Career Change from Business Support to Project Manager - Elena Siddiqi

"I have been fortunate to spend the last 15 years working in a retail company and in a variety of roles however, from a career perspective, I felt like ‘jack of all trades but master of none’.

 

Having had some involvement in project work, which I really enjoyed, I decided to work towards a career in this field. I completed the PRINCE2 course which helped me understand project management theory - what it didn’t provide me with was hands on experience or guidance on personal qualities such as confidence. Soon after completing the course, I was given my first IT project and found myself out of depth. I was referred to Susanne Mornan-Vaughan, who was the Principal Coach within our IT Directorate at the time.

 

Susanne gave me invaluable advice, taught me best practice and provided the right tools to manage, control and deliver the project. She has this amazing way of bringing out the best in people and this really helped me to re-focus and overcome feelings of anxiety. I achieved a sense of self confidence and a clear, realistic / logical plan of action to achieve my goals.

Whether you are an experienced Project Manager or looking to develop a career within this area, I would highly recommend Susanne as she is one of the most inspirational women I have ever met - her expertise, approachable personality and professionalism is second to none.

 

Career Change from Programme Manager to Head of Department - Krishna Roy Chowdhury

"The career coaching sessions that I took helped to bring back my confidence. I subsequently got a job offer as Head of Dept."

 

Career Change from Account Manager to PMO Analyst - Anthony Martins

“I had just completed the PRINCE2 Foundation course and was seeking to make a career transition from Account Management to Project Management. I secured an interview for a PMO Analyst role at an investment bank through a recruitment agency. I was introduced to Susanne Mornan-Vaughan (Head of Coaching Practice) by this recruitment agency. She came highly recommended as a well-known professional in the industry with an impeccable track record who could coach me in this area of work and help with interview preparation. I was feeling really nervous as this was all new to me - I had no idea of what to expect from the interview.

 

Susanne coached me before the interview and I obtained a practical understanding of PMO (the type that you only get through experience), what to expect at the interview and how to respond to questions. I went to the interview at the investment bank full of confidence and as a result, the interview went really well. My second interview was with a management consultancy for the role of PMO Analyst and once again, I called upon Susanne’s expertise. The interview with the management consultancy was successful and I got my dream job which was fantastic - it was all through Susanne’s professionalism, expertise, patience and guidance. I would recommend Susanne to everyone as her expertise was the defining factor in my life and career change.

 

It is really rare these days to meet someone that is genuinely willing to help and give you the necessary guidance and tools needed to help you in life. Susanne is a five star individual”.

 

Career Change from PA to PMO Analyst - Justine Williams

I was a complete novice in the project world and was very uncertain of how I could transition from being a PA to a Programme Office Analyst. Fortunately, Susanne Mornan-Vaughan was commissioned to coach and mentor me for this new role.  She provided me with intensive training on the ‘nuts and bolts’ of PMO and patiently guided and supported me through the process. I eventually took over from her when her interim assignment was complete. Susanne is incredibly knowledgeable in the PMO discipline and has a unique coaching style that builds your confidence as you learn. I am now an established PMO professional working as a contractor in the insurance industry".

 

Interview Coaching - Kemi, PMO Analyst

"I was preparing to attend an interview for a PMO role and needed some help with the subject of Stakeholder Management on projects. A colleague referred me to Susanne Mornan-Vaughan who is an established coaching professional and expert in the field. I booked a one hour coaching session with her. Susanne gave me a robust understanding of Stakeholder Management, how it is applied in a live project environment and its relevance to the role that I was interviewing for. My interview was successful, I got the job and since then I have found the hints/tips that Susanne provided extremely helpful in my current role".