Work - Individual
Deciding what you want to do in your life to earn a living can be difficult at any age, when there are so many choices and, at the same time, constraints. Right from age 14 when you have to choose which GCSEs to take, through work experience, gap year, A levels, university, first job, second job, career break, parenthood or not, disillusionment, conflict and organisational politics, redundancy, self employment, and now, delayed retirement, an individual is faced with a sometimes bewildering range of decisions to take.
Based between Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Eastbourne, Lynne Spencer has tackled all of the above career issues and many more with her clients over the past 15 years. An independent occupational psychologist, she has an established career coaching practice which supports people through their transitions and helps them feel clearer, more confident and empowered.
Career Coaching
Usually the career coaching process takes the form of at least 2 sessions, lasting one and a half hours each, spaced fortnightly and with ‘homework’ in between. Combining a blend of counselling and coaching, psychometrics, pencil and paper exercises (many of which are taken from her publication, ‘Life and Career’), and research, Lynne will help an individual to work out what they want, what is practical and how to get there. The aim is to increase self knowledge, recognise what may have held them back in the past, and if necessary, replace constraining thinking patterns with more positive ones in order to move forward in the future. An additional outplacement – style job search service is offered, consisting of advice on developing CVs, contacting employers and mock interviews. The coaching plan is discussed with a new client at the end of the first session, which is offered as a trial and with no obligation to continue. The sessions are informal, supportive, challenging, practical, insightful and rewarding.
Lynne has has worked as an occupational psychologist since 1990, working first for a counselling and outplacement agency, then as an associate for various organisational consultancies (where she undertook team building, organisation development, research and coaching for many household names), becoming self employed in 1999. She has designed and delivered many training courses for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, has been a management coach for the London Business School, a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths College and an assessor for careers advisory staff. She is on the editorial board of the magazine ‘Coaching At Work’ and in addition to her book, has also published a large scale research investigation into sex discrimination amongst barristers and judges.
Before qualifying as a psychologist, Lynne held various HR positions in the BBC, including managing the centralised recruitment department and being the youngest appointed Head of Personnel. During her 11 years there, Lynne delivered a generalist HR service for occupational groups as diverse as journalists, press officers, researchers, printers, security, medical and IT staff, accountants, lawyers, caterers, the senior directors and two Director Generals.
Please contact lynne_spencer@hotmail.com for an appointment.