Helping others make change

By Karla Rawles

Docklands resident Marion Haydon is more comfortable with the prospect of change than most. A career transition coach, she helps others make the changes they want in life.

No stranger to change herself, Marion’s career journey led her through various training and human resources roles, before experiencing the help of a personal coach in her own life, which was a turning point.

“Working with someone who listened and asked questions really helped me think deeply about what I wanted to do with my life,” Marion said.

“Previously I felt I was just hopping from one lily pad to another without any clear direction. Coaching helped me reflect on my values and then make the right career and life choices.”

Marion was inspired to take a leap and trained as a coach. With a Graduate Diploma in Ontological Coaching, Marion’s view of coaching is holistic. Her approach gets to the heart of what makes people tick. She helps her clients delve into their internal dialogue and understand what inhibits personal change.

Now, 10 years on, Marion’s business LEAP Careers focuses on helping people who want to make a change, but aren’t sure where or how to start.

“It’s all about listening to your inner voice, exploring your options and assessing them with your values in mind, before preparing to take a leap. It doesn’t just need to be a leap of faith.”

“Living in Docklands is a constant inspiration for me. I see so many people going to work in the morning. They say if you love what you do, you never work another day in your life, and I wonder how many are truly happy in their jobs.”

Marion’s clients range from people who are happy with their career, but aren’t in the right job, to people who really want to shake things up and find where their passion lies.

“I really understand that ‘stuck’ feeling – not knowing what to do or how to make a meaningful and fulfilling change. I’ve been there myself. That motivates me every day to help others get the most out of their life.”

For more information about making a change in your life visit

www.careerleap.com.au

On a Quest for excellence

At Quest Docklands, the ultimate aim is to meet the needs of each and every guest.

With plenty of corporate visitors passing through its doors, catering for the business traveller is high on the agenda for the serviced apartment business, according to general manager Brendan du Kamp.

“We’re really committed to servicing the growing corporate clientele who are coming down to Docklands,” Mr du Kamp.

Situated on Bourke St, Quest Docklands is just a few minutes walk from local corporate headquarters.

“Location is key for us and if you come to Docklands for business you’re not going to want to stay anywhere else because we are so close to all the major offices and general services along with bars and restaurants,” he said.

As more corporate tenants relocate to Docklands, Quest Docklands has also been working hard to ensure it meets the demands of the modern business traveller.

Refurbishment works completed last year were carried out with corporate guests in mind.

“We got to know our corporate clients really well and did a lot of research with them to find out exactly what they wanted from us,” Mr du Kamp said.

“We want to make sure our services and products are meeting the needs of business travellers that are coming to Docklands, whether it be for a couple of nights, a couple of months or a year.”

According to Mr du Kamp, many of the changes made through the refurbishment process related to functionality, including the size of the work desks, the speed of the wi-fi and the comfort of the beds.

“We’ve created a real hassle-free environment for our corporate guests,” he said.

Last year, the business was recognised for its commitment to service excellence and was named Quest’s Franchise of the Year.

Mr du Kamp said Quest Docklands earned the award because of its service delivery, commitment to reinvesting in the property and ensuring it provided value for its guests.

According to Mr du Kamp, what sets Quest Docklands apart is that it’s an owner-operated business.

“There’s a high-level of accountability and high-level of ownership coming from working in that small-business model, that you can relate to a family business environment,” he said.

You can find Quest Docklands at 750 Bourke St.

For more information see http://www.questdocklands.com.au