On Sept. 9, 2008, members and guests met for networking and dinner at the Coral Seafood on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, and enjoyed an informative talk by career coach Mary B. Gallagher, founder of ActionPact Coaching in Shrewsbury, Mass.

Career coach Mary Gallagher

SPC co-president Elizabeth Ichton welcomed all to the first meeting of the new year. Board member Marcia Priestly introduced Gallagher, who presented a talk titled, “Career Coaching: Get What You Want, When You Want It.”

Whether you’re working in-house at a company or in your own house, there are two major problems that a career coach can help solve, Gallagher said. One is not knowing what you want. The second is knowing what you want, but not knowing how to get it.

Gallagher shared the challenges of her own transition through years as a corporate human resources professional, dealing with employee and leadership development, mergers and acquisitions and change management. She faced the high-tech downturn along with hundreds of people, many of whom it was her task to help. She also found herself grappling with ethical issues

“I decided to take my integrity and leave,” she said. She said that, despite bring a successful professional, she was “absolutely empty within myself.” She built upon a BA in business management from Boston College to gain a master’s degree in psychology and theology from Andover Newton Theological School, strengthening and broadening a foundation as a career coach. She quoted renowned psychologist and philosopher William James, who said, “Work is when the self meets the world.”

Gallagher fielded many questions from the attendees, outlining advice on issues ranging from the importance of preparing for a career change–intended or due to looming downsizing–to taking an honest reality check, seeking retraining, welcoming third-party perspectives, etc. She also stressed that searching online is not generally the route toward finding a fulfilling career. Social networking and word-of-mouth are the clearest paths to success.

How does one deal with discouragement? “Don’t get nervous, just get busy,” she said. “The key thing is to never stop.”

—Jane Salerno