Networking — Lynn Deering

Lynn Deering is a career strategist, coach and consultant. She has operated her business, JobTactics, for more than 16 years. 

Q: What is your current role within your organisation? How long have you been in this role?

I have operated JobTactics for over 16 years, offering services to individuals, businesses and not-for-profit employers. Career development fits within the core of our business. Our name says it all — helping people secure a job and supporting the development of ‘tactics’ to navigate paths in their careers or lifestyles. Sometimes this may include work- based matters, such as negotiating contracts, manager behaviour and performance feedback. We also provide general résumé, interview and career counselling. Our clients are of culturally diverse backgrounds and ages. I like to work in career transitions — basically a client may say ‘I’m here doing this but would prefer to be there doing that’. This might include looking at transition to set up their own business or visual artists trying to establish themselves. I work alongside people, seeking to work out career/life solutions.

Q: What are some major achievements/awards in your current role?

I renewed my Certificate IV in Training in 2014. My achievement is making a pact with myself to stop thinking I need to obtain more qualifications. An achievement for my business was delivering career services and other workshops in Darwin, Alice Springs and across metro and regional WA. Individually, clients achieved brilliant outcomes for themselves, with one person gaining confidence to attempt and achieve a more direct route to uni studies (STAT). Small to us but huge for that person off the vocational roundabout.

Q: What was the career journey that brought you to this position and work role?

After I graduated I was offered a placement in the metropolitan area. This seemed at odds, as I specialised in Indigenous culture and learning difficulties and had an interest in working in regional Australia. Being young and fearless, I looked for alternative employment — even taking up part-time teaching contracts in the independent school system and working in social development roles, travelling between Perth and the remote north. This work was rich culturally as I worked with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people seeking to change their situation and their circumstances, sometimes tutoring people in their homes. Inspired, I wanted to improve my skill set and began a bachelor degree in education.

Keen to improve my salary and take up travel, I spent five years in the private sector working in public relations roles with a national investment company and later organising events such as Miss Australia Quest and Miss Universe. (As a feminist I now wonder about this role.) Although I travelled overseas and won staff achievement awards in those positions, I missed having the opportunity to make a difference so I returned education and training.

Over seven years, I worked with refugees, migrants and Aboriginal people teaching ESL, literacy and numeracy. A highlight was writing an induction program for Aboriginal Teacher Assistance for uni entrance. I also worked on ESL programs with refugee and migrants, including tutoring, mentoring, work experience and employment, work-based programs and business development, and devised programs and resources for the career reference centres. I was offered a ‘brief stint’ on Christmas Island (three years later) with a large redeployment program developing retraining, literacy and new employment-based programs. This inspired my interest in career and life transition. High points included working with hotel and tourism industry, and instigating the CI community centre.

I won an award for my development role and this led to a role in state government in employment development. I learnt the dynamics of the job market and careers at a time of high unemployment. I met overseas innovators, learnt about labour markets and community development, instigating employment strategies, economic and enterprise development and employment generation. To keep improving I completed a business degree. My career work intensified, writing articles and resources on tips for job preparation and interviews and contributing to job publications including Job Guide. At this time, my studies expanded to career counselling, professional development and training. Appointed to a special project working in the senior executive service into workforce mobility, I saw and researched career management practices in action. After assessments I initiated placements in the private sector and researched across government career development for emerging leader strategies. I moved again within state government, overseeing the women’s policy agenda for the state.

I created JobTactics in the late 90s. A key focus was career services to women and strategies in business, leadership and management development. A niche I developed was working with the arts, managing performing and visual artists and supporting their career and business development. Over time, we provided advice on performance management and workplace bullying, mediation and assistance with individual problem-solving sessions and employment rights. I worked across many sectors — universities, banking, engineering and legal, in organisational development. At this point, I began a Master of Training and Development.

JobTactics services eventually expanded into small business skills, mentoring, leadership and management development, attraction and retention strategies, workforce development and diversity with private sector and community services. We operated as consultant to federal and state organisations, delivering training, selection and recruitment services at SES level. An incident with a car required me to have knee surgery and my business was reduced, so I focused on raising my two beautiful girls in between career development studies. Between 2006 and 2013 I returned to employed roles, working with not-for-profits as executive officer, director and chief executive officer where I enjoyed being innovative, applying my big-picture and strategic skills. JobTactics recommenced in 2013 after my family responsibilities had been reduced and upon completing my Master of Career Development.

Q: As a child what did you want to do when you grew up?

I spent a lot of my time running in circles on the front lawn believing I could fly — my creativity and imagination took me from saving the world to being a doctor, an artist, a farmer and archaeologist. Hence my career path!

Q: What did you do or study upon leaving school?

I worked part time through school and college so I took on management in retail clothing. I was awarded a commercial business scholarship at high school; however, my father died suddenly and I decided not to pursue this opportunity. To the amazement of the school, I stayed on, completing my leaving certificate. Eventually, I entered teachers college. I learnt to understand child development, the art and science of teaching, reading and writing; most significantly, growing more aware of Aboriginal culture.

Q: Who or what was a major influence in your career choices?

Watching my parents’ situation change rapidly when my father was disabled and grew sick exposed me to changing circumstances. I think this instilled in me to live life fully, as life can be short and change is inevitable. I did not worry about working part time or casually; I worked where my interest, passion and contribution was positive. A second influence was my high school environment — likely termed ‘disadvantaged’. It was a melting pot of cultures, with high numbers of Aboriginal and migrant students.

In the 70s, the WA government instigated trials of new innovative school practices, even appointing the first female to principal. The school’s practices offered me concepts of civic society, everyone’s right to education and fairness/equality. It empowered me to believe that it’s okay to be different and, in the right conditions (information, respect, opportunity and being valued), each of us can achieve great things — even reach our potential.

Q: How did you become involved in the career development field of work?

Initially, I think it was through working with refugees and migrants, as this raised my awareness of the need for people to understand the job market and the practices and skills required to gain employment. Later, it was due to working in government in employment development and generation activities with the community sector. It was an innovative time.

Q: What are the underpinning career development theories that inform your practice?

I think awareness of the different theories is important and I tend to adopt a combined approach. Perhaps I tend to accept ‘person-centred’ theory (Carl Rogers), working with clients who over time grow more self-aware and then perceive themselves more positively. I have seen clients, at first especially, if unfamiliar with career counselling behave distantly and then I watch — as rapport builds — become more trusting and function more confidently to managing their own career. There is also awareness of trait factor, REBT and behaviour counselling, leading me to use self-assessment tools and lots of reflective activities that people can take away to explore.

Q: What are some of the major strategies used in your career development work?

JobTactics services provide career education in résumé writing, job applications and interview techniques. I have extensive coaching and mentoring experience so these skills are used to support my clients.

In career exploration I like Career Works and supplement this with a range of resources I have developed over time, as well as various online tools. I am very much of the mind that clients solve problems themselves, so I build their ability to manage their own career.

Values inventories are useful self-reflection process for clients dissatisfied with their current employment. I found this can help reduce people’s frustrations and gives insight. I also access tools such as self-assessment processes, 360 feedback tools, leadership programs and Myers Briggs.

Q: What are you currently reading?

I am reading Wild Swans again, a powerful intergenerational story of women. At a presentation by author Jung Chang, I saw her take out her grandmother’s silk boot — so tiny from having her feet bound.

Q: What is the most memorable book you have read? Why?

In my teenage years it was Nene Gare’s The Fringe Dwellers, as it touched every nerve and is even topical today.

Q: What is the movie you most enjoyed? Why?

I love Johnny Depp in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. His character finds himself in difficult circumstances (much to his own making) but there is so much fun, laughter and madness. I love the humour, the humanity and the creativity.

Q: What is your ‘dream job’? When do you plan to achieve the dream?

My dream job is operating JobTactics, but I’d like to grow, build and develop over the next five years — ideally, to have co-located experts together in one place in a holistic way. This would allow clients to be supported across their career and life transitions, right through to retirement.

JobTactics utilises my diverse experience, strategic capability and by running a portfolio career arrangement I have flexibility. I am able to be creative, develop training, manage projects and invent practical strategies for clients, address inequity or catapult those who are disadvantaged. I get to work in a way that empowers clients to design their work and lifestyle — tap their potential.

Q: What is a life dream that you still would like to achieve?

I want to complete enough artwork to deliver or participate in an art exhibition by 2016.

Q: What is something that people don’t know about you?

I once managed bands and sang as a back-up singer!