The Career Diagnostic Call
Many people have told me that they were anxious about booking their first call with me.
That's good. A touch of anxiety indicates an appreciation that this is serious, and that I am serious about it.
People have described it as 'the first honest conversation I've ever had about my security career' and 'the first time anyone actually showed an interest in my career.'
More often than not, the call leads to a few laughs, and people tell me that they didn't know what they were so worried about. 'I wish I'd booked it sooner' is another common comment. So what should you expect?
What to expect
The calls all take place using Zoom and in the UK timezone. I don't use any other platform and there is a special place in Hell for people who use Teams.
Here's the basic rule.
No bullshit. Not from me, not from you. I can and will (gently) challenge you if you are inconsistent in your thinking or you contradict yourself.
I will ask you to clarify and explain yourself, sometimes to the point where you might realise you didn't know what you were talking about.
That's fine. It's the whole point of the conversation. I will be direct with you in your own best interests, so be ready for it.
No sales. At no point in the call will I attempt to sell you anything - even if you beg me. The call is about you, not what I want.
Challenge is welcome. If I make a statement, suggestion or observation that you consider to be wrong, you can and must tell me. I will not be offended.
How the call works.
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You'll get about a minute to introduce yourself, tell me where you are currently in your career, and why you are talking to me.
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I will then take you through a structured series of questions about yourself and what you do. You are required to answer them clearly and concisely. If you ramble, I will interrupt you. We don't have the time.
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At the end, there may be time for questions from you. I'll also check whether or not the call was useful / insightful for you.
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You will be invited to take a week or so to reflect on the conversation and our time together. I don't want anyone to feel 'sold' on the call. It'd be too easy for me to do (even by accident). So, take some time. We're in no rush.
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After the call, I will send you a PDF with copies of the questions and my notes, which are my interpretations of your answers. People often want to reflect on what they struggled with, and this can help with that.
If we agree that working together is a good idea, I will then send a link to the checkout for Warden Leader, as well as the code to discount the cost of the call. That's what you can expect.