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A few decades ago, workers commonly held long-term jobs, often working for the same company their entire career. These days, that sort of commitment is becoming unusual, and individuals make three to five career changes on average, according to some statistics.
“More and more people are facing changes and want help navigating these changes,” says Stephanie Peacocke, a career consultant with SRP Consulting, based in Gig Harbor. “If there is one thing (like their career) not working, it usually impacts other parts of their life… Many people want a change and they don’t know how big.”
That is where her job comes in. Peacocke provides career transition and development services to individuals and career, leadership development and other services for businesses and corporations. With a master’s degree in whole systems design, she has a background of working with organizations, companies and government agencies for 16 years. In 2005, she decided to venture on her own and started her company with the goal of working with a more divers client base. Earlier this year, she has expanded her focus on working with individuals.
Peacocke sees all work-related choices people make as one continuum. “I think of a career as a path through life. It doesn’t start and stop every time you change a job,” she says. She even helps people hoping to start a business or looking at retiring — with the biggest focus on transition, no matter what the change is.
“The biggest challenge (for people) is making a decision in the beginning,” she says. Once they do, however, she helps them plan for various aspects of the transitions, including a support system.
Peacocke has developed her own career development model including assessments. Some clients go through the entire process, which takes about four two-hour sessions; others simply want help with their resumes or interviewing skills.
She recognizes that many people don’t like change, so for many clients, the end results entail strategies that are not as “monumental” as a job change. People face change due to various triggers — sometimes it’s a layoff or downsizing, other times it’s a family change, or simply dissatisfaction. “I believe they know what’s best for them and I’m just helping get clarity,” she says. “Sometimes people realize they don’t want the change, but they’re still happy because they get clarity and self-awareness.”
Peacocke holds a variety of certifications. Recently, she received a 96 percent score for a Certified Professional Resume Writer. She teaches various career related classes and seminars through the Tacoma Community College and other organizations, and is currently developing a workshop on retirement.
Peacocke’s work with corporations stretches worldwide. It includes a technical leadership development program for technical leaders worldwide and a competency-based career development framework she helped create for Intel Corp. Both initiatives were featured in the 2005 IT Annual Performance Report, and Intel was listed as No. 16 in Training Magazine’s Training Top 100 for 2006.
Team development, program design, employee retention strategies, and even handling layoffs during downsizing are some of the issues she helps companies address. “A lot of what I do is help people establish a framework, (find) what is most important for them to be successful,” she says.
Peacocke chose her own career as a way of helping others get satisfaction. “I like helping people identifying possibilities for their future and giving them the tools,” she says. “I want to support people get more fulfillment in their work and life.”
As for her own fulfillment, taking the leap to self-employment has been “interesting every step of the way.” A self-described lifelong learner who likes change, she finds that all the challenges she faces as a new business “are all really good.”
“I’d like it to grow and I’m really happy with where it’s at,” she says. “I like helping people bringing their goals to life — not just dreaming about it, but seeing it happen.”. | 
