Something shifts. Most capable professionals ignore it.
At some point in a capable professional’s career, a persistent recognition appears: that fulfilment is no longer proportionate to what has been built. That the trajectory has flattened. That effort and achievement are no longer moving in the same direction.
Most people manage that recognition rather than act on it, because they have been conditioned to believe they are receiving accurate signals regarding the state of the market.
They adjust expectations, reframe ambitions downward, and attribute the gap to external factors – the market, the organisation, perhaps the timing.
In over thirty years and client engagements involving over fifty countries, we have found something different.
The gap is almost never external. It’s a specific and identifiable constraint in awareness – about positioning, about value, about what is genuinely possible – that limits every move a professional makes.
And it can be closed.
The world needs leaders who lead from the inside out.
The organisations navigating the most significant challenges of our time are not suffering from a shortage of technical competence. They are suffering from a shortage of leaders who know who they really are – whose decisions are grounded in sound and unshakeable values, whose direction is shaped by authentic purpose, and whose presence creates trust. Not because of title but because of character.
That kind of leadership does not emerge from superficial approaches to career management. It emerges from the sustained process of aligning our careers with the motivation, values, and contribution that define our best work.
This alignment matters more deeply than ever before, because of our species’ ever-increasing capacity to create harm.
It’s the work that every engagement at Russell Johnson & Associates is ultimately about.
This practice was founded by someone who needed it and couldn’t find it.
When a family health and budgetary crisis required that Russell Johnson enter the workforce at 14, it derailed his plan to become an educator and triggered a search for a new and personally meaningful purpose. Across office work, construction and self-employment in Australia. Study in the UK. Archaeology in Israel. Ministry in Africa. Sales and executive leadership in the US.
At Arby’s, Russell led perhaps the most significant franchising transformation of the era. After years of stagnation, Arby’s became one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing restaurant chains. Rated in the top ten of over 3,000 franchise systems in the United States, with a new restaurant opening every 39 hours.
Then, a takeover poisoned the chain’s potential. Russell resigned, then stayed on for a nearly tripled income, regretted it and resigned again two years later to find his calling.
He sought strategic, executive-level career support in the US and in Australia – without success.
After a four-year search, Russell finally recognised his calling in that market gap. In 1992, he founded EPR Careers, a pioneering career management firm dedicated to the complex needs of executives and professionals.
Over the ensuing decades, through refinement, growth, setbacks, innovation and advancement, the conviction that drew him to this work has not changed.
That capable professionals need support matching the complexity of what they are navigating and the profound effects it creates, both for them and for society.
Russell Johnson & Associates is the result of everything those early experiences produced.
The Needs That Our Careers Should Meet (But That Most Don’t)
Decades ago, Abraham Maslow structured human needs as a rigid hierarchy, advancing from survival needs to self-actualisation. The concept came to be depicted as a pyramid where lower-level deficits must be satisfied before higher growth needs can emerge.
Others have since modified this framework using contemporary psychology, seeing needs as operating dynamically rather than following a strict sequence.
This subject deserves multiple articles, but at another time. For now, it’s enough if we recognise that we each have a range of what Maslow described as Deficiency needs and Growth or Being needs.
The Growth/Being needs call out for action but can be suppressed by the crushing pressure of Deficiency needs. A satisfying career requires that we meet both types.
A career that supports our Growth or Being needs makes us more attractive to others. Yet countless highly capable people are sucked into the depths of demoralisation, often intensified by an ever-deepening gap between their income and their potential.
So we address both types of need. The challenge is to do this in a way that avoids undermining by concerns about income.
Our decades of experience have honed the skills of helping our clients navigate this challenging terrain. Our clients don’t usually treat income as the dominant factor in a job search, yet they usually significantly – and in fact often dramatically – increase their incomes through our work together.
Job changes with increases in income of 30-40% or more are often reported. The feedback we receive indicates that collectively over time, our clients have increased their incomes by billions of dollars through our work together.
It would be a shallow victory if that were the only benefit they gained, but although it’s highly relevant, it usually comes to be seen as a secondary benefit.
Because when our methodology advances, so does our morale. Our behaviour follows, and we are perceived differently and rewarded accordingly. And our lives improve – across other dimensions such as mental and physical health, and relationships, in addition to our careers and our incomes.
This work is for a specific kind of professional.
Our services are not designed for everyone. They are for executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals who recognise themselves in the following:
You have built a substantial record and know your capability is significant. But your career is not reflecting that — in fulfilment, in recognition, or in trajectory. Potentially in all of these.
You may be navigating or aiming to navigate a crossroads: a direction that no longer energises you, a path that has become blocked, a role under threat, or a search that is not producing the outcomes your experience warrants.
You are not simply looking for another job. You are seeking a career that is genuinely proportionate to what you are capable of contributing — and you need and want the strategy, skills, and support to get there.
You understand that the practical dimensions of the search — positioning, personal brand, self-marketing, negotiation — are not separate from the strategic work. They are the expression of it.
You are prepared to look honestly at what is constraining you, including the constraints that originate within your own awareness.
If this describes you, the work we do together will likely be among the most significant professional investments you have ever made. Perhaps the most significant of all.
The role of our firm
We are executive career partners, helping our clients achieve self-actualisation through their careers. Our work encompasses executive-level career architecture, strategy, counsel and coaching.
Efficiently achieving this outcome requires professional support. Because the job market is organised for the convenience and profit of employers, not of individuals.
And because we human beings stand too close to our own situations to see them clearly on our own, let alone to change them as may be necessary.
As the saying goes, you can’t read the label from inside the bottle.
And you may need not just to read it, but even to change it.
A methodology continually refined over more than thirty years
Our approach rests on five integrated foundations — from the deepest strategic layer to the most precise practical execution:
1
Mindset Establishing the posture of a buyer, not a seller. This single shift changes every conversation, every negotiation, and every career decision that follows. It is where the work begins, and it is what makes everything else possible.
2
Vision and strategy Developing a clear, honest, and ambitious vision for what the career can become — grounded in your authentic motivations and values — and a robust, executable strategy for getting there.
3
Positioning and personal brand Ensuring that how you are known in the market is proportionate to the value you actually deliver. For most professionals, there is a significant and correctable gap between the two.
4
Self-marketing Strengthening every dimension of how you present, communicate, and influence — so that the people who can open the doors that matter understand precisely why they should.
5
Execution Implementing every aspect of the strategy with the focus, discipline, and sustained commitment that produces results in even the most competitive markets — and that creates the conditions for the contribution you are most capable of making.
To take the next step, begin here.
We have developed a diagnostic tool – Facing The Cost of Career Compromise – that surfaces the specific constraint most likely to be limiting your career progress. It’s built from over thirty years of supporting professionals at exactly the inflection point you may be at or approaching.
It’s provided at no cost and without obligation.
It tends to reveal more than people expect.
And it includes an exercise that we invite you to complete and then submit to russell@rjacareers.com.
Due to capacity constraints and the need to ensure we focus on supporting clients whom we see as meeting the requirements for successful outcomes, we cannot guarantee to meet with all interested parties. However, either way, we will contact you as promptly as possible after receiving your submission.
And whether we agree to work together to advance your future or not, it’s likely you’ll gain real benefit from the reflection involved in completing the exercise.
Please download and complete the exercise from the link below, then submit it to russell@rjacareers.com.
What Our Clients Say
… a few examples from our immense collection of testimonials
“Never before had I been so confident…”
“How do I ever thank you for your efforts in changing the way I have instinctively approached career progression?
After 15 years of continuous employment coupled with dramatic career success and progression, I was somewhat fearful of what lay ahead. Had I made the right decision in walking away from a “secure job”?
The early phase of the program was a real eye-opener with respect to the soul searching and identification of what I really wanted, and that a career is not just a job, but a “journey through life”.
I was able to establish that I was more of a frontier-breaking entrepreneurial type.
The entire selection process from my initial fact-finding calls through to the interview(s) was amazing. Never before had I been so confident in my approaches to gaining meaningful employment.
The art of striking an early accord with the right people and being able to subtly control an interview process (in front of six directors!) certainly influenced my being appointed to the position.
You and the team gave me these skills and confidence, and for this I am extremely grateful. What an excellent program.”
Trevor Harlow
“After 18 years in academia I was burnt out and ready for a change…”
“Today is the first day of my new job and I couldn’t have got it without you.”
“A year ago I was stressed, unhappy in my job and unable to see a way to find another, more challenging and rewarding position. After 18 years in academia I was burnt out and ready for a change but I was convinced other work cultures would not suit me and that academics had difficulty adjusting to different environments.”
“The personal support seminars and professional help I received helped turn those negative perspectives around. My greatly improved CV, the excellent coaching you gave me on interview techniques and my own changed attitudes got me this job over 70 other highly qualified applicants.”
“The interesting aspect to all of this is that the position as advertised was not quite what I was looking for but you had trained me to think about approaching employers and discussing my unique abilities with them and I did. The CEO then contacted me and urged me to apply so that I could be interviewed and considered in a managerial role.”
Lee Burton
“I was sceptical about the programme…”
“Relocating to Melbourne after completing my MBA, I found it very difficult to find a company that would utilise my skills and experience. Taking a job in an unrelated field, I began to lose my self-confidence. I even considered returning to the USA.
After I made the decision to quit my job and look for a future, you offered me the opportunity to learn about myself-my goals, aspirations and most importantly my career. You and your staff assisted me in my personal development and allowed me to build my self-confidence back to a higher level!
I must admit, I was sceptical about the programme, but after biting the bullet and taking the plunge – it was FANTASTIC! I could not wait to apply to positions and attend interviews after each course and follow-up session.
Most interestingly, I found the seminars in “networking” to be the most useful as after two contacts I was offered a job – I would never have believed that this method would work – seeing is believing!!
I had a job after applying to less than 10 published job notices! The skills you helped me to refine have already served me well in my new position and making an INVESTMENT IN MYSELF has certainly paid off!”
Eric Horn
“You have no idea of the impact you made on my life…”
“Over the last seven months, you worked very hard with me and I now realise the distance I’ve come. I am so very appreciative of the journey I have been on and for the destination that journey led to.
I really appreciate that you offered me a range of tools to use and provided alternative methods when something didn’t work. It took a lot of your time and effort but really to me the results I experienced, which I measure by increase in salary and responsibility, have been tremendous.
I appreciate everything you have taught me, I feel very confident that I will apply these techniques continuously throughout my career. You have no idea of the impact you made on my life both professionally and personally.”
Carolyn Adams
“I was able to turn down a number of jobs before the right one was offered…”
“I have secured a position I know I will enjoy and develop for a very long time. I was able to do this with the great self-confidence you have instilled in me.
You were able to turn around my self-doubt and enabled me to focus on the strengths and talents I bring to my professional life.
Your insights into the hidden market are enlightening. Due to your career planning exercises, I was able to turn down a number of jobs before the right one was offered to me.
Even when the right job was offered, your help with salary negotiation was invaluable.”
Raymond Howlett
“Short-listed for 6 out of 7 applications, 2 offers and others still being processed.”
“On reflection, I thought I should write a thank you note for the absolutely fantastic work done in assisting me with my career transition.”
“At the time of accepting my job offer, I had been short-listed for six out of seven applications. This led to a situation of simultaneous job offers for two positions, while being in the last two candidates in three of the other positions still being processed.”
“In the end, the most difficult part was deciding which job to take!”
“What was of most value for me was learning how to focus on achievements. This provided the confidence to feel comfortable in selling myself, which I had always found difficult.”
Glenn Chuter
“My new CFO position provides greater responsibility and a much higher salary package…”
“As a direct result of your programme I have just accepted a position as Chief Financial Officer with a vibrant company that is a market leader in its field.
Prior to your programme, I was convinced I would have to forego salary to obtain a new position: this new position has greater responsibility and a much higher salary package. It is a logical progression in my career.”
Peter Barnes
“The experience showed me just how powerful networking can be…”
“Thank you for the assistance and guidance in grooming me to face the new world after over 30 years with one company.
I thought that with my previous international management positions, experience, knowledge and contacts I would sail into another position quickly. It was only after sending out my CV to a few recruitment companies, did I realize the challenges I faced.
I called Russell to set up an initial interview. After that It was a total revelation of the processes you followed in grooming me personally, polishing up my CV and developing my STARS and networking skills to move forward.
My lucky break as you know came through a BMW drive day with 6 lovely cars and 12 eager drivers. It’s amazing how networking works and the need to apply it at all levels, and at all times to all your contacts, irrespective of the standing and relation to your needs to find a new opening.”
Thevan Krishna
“… working with you and the team has been career-changing for me…”
“… the thing that kept me on track was treating looking for my next role as a full time job.
Components of that job included networking, applying for jobs, staying fit and focussed, attending interviews, and regularly meeting my coach and mentor.
I finally am in the role that was in my plan. I was approached by KPMG to allow my CV to be put forward for a role that provided me with a pathway to the role I wanted.
I took on the role and within 2 months had been appointed to the CFO role that was my goal.
I am pleased to be able to say that the 18 months working with you and the team has been career changing for me, and I am now on my way to where I want to go.”
Murray Walton
“… opened my eyes to the myriad of possibilities for anyone with transferable skills and a willingness to network.”
“I had considerable reservations as to my chances of successfully transitioning away from my previous conservative and predictable path into something a lot more dynamic and satisfying. But the process has certainly opened my eyes to the myriad of possibilities for anyone with transferable skills and a willingness to network.
I’m now in an organisation where I can confidently imagine myself still being there in 10 years, which in my last job, would never have been contemplated.
Successfully marketing yourself into a position is certainly an art which requires a highly strategic approach in all facets.”
Dr Patrick Clifton
“I’m able to utilise all the skills that I have to offer. I could not be happier.”
“My journey commenced with an awakening many years ago. This transition of conscience was followed by the establishment of a vision and a plan to achieve that vision.
When the time came for the end move, that final stage, I found myself ill equipped and uncertain. Your encouragement enabled me to find the courage to proceed, and the training provided the tools and the confidence to make the move successfully.
Three and a half months after making that leap of faith, I find myself employed here in Washington, DC with an organisation whose mission is aligned with my own and in a position that challenges me and where I’m able to utilise all the skills that I have to offer. I could not be happier.“
David Keogh
“Not only was it my dream job but they created it for me…”
“Initially, I didn’t know whether I should consider an entire career change or continue to use my current skill set.
Together we determined that my existing skills are a perfect match for what I love to do but up until this point I had never completely understood them or matched them to an environment that complemented my goals and values.
That sorted, we moved on to exploring industries and companies that captured my interest to identify what would be a perfect match.
Nine months after first meeting I found myself being offered my dream job with another international company that I had networked into. Not only was it my dream job, but they created it for me after recognising an ideal fit in goals and values.”
Denise Hoare
“I transitioned into a new industry with an international property development company…”
“The transition between professions is never easy at the best of times.”
“It is with great pleasure that I am able to report news of my success in securing a permanent position with a reputable international property development company.”
“This success has not come without careful long-term planning, commitment, persistence and the support, skills and confidence you have provided to me.”
“The art of ‘networking’ resulted in securing the opportunity to be included in the interview process. The skill of interview technique and confidence helped capture the interest of the interview panel.”
“The current career transition is a very critical one for me, and I can now look forward to improved happiness and prosperity in future, thanks to you.”
Darrel McLeod
“I was unfulfilled by my current role and unsure how to remedy…”
“I was professionally in a rut. I was unfulfilled by my current role and unsure how to remedy.
Through our initial conversations I was able to articulate what I wanted in the short and medium terms: which was to stay within my current organisation and transition into a role with a larger profile, and then to actively seek my ultimate job over the following 2 years.
I have now been in my new role for over 3 weeks, well short of the 6 months that you and I, Russell, originally set as the target time frame.
In the next 3-6 months l will ramp up the networking for the second phase of my plan and can do so confidently, knowing how to pitch my brand, articulate my “TMAY”, develop and communicate my STARS, but most importantly how to network and access the non-advertised market.”
Samantha Hellen
“I was a sceptic about the process… How wrong I was!”
“As I think you realized in the beginning I was a sceptic about the process and questioned what tangible benefits the courses would provide. I always thought it was a numbers game – the more I got my resume out there, the quicker I would find work. How wrong I was!”
“Prior to implementing the process, I had applied for 45 jobs and had only four interviews, all with agencies, and I did not get second interviews with any of them. Then, I got the first job I applied for after implementing the process, and not just any job, the right position, the right industry and the right package.”
“I cannot emphasize strongly enough, any executive not using the process is missing out on the most powerful career transition tools available and will extend their transition unnecessarily and to their peril.”
“A huge thank you for your support and encouragement which I could not have done without.”
David Watkins
“I successfully negotiated a senior role outside Australia…”
“This letter is to say how much I appreciated your efforts and consultation while I embarked on my search for a new career outside Australia. My career move benefited extremely well from your extensive experience in multinationals and overseas, particularly in Asia.”
“Thank you for your fantastic advice during my final career negotiation. I am thrilled to achieve the objectives we set together in an industry currently in the state of a severe downturn:”
- A senior role with one of the world’s leaders in telecommunications
- Work location in PR China
- A considerable increase in remuneration and responsibility
“The job interview workshops were excellent, particularly as the whole experience of observing others and improving myself was a really enjoyable way of learning.”
“I will be recommending your services to everyone I know who is looking for a new career direction and to maximise their potential. I know that one has already started to work with you.”
Eric Zhu
“I have seen a seven-fold return on my initial investment in under 8 months.”
“Thank you for assisting me in finding my ideal job transitioning from automotive into the mining industry. The coaching was always at a professional level and very different to what I had ever done before.
The techniques I learned and then successfully put into action allowed me to modify the original role offered, to create the perfect role.
I have seen a seven fold return on my initial investment in your services with the increase in salary in this new role in under 8 months.
I was able to obtain my full market value through the process. Accessing the non-advertised market was a new concept for me as was networking because I had secured my last few roles through the standard processes.
It was not until the first couple of sessions that I worked out I had never really assessed what I wanted out of a career. I have planned a lot in my life and never planned my career.
You ensured I was clear about what I wanted in a role, where it is located, the type of company I wanted to work for, the position I wanted within that company; then continued until I found that perfect role and ensured I became a valued employee for that business once employed.
I have been in this role for 7 months now and love the role, the company and its people.”
David Allen
“I was, amazingly, able to take pleasure in the leisure afforded by my ‘time off’ and to remain much more optimistic than I had expected…”
“Thanks to you and the team for supporting me through the stressful process of being without work and for your invaluable assistance in linking me up with this great job opportunity.”
“The more formal aspects of your program such as the ‘hidden market’ training and the resume building were tremendously useful. However, it was two more unexpected aspects of the service that were the most powerful for me.”
“The first was the provision of a business environment during a period of personal uncertainty. Workshops conducted in the company of successful, fully employed individuals looking for a change, one-on-one coaching sessions with professional people who were on my side, even the “pressure to perform” in keeping up my rate of networking calls and applications, all contributed to my sense of still being linked into the professional world. I was, amazingly, able to take pleasure in the leisure afforded by my ‘time off’ and to remain much more optimistic than I had expected, in the knowledge that I had not really come adrift.”
“The other aspect, truly, was the laughs! How can one not be hopeful when one’s sense of perspective and opportunity is so forcefully reinforced?”
“It was excellent working with you and I have not hesitated to recommend you to colleagues and friends who might benefit from the association.”
Genine Wallinga
“I embarked on a personal journey I could not have imagined…”
“Russell Johnson generously brings decades of experience and wisdom to his clients as he helps them transform their careers and their lives.
Two and a half years ago, finding myself at a career ‘sticking point’, I reached out to Russell and embarked on a personal journey I could not have imagined. Russell’s methods are strategic, strongly analytical and all the while, fundamentally human. This unique combination will take you on a journey of self-discovery resulting in career decisions that will help you meet your goals and ambitions for both the working and non-working aspects of your life.
Russell brings integrity, compassion and a generosity of spirit beyond compare. I highly recommend Russell Johnson to support your career transformation.”
Carla Santamaria
“I was unaware of just how powerful one’s network can be…”
“Following my retrenchment…at the age of 57, from a well-paid professional engineering position, I would like to express my appreciation for the ways in which you have assisted us since then to move forward. These included:
- Clarification
- Unscramble Rigid Thinking: After running through a number of planned exercises with you, I was able to begin thinking outside “the square”.
- Dreaming: You encouraged my wife and I to dream about what we really wanted to do together.
- Work: I had never considered the option of part-time work and Wendy and I felt that this would fit well with our new “dreaming’ approach to having fun together.
- Network: I was unaware of just how powerful one’s network can be and within several weeks of being retrenched I was re-employed on a part-time basis.
- The Future: I have recently moved on to a more flexible arrangement, only working on those projects that really interest me professionally. So once again, thanks, for helping us to move through this challenging period in such a satisfying manner.”
Bob Frencham
“…the optimal outcome – one that I would almost certainly not have been able to achieve alone.”
“Having left the comfort of a successful international banking career to take up residency in Australia, my confidence soon started to erode when the magnitude of the challenge of landing a similar executive role as a new arrival to Australia became clear. I needed help to navigate through the unknown, to create and cultivate a network, and to set and maintain some clear career goals.
It was truly enlightening to have the opportunity to consider for the first time some of the things which I had done in the past that I had not really considered significant, like my exposure to risk management; and yet which proved to be major differentiators.
With a bit of ‘thinking out of the box’ we were able to reframe my value proposition along several industry and functional lines, not limited only to financial services.
Despite a challenging journey the experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Ultimately it did achieve the optimal outcome – one that I would almost certainly not have been able to achieve alone.
I now have a great job with a great bank, doing what I do best! Thanks again Pauline and the whole team!”
Geoffrey Buchanan
“…a fantastic result of a hole-in-one. THE JOB I really thought that I could do and really wanted.”
“Thank you all for the dedicated assistance provided to me during a difficult and stressful time of career change.
The redundancy and your services provided me with the opportunity to re-evaluate my life goals, my career and family aspirations and to “really” look at the options and alternatives available and practicable for me as a person who is 50+.
I had previously used an outplacement service, but I have found that in so many ways you provided a real and total solution that far exceeded my previous experience.
I encountered an encouragement of self-discovery and the pragmatic assistance in my journey of transition into my new career.
You were there to assist; to pick me up and re-point me in the right direction; my chosen direction. And when the gentle coaxing and coaching was required, they were there. But when a firmer hand or a “KITA” was required, you took that path too! The method used was measured to obtain the outcome required.
I initially commenced a job search just to replace the “job” I had, whether as permanent or contract, but all the time feeling that a career change was required.
The process took almost 5 months, with a lot of time off in the middle for family matters. Even when I had contract roles, you were still keeping me focused on the main game, i.e. finding my new career.
The specialties of the staff came together to assist me to target and approach my desired new career and to achieve a fantastic result of a hole-in-one. THE JOB I really thought that I could do and really wanted.”
Mike Bampton
“Key factors were my ability to use my professional network to identify a “hidden” role which fit my skillset, demonstrate how my skills could easily transfer from financial services to aviation, and negotiate a 45% increase…”
“My initial career assessment highlighted the following areas of dissatisfaction:
- Four years in my current role of manager with no direct reports
- Limited development and promotional opportunities
- Roles in “obvious” transition areas within my company did not appeal
- “Appealing” roles advertised in the market did not match my skill set.
Whilst I did not have a clear or a compelling career vision, I listed a number of desired long-term outcomes. These included a role which promoted Australia’s national interest, applied my Masters in International Studies (majoring in international security) and fully utilised my consultancy/advisory skills.
From these initial thoughts, Pauline coached me to critically assess my career options, improve my morale and confidence, and use my network to access non-advertised employment opportunities.
As a result, I accepted a key role in aviation security, focused on mitigating the risk to Australia’s air travellers from terrorism and criminal interference.
Key factors in my success were my ability to:
- Use my professional network to identify a “hidden” role which fit my skillset
- Demonstrate over a series of coffee meetings and interviews how my existing skills could easily transfer from financial services to aviation.
- Negotiate a 45% increase in base remuneration.”
Helen Boyd
“I have now embarked on an exciting new career as National Operations and Customer Service Manager…”
“The seminars and one-to-one sessions helped me to identify what I really wanted to do and provided me with the skills I needed to reach my goal in securing a new career within the logistics field. Using the skills I picked up I have now embarked on an exciting new career as National Operations and Customer Service Manager with a large Australian logistics company.”
“In the past I had fallen from one job to the next and had ended up being dissatisfied with what I was doing. The skills I acquired not only helped me secure this position but will help me with my career development in the future.”
“Again, my thanks to all of you. I hope you all appreciate the sense of achievement and fulfilment you bring to the lives of friends and customers.”
Simon Maclennan
“My new destiny came from the networking through contacts. I would not have realised this if you and your fellow colleagues had not opened up this world of employment opportunities to me.”
“From the career advice, to the critiquing of resumes and interview techniques, the forums with other people and the workshop, all were very valuable tools in assisting me to develop a new career.”
“However, there is one technique that I now firmly believe to be the most relevant way to securing your own future. Using your network of contacts. This networking is not just direct people you know, but second, third and even fourth hand people you or your contacts know. These were the most valuable leads I found, and ultimately my new destiny came from the networking through contacts. I would not have realised this if you and your fellow colleagues had not opened up this world of employment opportunities to me.”
“Once again, thank you for your support, direction, critiquing and friendship over the past four months. I also express my gratitude to Dale and Faye, and the other staff that I met. Their continuous concern for my family and I was most appreciated as we moved on with life and opened new doors for both of us to follow.”
Gerard Laffan
“Now, a few months after contacting you, I know that the organization and its methods are far superior to any I could have imagined.”
“When I decided to approach you, I did so out of curiosity rather than a feeling that I could gain from the experience. Being a highly motivated and self-directed person, I did not feel that any organization could guide me in the quest I had embarked on.”
“Having successfully made two career transitions in my life, the first from engineering to management and the next from management to education, and attained acclaim in both fields, I felt I was a long way towards fulfilling my next dream.”
“Now, a few months after contacting you, I know that the organization and its methods are far superior to any I could have imagined. The organization has a technique that is second to none, and its choice of personnel is legendary.”
“You have been an excellent mentor, guide, facilitator and a true asset to the firm. I know that those early discussions will be the guiding force that has, and will shape how I approach the journey that I have set on.”
“I wish you all continued success and will be an ambassador through advertising the value to those aspiring for a change in career.”
Clim Pacheco
“I’m now General Manager of eCommerce Services for the Asia Pacific region thanks to you…”
“I have accepted the position of General Manager eCommerce Services for the Asia Pacific region.”
“It is absolutely certain that I would not have been able to have identified, found and won this position without the help and preparation you provided. I would also emphasise that from my time working with you, I have learnt a great deal not only about winning positions but also about setting personal targets and attaining them.”
“I would take this opportunity to thank you all for your patience and outstanding professionalism.”
Nick Montague
“From my perspective the investment paid off one hundred fold…”
“I found the insights gained into how to effectively manage your career invaluable. From my perspective the investment paid off one hundred fold. Firstly it helped me to objectively evaluate my aspirations with my skill mix, secondly I developed a CV which more accurately reflected my aims and experience and finally and most importantly I came to understand the ‘unadvertised market’ and how to access it.”
“I suggest that you cannot reinforce enough to all future clients, the benefits of being proactive in this market. In my case as you know I initially spent two months fiddling around in the advertised job market with little success. Following this, I spent approximately one and a half months researching the unadvertised market with the result that I was offered four positions, all of which arose from the unadvertised market.”
“My experience could almost suggest that maybe you are being conservative with your 75% ratio as my outcome ran to 100%!”
Mike Brewster
“Over 25 years’ experience of leadership development programmes, both here and the U.S. and this one beats them all.”
“Over 25 years’ experience of leadership development programmes, both here and the U.S. and this one beats them all.”
David Blackhall
“My experience working with Roger was particularly gratifying…”
“The trajectory of life and one’s career is seldom linear; inevitably, twists and turns arise. However, these deviations should not be navigated blindly or at the whim of external influences.
Establishing clarity in your personal life vision and making decisions in accordance with your values is paramount for overall well-being and happiness. Often, individuals find themselves engrossed in the execution of their lives, leaving little time for strategic contemplation.
Roger and Russell Johnson and Associates specialize in aiding senior executives in developing strategic perspectives, fostering clarity, objectivity, and the confidence and determination needed to navigate their career paths and life with purpose.
My experience working with Roger was particularly gratifying, as he demonstrated exceptional flexibility in responding to my unique needs, personality, and values.”
Galina Fidler
“The ‘hidden market’ system worked brilliantly…”
“The ‘hidden market’ system worked brilliantly for me. Upon completion of my coaching in initial skills I had found that the hidden market was the ideal solution. I had tremendous success in making new contacts in industries where I knew nobody and found that everyone was helpful. Some people couldn’t do enough, even offering jobs along the way.”
“Practising, drilling and rehearsing certainly paid off during every step. Especially for the final interview when I knew I had the interviewer sold in the first four minutes.”
“My experience stands testament to the tremendous change of direction bringing success that can be achieved with the right help. I shall have no hesitation in recommending your professional services to my friends and anyone seeking professional career management.”
Geoffrey Yates
“I ended up with three 3 very appealing senior job offers to choose from!!!”
“I’d like to take this opportunity of thanking you for all the help I’ve received, particularly the mentoring, advice and encouragement you have given me during my job search. Returning to Australia after 4 ½ years in Asia, it was quite a challenge getting back into the workforce at such a senior level.”
“The skills you taught me, and more importantly the process of really thinking through what it was I wanted out of career and life and my career, have contributed to my success. In fact, I ended up with three 3 very appealing senior job offers to choose from!!!”
“Please thank the team. They are making a huge difference in the lives of very many people.”
Andrew Paterson
“People use your services to achieve career transition, but this is really only part of the story. Of equal importance is that the skills learned and impact on self-esteem can be used throughout one’s career.”
“It is my pleasure to report today that I accepted an offer of employment as a Technical Manager.”
“Make no mistake, I would not be in this position without you. Your workshops were a revelation: the positive changes in outlook, approach and self-confidence I underwent were remarkable and produced immediate results. Indeed, one of the interviewers was taken aback at the transformation between January and now.”
“I have become tireless in singing the praises of the firm, but not just because I am another “success story”. People use your services to achieve career transition, but this is really only part of the story. Of equal importance is that the skills learned and impact on self-esteem can be used throughout one’s career. The ability to sell oneself has application in numerous situations beyond the resume and/or interview.”
John Honig
“I went from 1 interview every 2-3 months, to 5 interviews in less than 3 weeks…”
“From the time I decided to undertake your program, I went from about one interview every two to three months, to five interviews in less than three weeks.”
“All in all, the future looks very bright, and my most pressing problem now is what car to choose with my package. Incidentally, the job was not advertised and was one I didn’t apply for. It illustrates well the points you made about networking.”
Colin Maslen
“Your coaching on the ‘hidden market’ and your skills workshops on networking have paid off handsomely…”
“I don’t mind admitting that I was a little sceptical when I first decided to work with you on arriving in Australia, but you very quickly gave me the disciplined and structured approach to my career search that I needed.”
“Your coaching on the ‘hidden market’ and your skills workshops on networking have paid off handsomely, allowing me to build in a short space of time a really useful group of professional contacts in the aviation industry that has grown and strengthened. Equally helpful was the coaching and role play training in interview skills: so much so that my first two interviews both resulted in firm job offers!”
“Last but not least, I have actually enjoyed the career search process and have felt a real sense of personal growth and development through the experience.”
Trevor Wood
“I can say with total conviction that working with you and undertaking the program changed my life…”
“I contacted you earlier this year at a time in my life when I was at a loss to know which direction to take. I had tried unsuccessfully on many occasions to relocate to Melbourne and was disheartened with the whole process.”
“With your extensive knowledge and supportive guidance I worked my way through the work requirements. There were many times that you challenged me, and times I resisted what you were saying to me. However, together, we have achieved a great deal.”
“One of the aspects of your guidance that I really appreciated was your ability to help me look at the ‘bigger picture’ and broaden my thinking.”
“I can say with total conviction that working with you and undertaking the program changed my life, and for that I thank you most sincerely.”
“My message to any prospective clients of the firm is ‘take a chance, embrace the program and you will be amazed at the results’.”
Helen Douglas
“I was self-employed for the past 15 years and out of touch with the employment market…”
“Working with you has been a most rewarding experience; it has transformed how I define and present my capabilities, how I manage others’ capabilities, has flowed through to how I design and manage my own accountabilities, and given me a strong financial return on investment, as well.”
“Some specific benefits are:”
- The hidden market networking you coached me in opened just the right doors, as you promised it would. The one-page profile gives me a great edge in hidden market meetings.
- I have a very effective CV that reliably gets me short-listed for interviews. And I now know how to keep developing it as my career progresses.
- The three-minute opening and closing scripts for interviews and STARs have added substantial polish to my interview technique.
- I have adapted your approach to hidden market networking and the one-page profile to seeking new business opportunities for the business I am now in.
“Most of all, clarifying what I have to offer the market and who most wants and needs that skill-set made the actual job search quick and effective, especially since I have been self-employed for most of the past 15 years and was out of touch with how to succeed in the employment market. Knowing I continue to have a partner in my career development gives me great confidence and empowers my intention to contribute to the workforce for many years to come.”
Judy Hollingworth
“…the network proved to be my source of new position, whereas the advertised market brought nothing but frustrations.”
“Thank you for all of your assistance and the very valuable workshops. I found the information provided, the video sessions and the peer reviews most helpful.”
“You are certainly on the right course, the network proved my source of new position, whereas the advertised market brought nothing but frustrations.”
Paul Serong
“You gave me the tools needed to successfully manage my career transition…”
“There are at least three things about your services that I found especially useful during this challenging time of career change:”
- A systematic and focused approach which provided me with many insights into the career transition process and made the task more manageable and achievable.
- Caring professionals with a clear vision to improve the process which inspired me with confidence in approaching the task and provided me with just the right amount of professional support and guidance.
- The practical approach which gave me the tools needed to successfully manage my career transition.
Randy Brouillette
“My interview strike rate transformed to 80%…”
“As you know, I have been travelling to and from Berrigan in NSW every week for several years now with obvious disruption to family life. I had made numerous applications for a variety of positions in Melbourne without success. (A strike rate of about 5% in gaining a first interview and zero success from that point.)”
“With your help in developing a strong impacting CV, I achieved an interview strike rate of 80% (4 out of 5) and gained second interview in 75% of cases (3 out of 4). As part of the ‘marketing document’ set, the covering letter and follow up letters were also of great significance. It was a matter of altering a bland letter to something much more professional and impacting and your help in doing this was also invaluable.”
“You also helped me immensely in presenting myself in the appropriate professional, enthusiastic and confident manner at interview. Your advice in terms of focus and cutting out irrelevancies and ‘waffle’ was of great value. You taught me to slow down and think of the listener as well as developing my own listening skills. It seems to me that this is the essence of good communication in life generally. Thank you for that.”
“My career goal of finding a position in Melbourne has always been there. However, the clarity gained by defining the goal, altering it to the right position and then writing it down and locking it in, helped immensely in developing the confidence and determination required.”
“I will certainly recommend your services to other executives I meet who may have a need. As I see it, that is probably all of them if they wish to advance their careers.”
Mahes Maheswaran
“At 54 I resigned from my position as Managing Director…”
“I encountered you by chance when I was going through a testing period working for an American public company and questioning where I was really headed and what I really wanted to do.”
“At 54 I resigned from my position as Managing Director having taken the operation from a start-up to more than $20 million in three years and decided to take a few months off to search for whatever it was I was missing: I didn’t know at that stage.”
“The importance of contacts, belief in oneself, practice (regardless of how senior the person or role sought) are all traits that we possess as senior professionals but some of which we can forget too easily when presented with a different set of circumstances.”
“The team all are to be congratulated for providing a service and guiding structure that I consider second to none.”
“And yes, I did find that position I was looking for; General Manager Global Sales and Marketing for an Australian technology based company and I have all of you to thank wholeheartedly for the experience.”
“My very profound thanks to one and all from both of us.”
Lindsay Cordner
I believe you gave me the polish and finesse to ‘get me across the line’ (into an elite course at Harvard…)
“I came to you as a general dentist with the hope of pursuing a Master’s degree in Orthodontics in the US. Gaining entry into any orthodontics course is extremely competitive let alone when the program is half way around the world.”
“After I explained my plans, situation and the process, the staff worked meticulously through my resume and other documentation to gain the best result. My personal consultant, Deb, was not only extremely competent but also enjoyable to work with.”
“Having not had formal interviews for jobs, etc in my life, learning this skill was pertinent for success. The thoroughness and inspirational atmosphere at the interview skills seminars will always be highly valued by myself and I am sure by the other participants.”
“I believe you gave me the polish and finesse to ‘get me across the line’. I always felt that I had a good chance but were it not for the guidance, advice and training my success would not have been as great as it was. In the first instance, your assistance with the written word secured me a solid number of interviews across the States and Canada. But then your interview skills instruction helped me to perform to my optimum at the interviews and then to gain a place at one of the greatest universities in the world: Harvard University. Out of a total of 250 applications, 25 people were invited for interviews, and six selected into the course!”
“Thank you all for giving me the edge and confidence to really sell myself and my achievements in a positive and natural manner.”
Igor Lavrin
“I gained a lifetime of networking skills…”
“Having spent many years in senior executive positions with blue chip Australian and international companies, I thought I knew how to go about securing a new job.”
“I was wrong: without the professional support and truly outstanding coaching that you provided to me, I would probably be still looking and waiting for potential employers to call me. You showed me and I learnt from you the art of networking which in the end helped secure the job that I wanted.”
“Thanks to you, I now realize that I can use my networking skills at work, with my colleagues and managers, my friends and really in any professional or social situation that I find myself.”
“Thanks for providing me with lifetime networking skills which enabled me to secure the position of Vice President with responsibilities across Asia Pacific and Japan.”
“I highly recommend your services to anyone wanting to achieve more in his or her professional career.”
Ziza Brkich
“I gained the skills, knowledge and confidence to feel 10 feet tall when I walked into interviews…”
“The transition period was not an easy one for me to adjust to and your support and the confidence you engendered was invaluable. You enabled me to never lose site of the objective and encouraged me to tackle the task with military precision.”
“Please thank Steve for me. Both of you provided the skills, knowledge and confidence for me to feel 10 feet tall when I walked into important meetings and interviews.”
“Above all I met some wonderful helpful managers and professionals during my networking, and I state without reservation that “NETWORKING IS POWERFUL STUFF”.
Peter Meggs
“The role I will be undertaking reflects a good fit… and all on a package that represents a 45% increase on my existing benefits.”
“The role I will be undertaking reflects a good fit with my personal objectives of wealth creation, effective information management with a strong results focus and all on a package that represents a 45% increase on my existing benefits.”
“I must admit that since redesigning my resume and updating my job hunting skills I received a lot more interest from potential employers and achieved a stronger focus on what my next role and company was going to be. It enabled me to weed out those companies who I thought did not manage their information effectively and would not be able to create competitive advantage in the future.”
“Once again there is blue sky in my career path and a big thanks to you for your assistance.”
Andrew Swindell
“With your training I was able to secure the position of Chief Executive Officer despite an outstanding field of applicants…”
“With your training I was able to secure the position of Chief Executive Officer against an outstanding field of applicants.”
“I recommend your services as essential training for senior managers, not just for the next job they may pursue but for application in everyday management practice. I have recommended you to a number of my close friends and I am pleased they have reiterated a similar view from their experiences with you.”
Peter Marshall
“I transitioned from Public sector Economist to private sector Risk Manager, with salary increase of 30 per cent…”
“I am looking forward to a much more exciting position than my current role, and have probably increased my base salary alone by around 30 per cent.”
“Much of that is due to your services. I’m sure I could not have made the transition from public sector economist to private sector risk manager without your help. In fact, I can only look back in horror at my original CV and interview technique. The training made a world of difference.”
Luke Gower
“… it was hard work, however it is without doubt the most personally instructive and significant period I have had in business.”
After 30 years owning and operating my own small to medium sized businesses, always being self-employed, and at an age of 53, it was a challenge to firstly analyse what skills I had from my experiences, and how to employ these skills in a new direction.
Looking back on the period I worked with you, it was hard work, however it is without doubt the most personally instructive and significant period I have had in business.
Nick Savage
“I switched from Senior Change Management Consultant to Senior Project Officer with ease…”
“I was a Senior Change Management Consultant working very long hours under high levels of pressure with little time for interaction with management and feedback on my performance. As such, I was not able to reflect on my future and my own skill development and work preferences. Despite this, resigning was one of the most difficult decisions I have made—I did not have another role to go to and I was not clear on what I wanted to do next (let alone the impending financial pressure if I found myself unemployed for a long period.)”
“It was in this state of low self-confidence and high uncertainty that I went to you. I knew that I needed both interpersonal and technical job search skills but was not sure how to make myself ‘stand out from the crowd’. I am delighted to recall that from my first encounter with the organization, I had nothing but positive experiences. There is clearly a culture of support and commitment to clients.”
“This work is not just about changing jobs—I found the experience to be about unearthing who I am as a person so that I am able to choose and then function in a work role and situation that I know to be consistent with my own strengths and values.”
“In addition, we covered the more technical areas of career transition, such as identifying the organizations that are aligned with my preferences and developing a ‘one minute’ speech about who I am as a worker. We also worked through strategies for working for managing challenging work situations.”
“I secured a new role exactly four weeks after I resigned. I am a Senior Project Officer and am enjoying my substantially improved quality of life.”
“I recommend you to anyone who knows that they need to change their work situation and who is prepared to work hard at both the personal discoveries and the acquisition of job search skills that this entails.”
Natasha Burhop
“They say money can’t buy happiness. But money did buy me happiness. The fee was a small price to pay for such wonderful improvements towards life and happiness.”
“The recent bad experiences in the workforce had a negative effect on me. I had actually started to believe in the negative things my boss kept telling me, was lacking confidence and had zero career direction. Like the majority of people, I was applying for jobs well below my skills and qualifications, when a marvellous person from an IT recruitment agency picked up on my hidden talents.”
“He suggested contacting you. I was touched that a complete stranger saw my potential in a professional role. You changed my way of thinking. As the weeks went by, you helped me to develop people and career management skills that will stay with me forever. For the first time in my life I actually knew what type of job and company I wanted to work for.”
“Three months later, I am working in a first rate company. The job did not exist but was created just for me. No messing around with, “We have to interview another batch of people and will get back to you.””
“You prepared me in a professional way for working for a first class company. Provided me with the confidence, people skills, a positive outlook to life, a professional touch, the feeling of importance and pride.”
“In the past 12 months I have bought a quality car and a fabulous Arab horse. Yet the best thing I have spent my money on was the careers development course. This has opened the doors of opportunity, ability to make friends easily, how to deal with arrogant people and personal development resulting in an excellent job at a substantial salary increase. They say money can’t buy happiness. But money did buy me happiness. The fee was a small price to pay for such wonderful improvements towards life and happiness.”
Barbara Lawton
“I commend the program to anyone who is looking to maximise their potential…”
“I commend the program to anyone who is looking to maximise their potential in the workforce, either at their existing organisation or with a new employer. The program’s focus on highlighting achievements rather than detailing functional ability results in a different mindset and a more positive approach.
I found the interactive workshops on developing the STAR technique and the “Tell Me about Yourself’ particularly beneficial as candidates looked at it from both sides of the interview table.
I found that the emphasis on the individual understanding and documenting their achievements resulted in a more powerful transformation of attitude and approach than merely revising a resume and giving interview tips.
In my case, I was a “mature” business analyst who was made redundant following a takeover. I had a functionally rich CV and thought of myself as an analyst with few quantifiable achievements.
This was borne out by my experience with the advertised job market, in the 3 months prior to starting the program I lodged 180 applications resulting in 2 interviews for completely unsuitable positions.
Your program and consultants turned my self-image around by enabling me to realise that my achievements could be quantified and that I had been working more as a consultant than an analyst. This was not an overnight task but the result of considerable work in evaluating achievements, assessing goals, researching industries and building up a network.
The process highlighted the need for realistic self-promotion both in one’s existing company and in the wider job market. As a result of networking, improved interview techniques and a more focused approach, I received two firm offers on the same day.”
Tony Lindsay