Meet Nia, a career coach

Meet Nia,

Nia helps business owners

Get to know more about Nia in our Q&A:

Tell us a little about yourself and your business?

Being a career coach, I get to work with people on all areas of their careers. It might be a resume or LinkedIn profile, looking at how to confidently network or access the hidden job market, or change careers and find motivation and meaning in work. It is also internally in organisations, helping employees align their career goals to the organisations which ultimately means a higher level of job satisfaction and engagement. My background in Talent Acquisition both in Australia and Overseas was a great foundation for me as I worked in a different area of careers and this experience has really helped me give ‘real life’ examples and situations to clients.

What inspired you to make the leap and go out on your own, and when did you first start working for yourself?

After having my son in 2015, my focus shifted but I still wanted a career that I could progress in and really enjoy. I ‘stumbled’ upon Career Practitioner as a new career and instantly knew it was for me. It took me a few years as needed to complete my Graduate Certificate around full time work and family. Once I did this I started out with Career Coaching as a side hustle. From my very first client I knew it was what I wanted to do and I was on the right path. Slowly my business grew and I was able to make the leap and quit my full time role to focus on my business. Luckily I have an extremely supportive partner who really gave me the confidence and backing to make a go of it as he saw how excited I was by the opportunity to start my own business.

Tell us about your experience of working for yourself?

I get a lot of flexibility working for myself which is fantastic. It means I can pick my son up from school and drop him off most days. I also love the variety I have in my work. Some days I might be running a workshop for an organisation on branding and Linkedin, other days helping a accountant transition into a completely different field.

What’s your best piece of advice for someone wanting to make the leap?

I would say to do as much research as you can. Reach out to people doing the work you want to do or join an association or organisation like Freelancing Gems. Go in as prepared as possible. Also surround yourself with people who believe in you!

Best tips for winning new business?

Be authentic and passionate about what you are doing as this will come through.

What has been your favourite project to date?

I honestly don’t have just one. I love hearing success stories from clients and staying in touch with them to see how their career is progressing.

What is a business win you’re currently celebrating?

Having a successful business I love for over 2 years!

What led you to join Freelancing Gems?

Networking and community

What is one word you would use to describe Freelancing Gems?

Supportive and collaborative

What’s next for your business?

I have been working on a new platform for the last year called Career Smart Mums which helps Mums return to the workforce with confidence. I am hoping to get this off the ground the start of next year.

Nia is here to help you maximise your career potential.  You can connect with her on the Gem Directory.

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