This 39 year old Mother explained that she had been at home for 15 years. Her children were now older. She was thinking of doing something outside her home. However, once she began to think of taking up any sort of job outside the home, her confidence deserted her completely.

“I don’t know why I am here. I was always useless at school so I don’t think there is anything I can do well”

The career counsellor reassured her that much career choice is based on intelligence which was never measured in school. This client did not do well academically in school. It was going to be a challenge to shift this perception. However the counsellor was confident that the process would uncover skills and subtle intelligences that this client may never have been given credit for in school.

The process indicated that this client’s greatest gift was her ability to stay calm in a crisis. Even though her surface confidence was not high, the profile indicated that she a very calm, grounded woman. This gift was coupled with an ability to multi-task – she could seem as if she was giving her undivided attention to one person and yet be aware of others waiting in a queue or of a phone ringing. When these gifts were revealed to the client, she remained totally unimpressed.

“Sure, I always knew I could do that. Can’t everyone? So what? So I go into someone and say ‘I am calm and can do loads of things at once’ – this is going to get me a job!?”

The counsellor took this very good question and explored it with the client. Eventually, the client focused on the area of customer care, dealing with customer queries and complaints. She found a position in a large Department Store. The Store was offering part-time training on the job.

She submitted a CV and the counsellor ran her through intensive interview training. To her astonishment, she was offered the job. Suddenly her dream was becoming a reality – now it was time to commit. Finally, at the very last minute, she decided that it was now or never, if she did not do it now, she never would.

At the beginning, the client faced major obstacles- she found the training difficult. She had to figure out the cash register…. She kept in touch with the counsellor and so many times she considered leaving. However, gradually, they had less contact. She began little by little to appreciate her gift – she could stay calm, no matter how difficult a client was.

After three months she felt comfortable and actually wondered what she had found so difficult in the first place!