Larissa Katayeva, Director of Career Services, Nyenrode Business School, Amsterdam

Feedback on Career Change/Career Transition

"Deirdre has coached me on interview technique as part of my MBA programme. As a highly experienced HR professional and career coach, her feedback on my technique was very insightful. She can drive candidates hard, in a nice and positive way, in order to help them improve. In addition, Deirdre knows exactly what business recruiters are looking for in a CV and at interview. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who is looking to develop their skills in these areas — Suparna Das ex-NHS consultant anaesthetist and now full time MBA student at Leeds University Business School, UK"

Dr Das hired Deirdre as a Career Coach

Dr Suparna Das

"Deidre has been invaluable in helping me manage my career transition. Through her breadth of experience and insight she has helped me to best match my skills and experience to the most appropriate career choice.

"When you’ve been lucky enough to achieve a lot in your career, it’s easy for people to think you should be satisfied with your history and move on to gentler pastures."

"I didn’t want to settle for anything less than I was capable of, although I knew it would be difficult to find a role with the challenge and reach I needed."

"Deirdre refused to allow me to compromise my goals and kept me at full stretch working at the upper levels of my competence until I found the right appointment. Her knowledge of what it takes to succeed in the global board-room was invaluable – she could coach for the Superbowl"

Dr.Norma Wood, ESS Director, OGC

Feedback from other professionals Deirdre has work with

"Deirdre was an immense help to me during my recent career transition. She acted as a highly experienced mentor as I sifted through my skills and preferences, challenged me to take up and review new options and encouraged me to examine my personal drivers in depth. She was excellent at keeping me on track and provided a confidence boost at crucial moments. I now have a much improved business skill set which gives me many more options as I plan my career"

Paul Barber - Business Development Director, Disney: Ex Sainsburys - moved from FMCG to media

Her expertise in interview preparation is first rate. Particularly, her extensive experience of interviewing at a senior level across multi-disciplines has been invaluable, and I am immeasurably better prepared after taking heed of her thorough and candid advice.

David Sangster - Head of Sales Operation, Cable & Wireless

"Thank you so much for enabling me to make the move into management consulting. I would recommend you to anyone wanting to develop their full potential."

Adam Warwick Cass MBA, moved from BT to Cap Gemini

"Well done for doing such a great job on the MBA students - all the feedback has been excellent."

Testimonial from the Head of Careers, Cass Business School

"You have been superb with the Senior Executive Networking Group and have taken our interview thinking to another level. Thanks for your outstanding contribution over the past 6 years."

Jon Lidington, Managing Consultant, DBM

"The interviews with HR and the hiring manager went really well - applying everything I had learned from your video interview. Your advice was of immeasurable help and benefit - thanks so much"

Jon Eversham, Phd , from GSK to Tesco

"I am exceptionally appreciative of your assistance and advice over the last few months – you have provided me with a much needed alternative perspective to my future career. thanks for everything you hae done for me, making a very difficult period of my life bearable and putting things back into place.

Chris C. Davie, GSK Global Project Management

"Through skilful questioning and a big dose of insight plus her extensive background on the other side of the table, Deirdre has challenged me to really think through and explore options to ensure that my return to employment is linked to my personal needs and aspirations. I recently had my first interview in 20 years, and was really pleased with my performance. I believe that I couldn’t have done any better based on the preparation and coaching I received." (Awaiting outcome)

Dr.Alisdair Naylor, Director of Drugs Development, Pfizer

"Deidre has been invaluable in helping me manage my career transition. Through her breadth of experience and insight she has helped me to best match my skills and experience to the most appropriate career choice.

"When you’ve been lucky enough to achieve a lot in your career, it’s easy for people to think you should be satisfied with your history and move on to gentler pastures."

"I didn’t want to settle for anything less than I was capable of, although I knew it would be difficult to find a role with the challenge and reach I needed."

"Deirdre refused to allow me to compromise my goals and kept me at full stretch working at the upper levels of my competence until I found the right appointment. Her knowledge of what it takes to succeed in the global board-room was invaluable – she could coach for the Superbowl"

Dr.Norma Wood, ESS Director, OGC

"When I was seeking to make the transition out of strategy consulting at Booz Allen, I sought the skills and experience of Deirdre who is renowned for her challenging interview style. After some practice interviews, we quickly identified some areas for improvement and I decided to work with Deirdre on a more in depth basis.

The process has been a journey of discovery. It has meant considerable work outside of sessions to unlearn inbuilt constraints and relearn a different approach. This work has changed my outlook on my life, family and career.

I can highly recommend Deirdre’s challenging approach to help identify personal blind spots and for interview preparation practice"

David Paynter, B.E.(Hons) M.Eng, MBA (Malb/ESADE)

"I had worked in my previous role for 13 years when I was presented with an option to leave and find something new. I welcomed this exciting opportunity, however it was also coupled with uncertainty. You think you know what your strengths are and what you wish to achieve but as time moves on sometimes self doubt can creep in. Deirdre eliminated this for me.

Through individual consultations we worked on my CV and interview technique to ensure optimum performance, and reviewed the types of role most suitable to my career progression. My strengths were confirmed and encouraged, and through tough feedback I worked on my development areas. I also attended the Networking Forums that Deirdre ran whilst at DBM. These were truly invaluable to help understand the power of networking.

I found Deirdre to be very knowledgeable and an honest mentor and her support greatly assisted in me finding my current fantastic job. So if anyone reading this needs some encouragement and support to make that next step, then speak to Deirdre . What are you waiting for?"

Elsa Matthews, Customer Installations Service Manager, B & Q

"Every student has put you down as highly experienced, and you exceed expectations on every feedback form. The verbal feedback I get is always outstanding. You help the students identify their weaknesses, and they take on board what you say and are eager to develop their skills. They come back and ask for you time and time again"

Leena Dattani, MSc Programme Co-ordinator, Cass Business School

"I doubt whether I will ever have such an insightful interviewer as Deirdre – if I do, then I will have been well tutored. Thank you for your brilliant support and help. (Went on to get his ideal position with a major multi-national in a BD role)"

Roland Ginn, ex GSK

"Deirdre advised me on now to approach the consultancy market in the UK using her in depth knowledge and expertise, together with her business experience. I found her advice invaluable and now understand the importance of specifically targeting your c.v. to the culture of the employing consultancy. She taught me how to maximise my strengths and the importance of being completely focused on the task at hand. With her help, I now have an infinitely superior c.v. and feel far more confident about going to market. I highly recommend her abilities."

Tiago Cabecinha, Deloitte Consulting, Portugal

"Although I had a very successful career with a leading telecomms company , I was keen to move to the Financial Services sector and was finding making the transition very difficult. I had heard good things about Deirdre who is renowned for her expertise and business knowledge, both from her work at Cass Business School combined with her experience of hiring high potential staff at GE across Europe. With her coaching, I came to understand what was getting in the way of me getting to the next level of management. The feedback was quite tough and she identified a lot of areas for me to work on and improve my interpersonal /managerial skills. I have now joined a leading European Financial Services company as Senior marketing Director, and am delighted with the progress I have been able to achieve with her help."

RJK - (prefer not to be identified personally)

"Having been in the same company department for four years and keen to move on, I was unaware of the extent to which my ability to write CVs and cover letters had suffered owing to these skills being unused for so long.

The feedback I received on these fundamental assets was truly invaluable, and my CV and cover letter know-how were transformed beyond recognition. I now feel much more confident that my application will stand out from others when applying for roles."

Robert Sadler