Coaching Case Study By Simonne Tracia Yeo
(Career Coach, SINGAPORE)
Client Profile
MdmSng, aged 70 years, a widow with two daughters. She was a Real Estate Agent till 2004. She became a housewife and took care of her family and her late husband was diagnosed with cancer till he passed away in 2009. She returned to workforce and raised her two daughters who are now adults and married.
MdmSng would like to return to the workforce and is facing some challenges in search for a job.
Client Challenges
- Retirement age in Singapore is 62 years
- Re-employment age in Singapore is up to 67 years
- Employability for MdmSng at her age will be slim
- Qualifications,knowledge and skills may not be lagging
Career Coaching
My approach and coaching skills which I have done successfully:
Establishing Trust with Client
First, I thanked MdmSng for giving me this opportunity to coach her.
To established mutual trust and respect, a brief introduction of myself, my role as Career Coach, explained the coaching objective and coaching session,the ethical code of practice, client confidentiality,personal data protection, and to create a safe and supportive environment as discussed with MdmSng during our first meeting.
Ask Powerful Questions & Active Listening
In order to understand my Client better, I asked questions and listen attentively for her response.
Q1. What would you like to achieve or be coached today?
MdmSng is looking for a job as a Telemarketer, preferably a part time. She is willing to make a career switch from her previous jobs as English Tutor and Real Estate Agent.
Q2. What are your dreams and goals?
MdmSng would like to buy a home near the beach for her retirement.
Q3. When was the last time you prepared your resume?
MdmSng did not have a current resume. She did one many years ago and was not updated. I encouraged MdmSng to prepare one by next week for my review in the next coaching session.
Q4. Tell me about your previous/past working experiences?
Mdm Yap started her first job as a Stenographer, and has taken up roles in Administrator and Human Resources. She was also a trained telemarketer and administrator for events, seminars and convention till 1990s. She went on to further her experiences in Customer Services and Sales, and started a small retail business till 1997. She was also an Insurance Agent and a Real Estate Agent till 2004.
Her last job was a Freelance/Home based English Tutor to a Foreign Student, a Chinese nationality.
Q5. What were your Strength from your past experiences?
MdmSng recalled as a Telemarketer, her voice was unique.She speaks well, clear speech and well-remembered by her friends, associates.
As a English Tutor, her student did very well, excel and went to a good University in America.She felt her talent was Teaching English Language. She has good diction and strong in grammar.
As a Real Estate Agent, she handled both the private property and public housing sales. She has a warm personally, perseverance and her patience with customers.
Q6. What were your challenges in Real Estate?
MdmSng main challenges were the passing rate for the Real Estate exams in order to get a License, the property market advertisement costs and the business ethics.
Q7. How does people or colleagues described you?
MdmSng was able to work independently and as a team.
She was hardworking, dedicated and results oriented.
Create Self Awareness: Clarity & Goals
To help MdmSng have more clarify on her Goals. I used the coaching model GROW (Goals, Reality, Options, Will) and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, Time)
Client Goals
Short Term : To get a job, an income to buy her dream home
Mid Term: To build an income to buy her dream home
Long Term: To own a beach home in 3 to 5 years
Reality Checks
Q8. What is the Estimated Cost of a Beach Home?
Q9. How much you need to earn or finance your dream home?
Options
Client challenges: Age, Employability, Income level
Client job preference: Telemarketeror Telesales
Q10. To achieve your dream home, which job or career would get you there in 3 years?
Career Options & Opportunities:
Self Employment/Own business
Real Estate Agent
English Tutor
Mind Transformation Moment
MdmSng has gained clarity and was able to visualise herself buying her dream home and rebuild a career in Real Estate.
Will
Action plans for MdmSng to rebuild her career using SMART tools
Specific
Get a Licence in Real Estate. Prepare a Resume. Apply for Real Estate Agent. Enroll for the Real Estate course and exam.
Measurable
Sign up Real Estate Courses and Exams – by 31 March 2018
Accountable
Attend all tutorials and passed the Real Estate Exams within the next 3 to 6 months
Realistic
Build a career and get a Licenced in Real Estate in 6 months
Time
A Career in Real Estate by 30 September 2018
Closing
Q11. What have you learnt or take away for today session?
MdmSng has clarity of her dreams and goals. She is motivated to take actions to rebuild her career to buy her dream home.
By setting realistic goals, she will be able to take action to fulfill her dream home.
Action Items for next Coaching Session:
MdmSng will prepare her resume. She will check and enroll for the next intake of Real Estate course and exams.
Conclusion
My Achievements
- To align Client goals, dreams and create career opportunities
- Help Client to Discover own Strength
- Visualise the Desired Outcome
- Transformation & Self Awareness
- Empowering the Client to move forward.
Coaching Models Used
- GROW
- SMART tools
Areas For Improvement
- Powerful
- Active Listening
There are some periods of silence and I thought my Client was not listening or did not understand my question as her response was slow.
To improve on the quality of my listening skills, I will remind myself to ‘WAIT’ and allow some ‘Awkward Silence’ for client to think deeper and express more.