Carlee Atkin’s life experience helped with her transition into a new career in coaching.
Carlee Atkin’s life experience helped with her transition into a new career in coaching.
Hawke’s Bay coach Anna Tennent thrives on seeing her clients succeed.
“I’m quite invested in my people, I get a real kick when they succeed,” says the director of Complete Coaching Hawke’s Bay.
In fact, Tennent hired Carlee Atkin, a former Ministry of Social Development client whom she knew professionally,after coaching her and identifying that she had the knack for the job.
“She’s really good at helping people get jobs,” Tennent said.
Complete Coaching is an MSD provider offering one-on-one coaching for MSD clients. The team placed 61 out of 90 MSD clients into work or study in the year to June 30. In the previous year, they placed 32 out of 40.
“The majority of MSD clients are willing to go for what they want, our role is just to help people work out how their skillsets can be used in other industries so they can pivot into new jobs,” Tennent said.
Hawke’s Bay coaches Carlee Atkin and Anna Tennent helped place 61 MSD job candidates into work in the year to June 30.
The pair first met when Tennent commissioned a strategy from Atkin’s marketing consultancy, and not long after Atkin got back in touch for some career coaching. She was dealing with a relationship breakup, alongside her first pregnancy.
“I felt financially and emotionally insecure, my ability to go and get a job was quite affected,” she said.
Atkin started receiving Jobseeker Support then Sole Parent Support. When her son turned 1, she decided to put him in daycare and seek financial stability. She had wanted to try coaching for years, so she completed a coaching qualification.
“Going through all that, it really made me want to help other people going through times of change,” she says.
Her life experience made the transition easier.
“At 40, I knew what I was capable of, which is a real benefit, some mothers don’t know that.”
Tennant, also a mother, wanted to expand her business and it was clear that Atkin would make a great coach due to her experience and “outgoing personality”.
With funding from MSD, Complete Coaching can help clients tailor CVs or cover letters, offer study advice or take them to a recruitment evening, but mostly it’s about providing support and encouragement.
“It’s about finding that common ground with them so they can have a laugh and make the relationship a really positive one,” Tennant said.
MSD East Coast regional commissioner Steve Smits-Murray said he was impressed with the results achieved by Complete Coaching and appreciated its support for clients.
“In the 12 months to November, we’ve had 4056 people in Hawke’s Bay move off benefit into work, thanks to the work of providers such as Complete Coaching and our local MSD employment team.”
For Tennant and Atkin, though, it’s all about the people.
