If you can’t see the wood for the trees you need someone to help you get your career back on track.
Feeling overwhelmed about your current situation and stressed about what’s next?
When creating positive change in your career feels like an uphill battle - help is closer than you think.
I’ve never met a designer who’s had a perfectly smooth career.
They’re always full of ups and downs.
Like Lemony Snicket, you might experience a series of unfortunate events. Or you could just wake up in a place you don’t recognise, wondering how you got here.
At some point in your career journey, it’s not unusual to feel like you’re losing control. Or maybe you’ve not made the progress you thought you would.
You might even be going backwards.
When you hit this wall you’ll also believe you can solve your problems on your own. You’ve done it before.
But this ie exactly when should be reaching out for a helping hand.
Ideally from someone who has the experience, expertise and tailored approach to get you back track.
If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these statements, you’ll benefit from coaching.
You can’t see the wood for the trees and desperate for some clarity and direction.
You’re pessimistic about how you can create positive change in your career.
You’re overwhelmed at the decisions you need to make and stressed at the uncertainty of what might come next.
You’re caught up in your own thinking and constantly going in circles.
You feel like you’ve reached a dead-end - but you don’t know what to do next, so you’re doing nothing.
You’re thinking about making a career change, but you’ve got no idea how to go about it.
If any of this rings a bell, let me tell you a little story.
Read Becky’s story.
When Becky came to me (not her real name :) she was frustrated at her lack of career progress. She couldn't see her future clearly and she didn’t know how to move forward in her career.
She felt overwhelmed.
Her employer didn't understand the value she created. And she wasn't working on projects she enjoyed. Becky was also convinced her job was crushing her creativity.
After going in circles trying to solve her own problems, another designer recommended she speak to me about coaching.
After a call to understand her situation (Vibe Check!) we agreed we were a good fit.
Becky signed up to the Career Strategy Coaching Programme for:
Guidance and an objective perspective to clarify her career direction.
Help in identifying her strengths and interests, and:
Support to make a well-informed transition into a UX role.
During our time together Becky:
Identified what really makes her tick.
Applied new strategies to make her current job more enjoyable
Reframed her understanding of creativity and where she applies it
Built a plan to realise her goals
Becky now feels happier in her current role. She’s uncovered new potential and direction in her job. She also has a plan to land a role in UX that matches her interests.
Most importantly, she’s not made any rash decisions and is excited about the future.
This is just one example of how I work with designers like you. If you like Becky’s story, you can also achieve the same success.
This could be you in a few weeks…
You’ve got a clear career direction. And you’ve overcome the uncertainty that’s been haunting you.
You’ve got a new perspective on your current job. You’ve discovered hidden opportunities and your job satisfaction has gone through the roof.
Everything feels manageable and you're making positive progress. You’ve got a plan of action that you’re sticking to.
You feeling happier - you’ve reframed your expectations about work and life - things are looking up.
You’re in a much better position to make high-stakes decisions. You’re being more strategic about your job hunting. You might have even landed your dream role!
I’m sure these are exactly the type of outcomes and return on investment you’re looking for.
But I’m not going to tell you coaching is a silver bullet. You need to own the change you want to create. And you have to take action yourself.
Luckily, this is much easier when there’s someone riding alongside you who’s got your back.
A unique approach to career coaching for designers.
If you’re sceptical about career coaching - I get it. I’m sure at some point you’ve experienced some generic advice from someone unfamiliar with the design industry.
That’s not me.
But it’s one of the reasons I wanted to approach coaching differently. I’ve experienced generic coaching questions where each session follows the same format.
My answer to this is a combination of coaching and consulting.
I’ve got more than two decades experience across design and strategy. That’s what I apply to your personal career challenges.
My tailored approach is driven by:
Asking probing questions to challenge your perception of your situation and uncover new career opportunities.
Supporting you to deal with emerging challenges as well as addressing strategic goals.
Being available between sessions with inspirational readings and tailored advice.
Using design and strategy tools to help you conquer related challenges and accelerate your progress - more like a consulting approach.
Unlike most coaches our sessions are 90 minutes rather than 60.
This provides time to dig into what’s happening for you in the present. It also creates space to work through exercises together and make faster progress towards your goals.
I'll be keep you accountable along the way, even when we don’t have a session together.
If you’ve experienced coaching before and it hasn't worked for you then you’ll see the difference in my process.
And if you’re thinking you don’t have time - we can agree times that fit your schedule. Think about the time and energy you’ll save by working together in a focussed way to get unstuck and move your career.
But what if you’re in a different location?
No need to worry.
We do everything remotely. We work in a Miro board and everything is accessible through a shared folder. You can access the files whenever you need it.
It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, we can still work together.
Ideally we meet every two weeks across three months. If you're feeling motivated to see change we can meet every week.
If something changes for you, like landing a job, you can exit the programme in fortnightly increments. You’re not locked in to sticking it out until the end.
If you’re worried about cost you can also pay in monthly instalments, so it won’t break the bank.
And I guarantee you’ll start to experience benefits from our very first session.
Your strategic career coach - Chris Jackson.
My name’s Chris.
I bring over two decades of experience in design, strategy and innovation across various sectors and industries. I have a proven track record of leading and contributing to award-winning projects across multiple design disciplines.
I'm the founding partner of We Create Futures, a strategic innovation and futures practice in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
My passion is supporting designers to fulfil their potential and achieve their goals.
I've coached and mentored designers throughout my career. Through this experience, I've seen designers struggle when you hit mid-career. You’re great at solving strategic problems for your clients.
But when it comes to your own career challenges it gets trickier.
Working in design I've seen the need for a different approach to build long-term career success. One that is tailored for designers and the design industry. Not just another generic career coach giving generic career advice.
I'm a designer myself. I love working with designers and want to help you succeed.
Maybe you’ll the next designer I work with?
I've already helped someone just like you.
Luckily, you don't have to take my word for it - here's what they have to say about their experience working with me.
NN, Software & UX Designer, NZ / Aotearoa
“ I reached out to Chris when I was transitioning back into professional practice after studying at a graduate level. With a background in both academia and industry, Chris brought a wealth of knowledge and perspective to our conversations.
His expertise and guidance helped me to navigate the complex and dynamic landscape of the design industry, providing me with the encouragement and knowledge I needed to identify and pursue the most promising career path.
I would recommend a conversation with Chris to help you uncover all the possibilities to grow your design career.”
TL, Senior Design Journalist, Germany
"Chris is a warm, friendly and professional coach who delivers a very useful and inspiring career strategy session. His feedback is insightful and the processes he uses are very effective at drilling down and discovering your objectives, skills and possible ways forward.
I'm feeling much more positive and motivated about my career direction and prospects than I have for a long time and would 100% recommend this session for anyone who is feeling a bit stuck or in need of some direction as to the best way forward with their career."
CL, Industrial Design Executive, USA
"This workshop was a great way to step back from my own thoughts and view them in a new light.
The framework Chris provides is simple enough to be done easily through conversation or as an individual exercise, yet it is robust enough to be a powerful lens to refocus one's thoughts about career trajectory."
KR, Design & Innovation Director, Australia
"This workshop with Chris came at exactly the right time in my career. Chris masterfully took me on a journey to explore my career purpose, and through his deep empathy, curiosity and experience he helped me to not only remember my why, but to back myself and my experience.
Thank you for reigniting my inner fire and confidence, Chris!"
Are you ready to get going?
If you’ve got down here you’re wondering if coaching is for you. But you might have a few doubts.
You could be concerned that you don’t have the right abilities for coaching. Which ironically is also part of problem. By working together you’ll feel a boost your confidence. I’ll help you see your situation in new ways to overcome self-doubt.
You might not want to commit to something long-term. But you’re only committed to fortnightly blocks. And I know you’ll see value after one session.
If you don’t feel 100% ready, I can assure you, you’ll never feel like that. You might never feel more than 70 or 80% ready which means you’ll never feel the impact of coaching.
The best way to make an informed decision is to get on a quick call. So let’s set up a meeting to understand what you need and if we’re a good fit to work together.
And don’t worry. I won’t work with anyone I don’t vibe with. If I don’t think I can make a difference to your situation I’ll tell you. There’s no pressure selling.
If you’re ready to have a chat the next step only takes a couple of minutes. Choose a convenient calendar slot below. I’ll send you a short email with a few questions to prepare for our meeting.
The worst thing that will happen is that we’ll decide it’s not right and I'll still give you some free advice on your situation.
All for zero cost!
Still on the fence?
If you’re still unsure - I get it, it’s a big step.
It’s also intimidating to get on a call with someone you don’t know.
It might not be the right time now, but you might change your mind in the future. And sometimes you just want to ask a question and get a little more info.
If that’s you, send me an email and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
But don’t wait too long.
I have limited coaching places and my schedule gets full quickly.