“All of us have to learn how to invent our lives, make them up, imagine them. We need to be taught these skills; we need guides to show us how. Without them, our lives get made up for us by other people.”

URSULA K. LE GUIN

Why Story Work


I started doing exploratory story work to help clients craft better professional summaries, arguably the most challenging part of resume writing. What began as a simple exercise has grown into a formal process where I help clients identify critical elements of their professional narrative. 

Story work starts with having a client share their professional story. Where they choose to begin their story and what they include is entirely up to them. I've had clients only cover their professional highlights; others go back to childhood. Regardless of how they have chosen to tell their story, exploratory story work results have been insightful, intelligent, and comprehensive. 

This in-depth approach to career coaching has been invaluable for clients who have non-linear professional backgrounds or are at a crossroads in their career. Early-stage professionals also benefit from the process as a way to eliminate early career frustrations. 

As a coach, I have never been a supporter of coaching tools like type indicator or personality tests to guide my clients. These tools often provide an inaccurate or incomplete picture and can lead to lazy coaching with poor outcomes for the client. Story work has helped me better connect with my clients' specific needs while providing a road map for us to use during the coaching journey. 


Consider story work if you are a professional who:

  • Is looking for something more than a job to pay the bills

  • Has struggled to find the right fit in their positions

  • Wants greater balance with their career and life

  • Wants the opportunity to align their values with their work

  • Is interested in working with others who value skills and intelligence

  • Knows that they are capable of doing more extraordinary and significant things


If this sounds like you, reach out to learn how story work can transform your career.

 

What Do Our Clients Have To Say?

“Megan encouraged me to examine the direction of my professional growth/career and consider transitioning to a role more aligned with my talents. Megan was motivating and pushed me to pursue my newly defined goals with actionable steps. She is relatable and knowledgeable. With the tools Megan taught me, I landed a position with a Forbes’ nationally ranked, “Top 10 Employer”. Megan celebrated my career advancement then and still checks in regularly on my progress. I encourage anyone seeking guidance and the focus to achieve their best life’s work to contact Megan Haupt ... you will not regret it!”
— Michelle
“Megan is an experienced coach, and it shows in her wisdom and practical knowledge. She’s committed to understanding her clients’ individual circumstances and needs, and helps translate those insights into an actionable plan. I’m in the first 5 years of my career — dissatisfied with my original path, and still unsure of my long-term plans. I used to change my goals every few months and had trouble even defining success. Megan has helped me navigate that uncertainty with meaningful, personalized goals and a strategy that’s targeted, but flexible. This allows me to keep developing my longer-term vision while carrying on the day-to-day work of applying to jobs, networking, and building skills. ”
— Dan
“I’ve never thought of career counseling as something that could be beneficial to me until I worked with Megan. Her approach helped me to look at my own skills, traits, and interests and to consider what those things can tell me about what I should be doing professionally. Her objectivity helped me to navigate the many uncertainties of pandemic unemployment, and I know that I’ve landed the right role because of my newfound insight. I highly recommend Megan and her story-telling approach to career exploration.”
— Ellen
“I worked with Megan on some career counseling as a result of the pandemic fallout to the job market. I knew I had the skills to get the interviews I needed, but I had a real problem with the talking about myself part of the interview process.

As we went through our sessions, I found that, with Megan’s help, I was becoming much better prepared for my interviews, and, more importantly, I was much better able to tell my story. So good in fact that I got a new position within two interviews after Megan and I finished our work together. While my resume got me the interview, working with Megan got me the job!

I literally could not have done it without her. As a result, I can’t recommend Megan enough.”
— Jeff
“Working with Megan has been one of the best decisions I have made in my 10-year career. As a career coach, she simultaneously serves as a strong advocate for you as well as an unbiased third party that can provide an objective perspective. For me, this was crucial to accessing an understanding of my innate strengths in the workplace. With her as a thought partner, I was able to get rid of a lot of useless, lingering noise in my brain and focus on a more fulfilling career path that felt genuinely in line with my values. She helped me craft a resume and narrative that felt like an authentic and accurate representation of not just my professional strengths, but who I am as a person. This enabled me to show up to interviews/conversations with much more agency and ultimately land a dream job. I can’t recommend working with Megan enough - a worthwhile investment of time/money / a relationship.”
— Victoria
“Megan is a talented, passionate coach who can help motivated people at all levels of their career identify and pursue their next opportunity. I worked with Megan when I was hoping to make a move outside my industry, and needed some advice on how to proceed; I found her approach smart, practical, and highly motivating. She’s a strong, thoughtful communicator who really works to understand each person and help them succeed. Highly recommend her services for anyone in career transition, or simply looking for a helpful boost!”
— Liz