Teens and Students

It's generally parents who find my site - they want to help their teenage children make effective career decisions. For some this will be a university education, but what course, what university, and what about after graduation?

But not all young people want, or need a university education and for many vocational training or getting a job is the right choice for them.

Too many young people opt for university without any in-depth thought on why. Too often this leads on to a wasted opportunity, too late they realise it was the wrong degree for the career path they now want to follow. Others drop out as emotionally not ready, or not getting sufficient support to help with the transition from school.

Read on for suggestions on how we can help. Parents are often reassured that career options are considered in a structured way with an independent chartered psychologist who is noted as a caring and inspiring expert.

The work we do can help young people to choose:

A levels or other post 16 study
Degree subject
Specialism (e.g. for doctors and scientists)
Career

Teenagers
Pre University
University Students

So what will help?

Taking the Highlands Ability Battery will help to identify natural talents and abilities. It’s an objective assessment of how you perform against 19 different work samples. This means choices can be made on what to study and how to study – the assessment identifies how best you learn – through reading, listening, active involvement and whether seeing the information in chart or diagrammatic form helps or hinders. It also identifies how you best solve problems, how quick you are to come up with new ideas, whether strengths are in science or literature and much more.

Understanding natural abilities using the Highlands Ability Battery can help choose between different courses, in the knowledge this is based on levels of natural talent, not just hard work!

The assessment takes just over 3 hours and is taken from a home computer. It doesn’t have to be taken all at once, but can be broken down into a number of sessions. The feedback session takes about 90 minutes (this can be done face to face or via the phone) and you also get a full colour 29 page report, an e-book on learning strategies, one page summary, suggested career options and a recording of the discussion.

Work with Denise to understand more about who you are, where your interest lay, what motivates you, strengths and weaknesses and to consider different options.

Making choices for 16+ Teenager Programme

Young people have so many options available and I've got a way to help them make effective choices.
Even before the age of 16 young people need to decide whether to take A levels, BTEC, or an apprenticeship, seek a job but what is best for them?

Evie says: "My talk with you has been so helpful and I’ve finally chosen my A levels. I’m happy with my choice, and I definitely couldn’t have done it without you so thank you so much."

At age 15/16 we keep things simple – so following taking the Highlands Ability Battery online in advance of our appointment, we meet up for a 90 minute to 2 hour session to discuss your results and help you make choices regarding next steps after GCSEs.

The Teenager Programme consists of the Highlands Ability Battery, (up to) 2 hour feedback session, guidance to increase study skills effectiveness and an extensive report. £250

Take the highlands as a standalone assessment £275 including VAT

Making choices for 18+ Pre University Programme

After A levels, BTEC or similar, there are choices between starting full time work or study. A choice to go to university means decisions between courses, location and whether to take a year out or not.
I've met too many people who made the wrong choice. Too many graduates wishing they had chosen a different degree, or waited before going to university.

We go a bit deeper, alongside the Highlands Ability Battery we can also look at interests and personality to help create a shortlist of potential career paths. From this we can choose study options that don’t shut down possible choices.

On some degree courses (law, medicine etc.) there is a need to specialise, we can review and discuss which options are likely to be most suitable, based on effective assessments and coaching.

A typical pre university programme is to take the 3 assessments – Highlands Ability Battery, MBTI Step 1 and the Strong Interest Inventory. These are taken in advance of meeting up, we then meet for a ½ day session to discuss the results and to provide suggestions for careers, with guidance on how to find out more. There is an option to include a follow up 30 minute session one month later to review the research and confirm decisions.

Ongoing mentoring is an option for your time at university – meeting up (phone or in person) 2 or 3 times a year to review progress – from study techniques (Denise spent 3 years working as a study skills tutor) to developing relevant experiences to add to the CV (work experience, volunteering, other activities).

It now costs thousands of pounds to go to University, and students leave with a significant debt. It’s important that this money isn’t wasted.

Make sure that the degree will be a step towards your future. If you are uncertain better to wait and decide what you want to do and why, rather than rush to university.

Take the highlands as a standalone assessment £275, (special price if you have yet to reach your 21st birthday)

Add on the Strong Interest Inventory

This short assessment consists of 291 questions and based on the answers will provide a list of careers and study choices

Add on the Strong Interest Inventory £66

Add on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

This short personality assessment will help you be clearer about how you like to gather information and make decisions and understand more about your relationships with others. It can also help identify future career choices.

Add on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator £77

Combine it all together

If you take the Highlands Ability Battery and either one or both of the Strong Interest Inventory and the MBTI, the results of all tests are combined. We then spend another hour talking about likes and dislikes, friend and family influences and create a plan to find out more.

Student assessment programme

Take the Highlands, MBTI and Strong Interest Inventory plus an extra hour of coaching and a personalised plans The special price is £412.50

University Students

You have made the investment to attend university, why not take the next step to ensure success. Assure your investment pays off by considering career options in a structured way with an independent chartered psychologist who is noted as a caring and inspiring expert.

It’s time to get serious about getting a job, and whilst many students leave this till their final year, the very best time to get started is now. Don’t worry if you are in your final year, we can fast track everything we do!

Don’t wait till you graduate to think about your career future. Get started now, thinking about what you like, where your strengths lie and start researching possible career paths.

Do you have no idea what you want to do?

Follow a structured programme to find out more about who you are and what would be a good career fit.
Dependent on budget you can opt for any of the programmes, with the most popular ones being the Silver Plus and Student Gold Programmes.

To read about the Award Winning Gold Programme, Click here.

To read about other Career Programme, Click here.

Or choose the Career Assessment Package - This consists of the 3 assessments: Highlands Ability Battery, MBTI Step 1 and Strong Interest Inventory, in-depth feedback discussion, guidance to increase study skills effectiveness and an extensive report. Plus the 30 minute follow up session £475

Do you know what you want to do?

If you think you know what you want to do we can discuss this and work out a strategy to help you to be a successful candidate.

Choose to book an initial 2 hour session to talk through your options and create a plan so that you can make

If you want to go into greater depth, choose the graduate version of The Gold Programme for £770

The Student Job Search Programme

The Student Job Search Programme consists of a CV review and rewrite, interview coaching practice and a personalised job search plan.

We start with an initial review to agree the amount of support you require and provide you with a clear proposal and quote to meet your need and budget.

Why students choose Denise

Denise has an extensive track record of helping students understand more about who they are and make effective career decisions

Denise is seen as an expert in the area of developing successful careers and job search, regularly featured in print and on the radio. She is also the author of ‘How to Get a Job in a Recession’, ‘Winning Interview Answers for First Time Job Hunters’ and the forthcoming ‘Now You’ve Been Shortlisted’.

Client comments

Parent says: “It was difficult for myself as a parent to be able to confidently advise and guide my daughter in her post A level education. She was a good all rounder and had absolutely no idea what she wanted to do. It was such a relief to discover Denise who is such a knowledgeable and caring career expert. I am now confident that Rebecca is moving in the right direction.” Carol Crowther

Student says: “It is a journey of discovery; you make many fascinating realisations about yourself along the way. The knowledge you acquire will benefit you for the rest of your life. As for me I have found the programme invaluable in making decisions about my future degree course at university.” Rebecca Crowther

Tom Tom had absolutely no idea what to do at University. He was bright and definitely wanted to take a degree, but wasn't sure what subject. The student programme showed he had excellent abilities in 2D and 3D interpretation, which suggests roles such as engineer, design and architecture. He is also highly outgoing and sociable, needing a role with a high level of interaction with others. He took this programme just before he chose his A levels to make sure he didn't drop a subject that would be required in his chosen degree. To be certain he is making the right choice he is undertaking some structured work experience in his school holidays to help make a final choice.

Hilary Hilary was the youngest of 3 and the first child to think about a graduate career. Her grandmother wanted to support Hilary in making the right decision and paid for this programme. It led from an initial decision to take media studies to structured work placements over summer vacations prior to University, based on the results of the assessments. Hilary will be happiest where she can work with others in a structured environment and gain an area of expertise. Her decision to become a Radiologist matched in with her personality and abilities.