Michelle Schafer is an ICF-certified coach and facilitator, specializing in career transition and leadership. She is the owner and founder of Michelle Schafer Coaching, empowering people to achieve career fulfillment. Michelle is passionate about people and inspired by their progress, working with clients at all levels of an organization and across sectors including federal and municipal government, high tech, not-for-profit and financial services. Michelle offers coaching 1:1 and in groups, and most recently was recognized as one of Ottawa's Top Coaches in 2024. Michelle’s book, Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose, geared to help people explore new career paths and find a job, can be ordered on Amazon.
It’s not uncommon to have a love–hate relationship with New Year’s resolutions. Things like: Eat better. Exercise more. Save money. We love them because they often reflect areas of our...
I recently facilitated a workshop to support employment counsellors working with clients who are frustrated and discouraged by a lengthy job search. I asked the group, “Imagine we are building...
When I asked my client this question, the trajectory of the conversation shifted dramatically. She initially reached out to me because she was feeling dissatisfied in her job. She used...
A recruiter’s observation was eye-opening for one of my clients. She was competing for a senior job, and the recruiter checked out her profile on LinkedIn as part of the...
When “Ben” first emailed me to tell me he found a new job, he could barely contain his excitement. The abundant use of exclamation marks and capital letters screamed his...
When I started working from home during the pandemic, I thought it would be a novelty – a necessity that would likely shift once the world situation changed. Yet, even...
As career development professionals, we know how important it is to have a plan when looking for work. I equate finding a job to going on vacation – you would...
As career development professionals, we are used to working with students, jobseekers and workers to help them navigate their career paths and develop “road maps” to get them to their...
I remember my very first interview coaching client like it was yesterday (even though it was seven years ago!). At the end of the practice interview, I asked him what...