Client stories

Jenny

Previous role: Data entry clerk with insurance co.
New role: Airline stewardess, regional airline.

When I looked at my strengths and experience I realised I had good people skills and was well organised. I have always loved travelling and my coach suggested that I could get experience of the travel industry by working in a business travel agency. Through that job I was often liaising with a local regional airline and after a conversation with their operations manager was invited for an interview. I have been with them for two years now and love every minute of my job.

Peter

Previous role: Chief Operating Officer – Oil and Gas
New role: Head of a major Charity

When I sat down with my coach I realised that I wanted to put something back into society whilst not wasting my thirty plus years of experience. Together we looked at the Charity and Non Government Organisation (NGO) sector and I am now drawing on all my operational and logistics skills to ensure that my charity is getting the right aid to the global hotspots at the right time. The role also involves lobbying governments and is high profile – I really feel as though I am making a difference.

Susie

Previous role: Finance Manager – Retail Sector
New role: Finance Manager – PCT within NHS

When I came to Penna I felt very drained but my coach helped me to see that it had been the job that had drained me – I was travelling all round the UK visiting stores and working very long hours. In retail I was used to large payroll operations and complex multi-site financial reporting. My skills were of real interest to my local Primary Care Trust and now whilst operating at a similar level with the same amount of challenge, I am not travelling more than 30 miles each day - I get to see my family and I feel totally on top of my life again.

Sohail

Previous role: IT Consultant – Financial Services
New role: IT Consultant – Private Health Care Provider

My department was outsourced last year and there was no opportunity to move with it – I had really enjoyed the work so was very disappointed. I attended two days of Penna workshops and had four hours with a coach - I needed to get back into work quickly as we had just had our second child. The coach was brilliant and I soon realised that I needed to find an organisation that was in a similar or same field of business.  I recognised that I enjoy developing and enhancing customer relationship management systems. By registering with a number of specialist IT recruitment companies and putting my CV onto the web I soon had interviews.  I chose this job over another slightly higher paid job as this employer values learning and is now supporting me in gaining additional qualifications in my field.

Geoff

Previous role: Senior Engineer
New role: Wildlife Trust, Park Ranger

I was really bored with my job and had a good pay-off so I was delighted to leave. Whilst I had studied engineering, my passion has always been the outdoors and I am really pleased that this situation gave me the opportunity to re-evaluate my life. Working with my coach we looked at my skills and competencies and then looked at how these could translate into working in a completely different environment. I did a stepping-stone job at first – working as an engineer for the Environment Agency and this opened doors to the many countryside agencies resulting in my current position. I could never see myself sitting in an office again – this is my perfect job.

Mike

Previous role: Warehouse Operative – Manufacturing
New role: Own Business – Plumber

I was always handy around the house and had been with my company for fifteen years so after discussion with my coach I invested my package in re-training to get a plumbing qualification. After re-training it took two years to build up my small but growing customer base and it was tough but I got there. Now I’m my own boss and this year I plan to take my wife on a luxury holiday to thank her for sticking with me through those tough times.

Paul

Previous role: City Trader – US Bank
New role: City Trader – Far Eastern Bank

I needed redundancy like a hole in the head having just bought a new flat in London. I was angry and my coach took the brunt of it at our first meeting. He soon helped me to realise though that there was no way back and I needed to concentrate on getting back into the same line of work as quickly as possible.  This became my overriding objective. My CV was very strong and I have never had a problem selling myself. I networked heavily at events and launches and targeted top investment banks through a direct approach. I knew that given the growth of the Chinese economy there would be an increased far eastern presence coming into London and used my contacts to secure meetings with most of them. After six weeks I had another position which is drawing on my current skill set but the culture is very different and I am enjoying the new challenges this provides

Hazel

Previous role: Sales Team Leader - Utilities
New role: Sales Trainer – Telecoms

Redundancy came at a bad time for me – I was nursing my elderly mother and trying to fund my son through University. When I met with my coach I remember bursting into tears and asking “why me?”. Ruth was fantastic – she let me rant and rage but quickly helped me to leave my anger behind and focus on my future. As a team leader most of my job had involved coaching and developing my staff and I had always enjoyed the training element of this. With Ruth’s help I put together a strong CV drawing upon my training skills and then I targeted organisations with call centre operations. I knew my experience was valuable to these types of operations and it was not long before a local company offered me a role. The best part is they have an excellent flexitime and good shift patterns – this means I can also spend quality time with Mum.