Career Strategy Consultation

Make better career decisions with guidance grounded in psychology and extensive workplace experience

Career decisions can shape your professional growth, leadership opportunities, and long-term satisfaction at work. When the next step is unclear, generic career coaching is rarely enough. That’s why I offer more than career coaching; it’s career psychology®. You need a process that considers your strengths, goals, experience, and workplace factors that influence your options.

I provide Career Strategy Consultations for professionals who want expert guidance before making important career decisions. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, I help clients understand their options, recognize opportunities, identify barriers, and develop practical strategies for moving forward.

My role goes beyond simple career coaching. My role is to help you make better career decisions.

What is a Career Strategy Consultation?

A Career Strategy Consultation is a professional advisory service that helps professionals evaluate important career decisions using assessments, workplace expertise, and personalized recommendations. It’s designed for people who want to make informed career choices rather than simply find a new job.

Many professionals reach a point where effort alone is not solving the problem. They may be asking:

• Is my current role still the right fit?
• Why has my career progression slowed?
• Should I pursue a leadership opportunity?
• How should I position myself for advancement?
• Should I stay in my organization or consider a change?
• How can I make better use of my strengths and experience?

These questions require more than résumé updates, job search strategies, or general career advice. They require careful analysis of your experience, strengths, goals, workplace environment, and the factors affecting your professional growth.

How is this different from career coaching?

A traditional career coach often focuses on skill development, accountability, and the completion of career-related tasks.

A Career Strategy Consultation focuses on understanding the situation before recommending action.

If you're looking for a career coach, you may also be looking for a career psychologist — someone who can help you understand not only what to do next, but why a particular career decision is likely to serve you best.

My work involves examining the factors that influence career outcomes, including:

• Your career goals and priorities
• Your strengths and transferable skills
• Your professional experience and achievements
• Workplace expectations and organizational culture
• Leadership opportunities and advancement pathways
• Barriers that may be affecting your progress

The value of this service is not simply receiving advice. It is gaining access to professional judgement informed by assessments, advanced training in psychology, workplace research, and decades of experience helping people navigate complex work environments. Although I have a PhD in psychology, I do not provide therapy or any health-related services.

Who is a Career Strategy Consultation for?

This service is designed for professionals who want thoughtful guidance before making a significant career decision.

I work with professionals who are:

• Preparing for advancement
• Considering a career transition
• Exploring leadership opportunities
• Returning to work after an extended leave
• Reconsidering their current career direction
• Looking for work that better matches their strengths
• Feeling professionally stuck despite strong performance
• Navigating workplace challenges that are affecting their career choices

Many of my clients work in complex, knowledge-based environments where career advancement depends on more than technical ability. They may need to better understand organizational expectations, professional visibility, leadership dynamics, how to navigate a workplace where they are an “only” or one of a few, workplace culture, and/or strategic positioning.

I have extensive experience working with federal public servants, lawyers, academics, and professionals in Ottawa’s technology sector. I also support professionals from visible minority/racialized communities, as well as other equity-deserving groups, who are navigating questions about workplace inclusion, career progression, access to opportunities, and organizational culture.

What happens during a Career Strategy Consultation?

The consultation includes four hours of personalized advisory support. Sessions can be scheduled over several meetings to allow time for reflection, analysis, planning, and action.

1. Career Assessment and Exploration

We begin by developing a clear understanding of your situation.

I will explore:

• Your education, any certifications, and professional background
• Career accomplishments and challenges
• Skills, strengths, interests, and values
• Career goals and priorities
• Workplace experiences and constraints that may be influencing your options

Many professionals underestimate strengths that have become familiar to them. A careful assessment can reveal abilities, experiences, and patterns that may be more valuable than they realize.

2. Professional Analysis and Career Options

After gathering information, I analyze the factors influencing your career direction using principles from Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

This may include:

• Identifying transferable skills
• Exploring realistic career options
• Recognizing patterns affecting progress
• Assessing opportunities for advancement
• Considering workplace factors that may influence your choices

The goal is to help you understand your situation more clearly and identify options that align with your experience and goals.

3. Personalized Recommendations

You will receive practical recommendations based on your circumstances.

Depending on your needs, this may include guidance related to:

• Career direction
• Interview preparation
• Professional positioning
• Options for repositioning
• Leadership development
• Workplace communication
• Career development priorities
• Resume and LinkedIn profile improvements
• Strategies for navigating workplace challenges

The recommendations are designed specifically for you. This is not one-size-fits-all, generic career advice.

4. Career Strategy Plan

The final stage focuses on creating an individualized, practical plan.

Together, we identify:

• Your priorities
• Immediate actions
• Longer-term goals and related actions
• Strategies for building momentum

You leave with a clearer understanding of your options and practical next steps.

Why work with Dr. Helen Ofosu?

Dr. Helen Ofosu is an expert in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with more than 25 years of experience helping professionals and organizations understand workplace behaviour, leadership, career development, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Carleton University.

Her experience includes advising professionals and organizations across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, with significant work supporting federal public servants, leaders, and professionals in Ottawa's technology sector.

Dr. Helen is also the author of How to Be Resilient in Your Career: Facing Up to Barriers at Work, published by Routledge in 2023.

According to the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), Industrial and Organizational Psychology applies psychological science to areas including employee assessment, leadership, workplace behaviour, and organizational effectiveness.

This expertise allows Dr. Helen to consider both individual strengths and workplace conditions when helping clients make career decisions.

Dr. Helen also brings professional expertise and lived experience to conversations about workplace inclusion, representation, and career progression. She supports clients in understanding their options and developing strategies that reflect their goals and circumstances.

What can you expect from a Career Strategy Consultation?

A Career Strategy Consultation can help you:

• Make better informed career choices
• Recognize barriers affecting your progress
• Understand and articulate your strengths more clearly
• Identify opportunities that align with your goals
• Improve your professional positioning
• Develop a practical career strategy

The goal is not to make decisions for you. The goal is to provide the analysis, guidance, and support you need to make your own decisions with greater clarity.

Frequently asked questions about the Career Strategy Consultation

Is a Career Strategy Consultation the same as career coaching?

No. Some aspects of career coaching may be part of the conversation, but this service is a professional advisory consultation. The focus is on helping you evaluate important career choices using psychological expertise, workplace experience, and personalized recommendations.

In many respects, this advisory service is “More than career coaching, it’s career psychology®.”

Do you help people find jobs?

No, I do not provide job placement services. However, my advice may help people look for jobs in a different and more efficient way.

My work focuses on helping professionals understand their options, make stronger career decisions, and develop strategies that support their long-term goals.

Do you work with federal public servants?

Yes. I have extensive experience working with federal public servants and understand many of the career considerations associated with public service environments.

Do you work with technology professionals?

Yes. I have worked with professionals in Ottawa’s technology sector, including specialists, managers, and leaders navigating career growth, workplace change, and leadership decisions.

Can this help if I am unsure what direction to take?

Yes. Many clients begin with uncertainty. The purpose of the consultation is to help you better understand your options and identify practical next steps.

Book a Career Strategy Consultation

Important career decisions deserve thoughtful consideration.

If you are evaluating your next career move and would like guidance from an expert in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, contact me or schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your goals and determine whether this professional advisory service is right for you.

Contact Dr. Helen Schedule a Confidential Consultation