I connected with Louise a few months ago after a mutual contact shared her #OpenToWork post on LinkedIn.
She was an Agile Delivery Lead and an experienced contractor who, for the first time in her career, was finding the job market incredibly tough.
Her typical smooth transitions between roles had been replaced by a wall of silence.
Zero responses
Quick rejections
Interviews that led to being ghosted.
Her confidence was taking a real hit, and the frustration was clear in our initial messages.
We had a free chat where she told me about her challenges.
The market she was used to had changed, and her old approach wasn’t working.
We spoke about how I help professionals like her navigate these career transitions, and she decided to go all-in with my full Career Navigation service.
She had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Unpicking the Challenges
Over the next few weeks, we started our sessions. What we found wasn’t surprising, but it was key to her success.
- Wrong Targets: Louise was discounting herself from roles she was more than qualified for and, at the same time, applying for positions that were too junior. This was a major reason for the quick rejections leading to low morale.
- A Quiet CV: Her CV was fine, but it wasn’t a powerful marketing tool. It was a list of duties, not a showcase of her achievements and value. It wasn’t selling her best capabilities to an employer.
- Confidence Crisis: The constant rejections and ghosting had knocked her confidence. This pressure was impacting her interview performance and making it hard to show her true potential.
- Message Lost: In a mock interview, we discovered that while she had great content, her nerves were making her speak too fast. The message was getting lost in the delivery, and she wasn’t landing her points effectively.
Overcoming a Major Setback
We completely overhauled her job search strategy and rewrote her CV together.
This immediately led to a much higher conversion rate for interviews, and she started getting more and more second-stage interviews and case studies coming through.
The process was working, but the market was still unforgiving.
After one particular third-stage interview where she felt she had excelled, the company went silent and she was completely ghosted.
This was a breaking point.
For the first time in her career, she was ready to give up on her chosen profession and even considered applying for roles in retail or hospitality, just out of fear that she wasn’t good enough anymore and equally, the pressures of having a family depending on her.
It was a tough conversation, but we worked through it.
We acknowledged the frustration, picked up the pieces, and focused on what we could control.
We ran some targeted job searches to get back in the race and developed a new strategy.
With a powerful CV, a clear job search strategy, and a renewed sense of confidence, Louise was set up for success.
We worked on slowing down her delivery and structuring her answers so her value was clear and concise.
We also took one of her case studies and worked on it together, turning it from a good presentation into a great one.
I am delighted to share that Louise has now secured a fantastic new role as a Scrum Master with a building society.
What’s even better? This was a role she previously would have overlooked.
The day rate is handsome, and she’s found a position that truly aligns with her skills and goals.
The Numbers Tell the Story
In the UK, the average time to get from a job application to an offer is around 17 weeks.
Louise had been job hunting for about eight weeks on her own with limited progress before we started working together.
After just 12 weeks of us working together, she secured her new role.
Without our work, the ghosting and rejections would likely have continued, pushing her well beyond that 17-week average.
The anxiety would have grown, and the financial pressures would have become even more significant.
Our partnership helped her break the cycle, accelerate her job search, and find the right role, not just any role.
Check out what Louise had to say below.
“At first, I was hesitant…after encountering scams and people looking to take advantage of my situation, I was understandably cautious. But after speaking with Tony, I decided to take the leap and sign up for his support, even though I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I’m genuinely grateful for Tony’s support. His guidance helped me rediscover my confidence, clarify my direction, and take ownership of my job search in a whole new way.”
Congratulations, Louise! I’m so proud of your hard work and determination.
If you’re a professional who feels stuck, frustrated, or like your career transition is taking too long, let’s talk. Get in touch for a free 30-minute consultation, and let’s discuss how I can help you find your next role.