• As a person, you will find me warm, approachable, open and friendly. I want you to put your complete trust in me and share your career needs, dreams and aspirations.


• As your coach, you will find me supportive, encouraging, focused and professional. I want you to know that you have an independent, objective ally who will keep you moving towards your goal.


• As a professional, I will draw from the skills, techniques and unique experience that I have gathered from my own career.


• As well as adhering to the professional Codes of Ethics of the International Coach Federation and Institute of Careers Guidance (see below), my own values are those of integrity, professionalism and trust. I also take client confidentiality extremely seriously and have an entry in the register for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998.

My professional and academic background offers a distinctive collection of skills and experience. Professionally, my career has included positions in personnel management, human resources consultancy and employee research. Specifically during latter years, I have worked as a Careers Adviser with adults. Academically, I have the Diploma in Life Coaching from Newcastle College, Part 1 of the Diploma in Careers Guidance (University based), the NVQ 4 in Advice and Guidance (work based), and an Honours degree majoring in Psychology.

Through my career, I have gained knowledge and insight into workplace politics and expectations, work-related stress (and rust factor!), and career transition issues. I have also developed an appreciation of the factors that we all face as working adults:

• An ever-changing job market where the traditional “job for life” is fast disappearing;
• Increasing needs for skill flexibility and personal career management;
• Financial constraints;
• Family demands;
• Time constraints;
• Influences on career decision-making and choice;
• Fear and apprehension of starting again; and
• Fear and apprehension of returning to education.

If you find yourself relating to any of the above, career coaching can help you work through these issues and discover what is important to you.

Underpinning all of my professional work are the Codes of Ethics of the International Coach Federation (ICF: www.coachfederation.org ) and Institute of Careers Guidance (ICG: www.icg-uk.org): both of which I am member. I also hold full Professional Liability Insurance through the International Coach Federation.

However, I realise that it is less important to you how I describe myself and my service and I, therefore, include some personal testimonials from people I have coached recently.

Testimonials

“Sophia was extremely professional and, after each session, I felt more in control and positive about the goals I wanted to achieve that week.”
A.B., Oxfordshire

“I would definitely recommend life coaching with Sophia to others, and find her to be friendly, competent and professional at the right times.”
S.R., Oxfordshire

“I would recommend coaching to those in need of the career equivalent of a map and a compass - in other words, information on what's out there AND the means to navigate it.

Life coaching will not tell you the destination or the route but it will open your eyes to all the possible destinations and routes and will help you along the route that you choose.

The service offered by Sophia was both thoroughly professional and refreshingly personal and it helped me not only to identify ways forward after a redundancy situation but gave me the confidence to pursue them with vigour.”
E.W., Cheshire

“At my mid-programme review…, I was astounded as to the progress we had made in such a relatively short space of time…The coaching sessions have helped me in a number of ways, giving me a greater confidence in my own abilities. I now have new processes and guidelines so I can approach everything in a structured way without feeling I am losing control.”
S.W., Oxfordshire

“Sometimes we need a little help to see the wood for the trees - life coaching has helped me to see new approaches to finding a balance in the juggling act that is family life, relationships and work, while still finding a little time for me.”
D.M., Cheshire