found it.”

I bought the company!

At that stage, Sleepy Nico was a tiny cottage industry run by two friends, and named after the founder’s son. And when the founders decided to move on, Angeline stepped in and bought the business. She took over the name, website, method and materials. “I was just so impressed that I bought the company.”

Angeline has since expanded her enterprise, and still creates an entirely British made product. She started on a micro basis, employing a couple of local seamstresses. She has now taken on a manufacturer to produce the slings on a bigger scale.

My business is like a child

“The business is like a child – growing and developing, with different needs that you have to meet. It’s an enormous learning curve, and you also keep learning and growing.”

Angeline’s enthusiasm for the business shines through, and has been essential to her success. “For me, a key to enjoying work has been to be passionate about something. Slings brought me and my child together. You just pop your child in, and off you go.”

But is hasn’t always been easy. I asked Angeline to share what she has learned so far in her business journey.

Stand up to problems and find solutions

“The biggest thing has been to stand up in the face of problems. When you work for yourself, every time something new comes up, you have to learn how to do it. I couldn’t ever go back to working in someone else’s structure.  In the workplace, you have a set place in the organisation and your work is planned in.

“At times I just lay on the floor and cried…. But every time there was a problem, I found a solution even though I wouldn’t have though of myself before as a problem-solver.”

Get organised

“Get organised before you start. Look into all the administration and legal side. Do your groundwork and research – know what you’re getting into. Write a business plan, and look into funding.

“Document everything as you go. You need documented processes as you get bigger. If you don’t do it as you go then you suddenly have to try and do it all at once.

“For example, we were working from a set of instructions written by seamstresses, not by instruction writers.  So I’ve asked a former textile instructor to write a proper set of instructions, known as the Bible“.

Be prepared to take a leap

“A year ago I took a leap and rented a studio on monthly terms at a local business centre.  Making the leap made me work harder to make the rent.”

Angeline didn’t borrow money to set up the business, but funded it from within the family. “I stretch myself a little bit financially, but not to the point where if it goes wrong I can’t shut it down. I always have enough to cover any liabilities.”

Nurture your workforce

The challenge for all small businesses in manufacturing is to find the workforce. “If you only have a couple of seamstresses and something happens, then you are stuck.”

Angeline would like to keep to the ethos of British made products.  She needs to find people with the skills needed to make a full sling to the highest of standards: “The product holds the most precious being. It’s made with care, attention and love. At the moment, every sling is checked by me, and the buck stops with me!”

One solution could be more flexible apprenticeships. Angeline can teach valuable skills, but she doesn’t work a standard 9 to 5 day, which can pose a problem for standard apprenticeship schemes.

Angeline talked about the need the let her seamstresses know about their contribution and feel a sense of pride in what they do. “I want to get people excited about working for the business.”

Ask for help and know your strengths

“Ask for help when you need it. I’ve had advice from a manufacturer and a business adviser. And get a really good accountant – mine looks into my numbers and gives advice, as figures are not my strengths.”

“Know your strengths – mine are selling, networking, and project management. And recognise when you need to delegate. For example I now work with someone on my social media. I enjoyed doing it, but you need to outsource when you need the help, or you lose your personal life and your time.”

Find your tribe

“The people I’ve met who have helped me have shared similar passions. Sleepy Nico fits into the bigger picture of baby-wearing, nurturing children. I’m part of a child-focused community, it’s lovely.

“For me, it’s about building a business around children. People call me an entrepreneur, but I always put the children first. A business is a bit like a third baby, with me looking after it. I think it’s a female way of running a business.”

For more information on Sleepy Nico carriers, visit sleepynico.com

Are you a mother thinking of returning to work?

Contact me for a free 30 minute consultation about your next steps.

Career Change Toolkit

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Contemplating career change or job search can feel daunting. Download this free toolkit full of resources and tips to help you feel more confident about your next steps.

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Dream of starting your own business? Here’s how to lift your idea off the ground.

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , freelance

Starting your own business is an increasingly popular choice for people who want a new direction in mid-life. Not surprising, as it offers you the promise of autonomy. And you can create a business that is well suited to your values, interests and skills.

Do YOU dream of starting your own business, but aren’t sure how to get your ideas off the ground?

I recently came away buzzing from attending the Workfest conference. It’s inspiring to spend a day immersed in the experiences of women who have started successful enterprises. Here is a round up of the top tips I took away from the day. And if after reading this, you have advice to add, please post a comment below.

1. Write a business plan – it doesn’t have to be complex but it will help you think through your ideas, and you’ll need it if you want to raise external funding.
2. Do your research – is there a market for your products and services? Design a questionnaire using a tool like Survey Monkey and get it out via social media and email. Don’t just ask your family and friends. Extend your research: reach out through your networks, and ask people to forward your survey on.
3. Having a vision for your business is important, but not enough on it’s own. You also need a practical plan with concrete achievable steps to take in the next weeks and months.
4. Be marmite, not vanilla. Work out who you really want to help our where you unique skills and experience could take you, and focus on that market. You can read my take on niching here.
5. Be realistic about your financial forecasts. Most businesses won’t make a profit in the first year, and maybe not for several years, particularly if you plan to invest and grow in a sustainable way, or move beyond a freelance or hobby business and take on staff.
6. Be selective in how you invest early on. You don’t need spend a fortune on your logo or stationery to start with, especially as you may want to tweak and develop your brand as you go.
7. When you are looking for people to help you with your website, logo, accounts etc, try to go through personal recommendations. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll end up with a great supplier, but it does reduce the risk.
8. Take action. If you are currently employed and want to start up, think about how you can bridge the gap towards your own enterprise. Can you start with a small pilot project to test an idea? Action is better than perfection; don’t wait until an idea is perfect before giving it a try, or you may never start.

Anything to add?  Please share your start up tips, or any questions, in the comments box (you’ll find it below the related articles section).

Wondering whether to start your own business?

Would you like some one-to-one support with changing direction and working for yourself?  My services include a two-hour Focus and Action mentoring session. This can help you if you already have a business ideas (or lots of ideas!) and need some focus and clarity to move forward.  

Or if you’re not sure what you want to do next, career coaching can help you consider a wide range of option.  

Career Change Toolkit

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Contemplating career change or job search can feel daunting. Download this free toolkit full of resources and tips to help you feel more confident about your next steps.

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How to dress for an interview

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Career development

I’m delighted to welcome guest blogger Nicola Davis. Nicola is a multi-award winning colour and style consultant. Her professional background includes interviewing, and she knows what impresses employers. Read on for some terrific advice from Nicola on how to dress for an interview, and for a promotion!

Nicola Davis

Like it or not, people form instant opinions about us based on how we look. Given my background in human resources and sales management, I know first-hand how true this is when it comes to interviewing candidates for jobs.

A survey conducted by The Ladders management careers company found for senior executives conducting interviews, 37% had decided against hiring a candidate due to the way they were dressed. Therefore to maximise your chances of getting the job you need to make sure you dress appropriately for the role and the company.

Research the company

When deciding what to wear for your interview, research the company to gain an understanding of its dress code. If possible, get along to their premises when you can see employees coming and going and take a look at what they’re wearing. At the very least, check out the images on their website. Are staff conservatively dressed in suits? Or, does the dress code appear to be more relaxed? If in doubt, always err on the side of caution and go for a formal, tailored look.

In any event, an interview is not the time for high-fashion or quirky statement dressing – unless of course you’re looking to work within the fashion or creative industries. You want the interviewer to be focused on you, not distracted by what you’re wearing.

Go for smart colour and style choices

A classic dark suit (navy or charcoal are good options for most people) teamed with understated accessories suggests authority and professionalism whilst a touch of red (perhaps in a tie or blouse) gives an impression of confidence and dynamism. Less structured clothes in softer colours tend to look less professional but could be appropriate for those seeking work in areas where they need to look approachable and empathetic. On the whole though, it’s safest to avoid pastels and florals for interview, unless teamed with something dark and tailored to add some gravitas.

Whatever the role you’re applying for, your clothes should be clean, current, well-fitting and appropriate. Good grooming is also essential. Surveys consistently show that women who wear make-up are perceived as being more professional and in control of their lives than those who don’t, so even if you don’t normally wear make-up, applying a little mascara, blusher and lipstick for the interview is worth considering. Do make sure you practice applying and wearing it well ahead of the interview day though to avoid last minute panic and disaster!

Dress for a pay rise with personal touches

Once you’ve got the job and demonstrated your competence in the role, you can afford to express more of your personality in the way you dress, whilst still adhering to any company dress code. Indeed, as Fortune Magazine noted “Personal style has always played, and still plays, a crucial role in the career trajectories of leaders’’(March 2015) Similarly, injecting some colour into your working wardrobe could enhance your career prospects according to an article in The Telegraph (November 2015) – “Colourful clothes lead to pay rises and promotion.”

The key to dressing for business is to convey the right sartorial messages whilst remaining true to your innate personal style. This can be done by adding personal touches to your professional “uniform”. For women this might be wearing your signature red lipstick or statement earrings or carrying a brightly coloured bag, whilst for men it might mean wearing a natty waistcoat or bow tie or perhaps using a messenger bag instead of a formal briefcase.

Seek advice on career and personal style

Finally, if you (or your boss!) really feel that your personal style is at odds with the company dress code and culture, you may well find that this is not the right organisation for you. In which case, I would thoroughly recommend that you get advice from Felicity regarding the type of work and style of company which will suit you best and enable you to fulfil your true potential.

If you would like to find out more about how to dress in a way that is flattering and appropriate and also reflects your style personality, I would be delighted to help. Please email Nicola@mypersonalstyle.co.uk or visit my website www.mypersonalstyle.co.uk

Nicola Davis, 2016

Career Change Toolkit

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Contemplating career change or job search can feel daunting. Download this free toolkit full of resources and tips to help you feel more confident about your next steps.

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One of a Kind – a career change story

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Creativity , Small Business

Have you ever thought about changing career completely? Julie D’Arcy changed her career dramatically, and not once, but twice within a few years.

After an early career in the armed services, Julie decided to follow a long held ambition to become a teacher. And this meant getting qualified from scratch.

The path to teaching

Julie’s first step was to take an NVQ in childcare. She then took a foundation degree, whilst working as a teaching assistant, having her first child and getting married.

Julie then went on to a full BA Honours Degree. During this period, she had her second child and faced the challenge of becoming a single mum after her marriage broke up.

Julie describes herself as stubborn: “if I’m told I can’t do something, I do it!” I think most people would use words such as determined, tenacious and incredibly hardworking to describe Julie’s academic journey.  She gives a lot of credit to her grandparents, who died whilst she was studying, and talks about how she was inspired by her grandad’s attitude: “He always said life doesn’t come to you if you sit and wait for it.”

But after working so hard to achieve a 2.1 degree and qualifying as a teacher, Julie realised she didn’t want to work in a school. She loved teaching and working with the children, but not the excessive paperwork. “The pressure on teachers is ridiculous. I have two young children, why would I be a teacher and not see my own children. Teachers are so stressed. They have no work-life balance. We’re not allowed to just teach”

The creative spark

So Julie left her hard-won second career, and not without some sadness: “I do miss the teaching – I’d wanted to do it for SO long. And when I got it, it wasn’t what I’d expected.”

Julie is now on her third career, and has started her own business, restoring old furniture with beautiful and unique paint finishes.

“I painted a wardrobe. Then I starting picked up bits and bobs of furniture that were being thrown out. Julie cites her stubbornness again: “A friend said “you’re not going to ask for that! so I did! I’m now a skipologist. I took a mouldy old chair and transformed it.”

Like many mid-life career changes, this one has its roots in a childhood love.

“I’ve always been arty and creative… I remember painting my bedroom at the age of twelve. My mother said it would be lot of work and told me not to, so I did it! I used a sponge, and loved it so much.”

Julie ended up displaying some of her work at a school fair and met the local mayor. “He said ‘you should think about starting your own business – it’s beautiful’. He sent me through some websites and I applied for funding.” Julie has now set up her furniture studio in Gosport, called One of a Kind.

Her work primarily comes through word of mouth and commissions, and she is working on raising awareness of her business and getting her furniture out there where people can see it.

A family venture

Running her own creative business has transformed the balance of Julie’s life and her children love being at her studio. “They like the fact they can come with me. The children have their own projects. I’m role modeling for them – it’s their business as well.”

And Julie’s teaching and learning experience is not wasted. She runs creative workshops for adults and has started to help local students with work experience. Decorative finishes are part of the syllabus on painting and decorating courses and students like the fact that they are working on real projects. “They come in knowing that they’re going to be useful.” Julie said she cried recently after receiving some “wonderful” feedback from a mother: “She said that ‘in a week with you my daughter has grown and changed so much'”

Seize the moment

It must have taken courage to make a second change. Julie explained that if she was going to do it, she had to do it before she had become accustomed to a teacher’s salary: “I made a decision, a lifestyle choice.”  And her words of wisdom for others wondering about taking the plunge: “You only get one chance at life!”

You can find out more about Julie’s furniture and workshops at the One of a Kind website.

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The six tribes of self-employment

By Felicity Dwyer | Career change , Small Business

Self-employment is now at a record high – 4.6 million people according to the latest Labour Force Survey. And the rate of growth in self-employment is particularly strong amongst women. So if you are considering a career change, going it alone is a serious option.

Self-employment and micro-business ownership is a broad field. It ranges from ambitious entrepreneurial start ups, to ad-hoc freelancing, and stops in-between.

Research from an RSA and Etsy project, The Power of Small, identified six “tribes of self-employment”. These ideas were published in a report called Salvation in a Start Up.

Whether you already run a business or are considering it, these categories offer food for thought. Which tribe could you be part of?

Visionaries

Locals

Classicals

Survivors

Independents

Dabblers