My Story:

Growing up, my dear mother always used to say to me when I would come home from a hard day of work, “Did you have fun today? I know you did because you wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t fun.”

That statement resonated with me then and I have never forgotten it to this day. Mainly because she was right, and also because I now realize how fundamentally important that lesson was for me.

I didn’t realize it while working that I needed this to be such an integral part of the job, because it was always there for me (I really think of how fortunate I was to have so many jobs I loved). Work was fun. Sure, it was a lot of hard work and there were certain tasks that I would find mundane and had to work up the motivation to do them, but for the most part, it was really, really fun.

As I grew older, I began to recognize what made work uniquely fun for me:

• Collaborating with a positive group of people
• Inventing new ways to solve problems
• Making decisions independently
• Being recognized and appreciated for my hard work and achievements
• Implementing new and innovative ways in which to do things.

The truth was, the jobs I loved the most afforded me the opportunity to excel because they were an extension of who I truly was. I needed the core fundamentals these jobs gave me to be really successful and satisfied in my career.

Over the years I have had many jobs, and one thing separates the great from the not so great. That one thing is an alignment of values. If my core values weren’t in alignment with my company’s core values, my needs couldn’t be met, and so I went elsewhere.

One of my last jobs was a perfect illustration of what happens when you don’t have the opportunity to express and honour your core values in the work place:

• Great company
• Great salary
• Great perks
• All the overt goals that looked good on paper

And yet…something was missing.

So after five years, I left. I left without another job in the works, unsure what was in store for me. Some people thought I was crazy to leave such a solid job, others told me I was brave and I, truth be told, was scared out of my mind!

But leaving my job was necessary. Because I was unhappy and burnt out. The biggest awakening was this: Although I was capable of doing the job, it was no longer allowing me to serve from my true nature, through my innate core values.

Simply put, I was no longer content to work in a place where I was not truly recognized and supported for being me! Nor could I make the kinds of contributions to the company that they needed. We were in very different places.

And it wasn’t just me. In conversations with friends and colleagues over the years it is amazing just how many people work in places where they are not afforded the opportunities to work to their true potential and from their true nature.

After much travelling and inner work to redefine myself, I came to know what I truly wanted out of a career. My passions led me back to school to become a Certified Professional Coach so I could guide others to discover for themselves how to excel and be happy in the workforce.

I have over 20+ years of management and leadership experience while working for some of the top Fortune 500 companies, including running one of the highest-volume Apple stores in Canada. Having interviewed hundreds (or maybe thousands by now!) of candidates for job positions over the years, I know how important it is to look beyond the skill requirements to ensure a potential employee is the right fit.

This is not about just prepping you for your basic behavioral interview; this is about learning WHO you are so that you can ask empowering questions like a pro during an interview and help identify if a company is the right fit for you. Imagine how it would feel to be equipped with this crucial knowledge BEFORE you say “Yes” to a job offer!