FlexCareers is passionate about supporting our employer partners and our community to be the best that they can be. We offer a range of training and coaching services in areas such as career transition and outplacement, parental leave, return to work, managing flexibly, interview skills, leadership and management, positive psychology, and diversity & inclusion – to name a few.
In this series, we introduce you to our panel of FlexCoaches, each who offer a complimentary 30 minute chemistry session to our community.
1. Tanaz, tell us about your career to date.
I began my career working in professional communication, media relations, branding and marketing. I honed my marketing and writing skills and developed expertise in preparing annual reports, business cases, grant applications, tenders and marketing material. I began my career by joining a leading telecommunications provider (Sensis) to work in their Community Relations department. Then I moved into a challenging role in the not-for-profit industry (Victorian Association of Forest Industries) where I gained considerable experience in public relations, community education, issues and risk management before I moved into the public sector. I joined the Office of the Public Advocate as a communications coordinator, and managed everything from a suite of legal and health publications through to a website redevelopment, producing education videos, managing media relations and writing speeches. Following this role, I moved into the Department of Business and Innovation, where I joined Business Victoria and developed social media strategies, marketing material, promotional plans and stakeholder engagement strategies.
Six years ago I began looking for opportunities to change my career path and became more interested in the career management process than actually finding myself a new job. So I joined Successful Resumes as a professional resume writer, and later established Career Results, a full service career management consultancy.
2.What was your motivation to become a coach?
After five years in marketing and media relations I began looking for opportunities to change my career path. I discovered I had a flair for marketing people rather than products or services. I became interested in recruitment, and discovered that recruiters don’t really provide individuals with the support they need to secure new jobs that are a good fit for their goals and aspirations.
I became genuinely passionate about the job search process itself, and discovered how little information there was for job seekers looking to take charge of their own career. I looked for a way to combine this interest with my transferrable skills – namely professional writing – and joined Successful Resumes.
In today’s rapidly changing employment market, it’s more challenging than ever to achieve career success. Flexibility and resilience are critical, roles are constantly evolving, and increasingly individuals are expected to proactively manage their own professional development and training needs. That’s why I became a career coach.
3.Do you have any particular areas of coaching expertise?
Over the past six years I have successfully helped hundreds of individuals from all industry sectors achieve their career goals. My services expanded from resume and cover letter writing to tailored career coaching packages. I work in partnership with clients to map out their career path, help them explore new employment options, and pursue their particular career goals. I’ve provided career coaching, written resumes that stand out from the crowd, prepared effective employment proposals, developed winning presentations and ultimately given my clients the tools they need to achieve career success.
I have established a comprehensive career development practice and have a proven track record – 96% of my clients have achieved their career goals. I’ve worked with:
- C-suite executives and managing directors seeking board appointments
- Experienced professionals looking for opportunities to leverage their expertise and establish consultancies
- Young entrepreneurs planning to move away from salaried work and start up their own small business
- Professionals in middle management trying to secure a promotion or further opportunities
- Individuals ranging from teachers to trade professionals seeking a career change
- Graduates looking for their first entry level role or an appropriate graduate program.
While I am not limited to any specific industry area, I do specialise in working with clients in professional services, accounting and law, government, education, logistics, IT, construction, mining and resources, energy, marketing, sales, health care and pharmaceutical sectors.
4.What do you love most about coaching?
I love empowering people to take control of their careers. I enjoy giving them the tools and information they need to really start leading their own career journey, rather than feeling as though they are at the mercy of forces beyond their power – such as the employment market, economic downturn or gender bias.
In every consultation, I try to give clients information to support their career journey, explain the recruitment process and basically provide advice about how to go about getting the job they want. But what I really love is helping each client see the value in themselves, whether that be in their current role, through past experience or in their transferrable skills. I coax and encourage them to identify their unique value proposition and career achievements. In doing so, each client – from graduates to senior executives – gains unique insight into the value of what they do and the impact they have on an organisation.
5.How do you define success?
There is no single definition of success as a career coach. Success is when a client feels empowered and confident in their ability to take the next step in their career – whatever that step looks like. It can be found in helping clients:
- Realise their potential
- Recognise and believe in their skills
- Find new career paths
- Understand the employment process
- Learn how to search for job opportunities
- Identify achievable career goals
- Address potential gaps in skills and experience
- Develop an effective resume and cover letter
- Build their professional network
- Negotiate a promotion
- Facilitate a career change
- Develop a plan after redundancy
- Secure a new job
- Monitor their own performance
- Achieve job satisfaction.
6.What is your vision for women in the workplace?
To see women valued for the very reasons they seek flexibility, experience gender bias and a significant career gap. My vision is to see employers value the broad life skills that women in the workplace offer – and their positive impact on organisational culture. To see the differences between men and women acknowledged, celebrated and harnessed for both social and commercial benefit.
I hope to see career success being redefined, pre-existing notions about productivity being challenged, and a change in HR expectations that leads to new employment practices that embrace workplace equality and flexibility.
My broad vision is of a future where flexible work is embedded into HR policies, gender equality is the norm and work-life integration is a viable reality.
About Tanaz
FlexCoach Tanaz Byramji helps people achieve their career goals – from writing resumes and guiding graduates in searching for entry-level jobs through to providing career coaching, advising small business owners and supporting managers moving into executive and directorship positions.
A professional writer with significant experience providing career development, strategic marketing and business support services, Tanaz knows how to write effectively in a clear yet compelling manner. She combines that skill with an in-depth knowledge of employment practices and insight into HR processes. Tanaz draws on this expertise to prepare resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters, selection criteria responses and business proposals.
To connect with a Tanaz and book a free chemistry session click here.
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