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Turn ideas into action with personalised career coaching, interactive courses and skill-building resources. 

Resources for every stage of the journey

Courses


Interactive courses to help women get back to work and school leavers kickstart their careers.

Coaching


Secure and perform in work you love, at a time and frequency that suits you.

Community


Join the Horizons community and learn actionable ways to help you be fulfilled at work 

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What Others Said

Long term career support:​ AK (female, 40s)

I worked with Jo over a couple of years, to help take the next step from a technical leader to senior manager. Jo helped me think through my career plan. We worked through how to communicate with impact, be a confident and consultative leader, and horizon scan.  Jo challenged me to work to my strengths, acknowledge my weaknesses and find strategies to minimise them. Jo took her coaching role incredibly seriously, she wanted me to succeed and enabled me to find the confidence and capability to do so. She used her own wealth of experience, tailoring her approach to my needs. Jo challenged me. At times it was uncomfortable to look at myself but she judged impeccably how far to push. Most importantly she put me in the driving seat of identifying choices I make. This has set me up very well for the future and I continue to build upon all the skills she helped me gain. 

Fresh Horizons participant: Abi (female, SA, 40+)

I was feeling stuck and needed direction. I was unsure if I was able to still enter the job market again. While I knew I wanted to get back to work I wasn't feeling certain about how best to approach it or even what I really wanted to do. I feel much more ready than I did eight weeks ago! And certainly more energised and confident in seeking and applying for work. I came across the course unexpectedly, but I am so glad I did. Jo has put together great material in a helpful and easily accessible way. She has a gift for putting people at ease and creating a lovely learning environment and I have thoroughly enjoyed the time spent learning with the other participants. It's a course I have recommended to friends and will continue to do so. Thanks again

Technical advisory promotion 2022: TH (male, 40s)

Just got feedback from the accreditation team. I was successful at G7 Expert Level and am so happy. And thank you sooo much for all the coaching and support you provided - it just made such a huge difference, thank you again. 



Fresh Horizons participant: Ruksha Maharaj

“It’s a no-brainer to take on Fresh Horizons. It’s just 8 weeks…each week you are growing.  The guidance and value that’s given, there is no other coaching to such a level that can understand mums and women. And the bonus is you are working with a recruitment company who understands women and mums.  It’s like the bridge is already there and you just have to walk across…to anyone thinking it’s a lot to pay upfront, you will get that back ten fold even in your first month employed.  And the beauty of this course, it’s not just about employment, you could end up self employed. You end up feeling self empowered and you realise there are so many options ”

Promotion support:​ David R (male, late 20s) 

As I was looking for promotion in [bilateral aid agency], I sought out a coach to help me through preparations for the next steps in my career…..our work enabled me to identify what role would best suit me, and to successfully apply for a promotion.  The practical focus of the sessions with Jo really helped drive home some key messages, and her ability to ask about what is really important allowed me to think more strategically about my career pathway....I was also able to improve my interview skills.  Her inputs really made a difference and I would strongly recommend her to others.

Getting back to work after a career break bringing up children 2022: CA (female, 40+) 

I had been out of the workplace for a few years, my CV was out of date and I needed to help to update my CV and get interview ready... Jo was an enormous help and it was such a productive experience.  She identified elements of my work history that I hadn't highlighted..updated my CV and made it feel much more engaging and relevant.  Jo asked lots of questions and managed to identify what I should accentuate in my CV and in interviews.  We did mock interviews and Jo gave me the tools to to answer potential interview questions ...after this process I felt so much more prepared and confident.  Jo supported me throughout the whole process and it felt so challenging and rewarding.  (CA is now in a job she loves in Harare, which also gives her flexiblity and a good work-life balance) 

Career re-think 2020: Farai C (male, 25+) 

Having worked for a company in Harare for 5 years, I sought a new challenge and took the risk to leave work in August without another offer.  I discovered Horizons while trying to navigate my next steps.  Jo was brilliant in helping me elevate my key strengths and how I can make them relevant in securing a career changing role. After a few in-depth sessions and personalised guidance, I secured a career defining role in a top organisation in October. Jo really took the time to understand my career journey from the beginning and to where I want to be in the long run. With an honest and patient approach, I found it extremely enjoyable working with her and I would definitely recommend her to anyone irrespective of what stage they are in their career. Thanks to Jo, I now completely own my career and I will continue working with her as my career continues to progress.

Job relocation to South Africa 2022: DM (male, 40+) 

Horizons Careers Coaching is a fantastic service for people looking to embark on a well structured and ultimately successful job search.  I would go so far as to say it is an absolutely critical element of any serious job hunt whether you are looking to further your career or change career direction.  Jo and team provide highly customized advice and wise council based on a thorough analysis of your career aspirations, context and experience.  Probably the most valuable outcome from my engagement with Horizons was the confidence I gained from the structured introspection that the team led me through.  I was able to aggressively market myself to a range of prospective employers and I found a great job as a result.  I am definitely another very satisfied Horizons customer!!

Short term interview support 2020: AB (female, 20+)

Jo mock-interviewed me multiple times, preparing relevant and challenging questions. She provided invaluable feedback and always made sure to follow up down the line on any questions I had.  Jo was positive and encouraging, but also firm and reasonable. She always made sure to give credit where it was due, but also highlighted improvement areas. She gave tangible and clear tips for moving forward. She spoke openly and still challenged me to strive toward presenting the best version of myself in the upcoming interview.  I would certainly recommend Jo to others. She offers you her full commitment and presence. She is open, honest and non-threatening, generous in her feedback whilst also giving you tangible and reasonable strategies for improvement. I felt simultaneously supported and challenged, which is all you can ask for in this context.

​Short term interview support 2020: AW (male, 50+)

I had been working in Morocco tourism for more than a decade and was looking to return to the UK in 2020.  Through an agency, I was long and then short listed for a big job in the private hospitality sector.   I came to Horizons Careers via a recommendation as I was worried about the recruitment process, how transferable were my skills (eg would I be out of date for a higher regulatory environment?) and my priorities (how would I balance family and work life in a high stress job).   Jo helped me with interview preparation, think through my skills and gain clarity about what I really wanted from work.  We did a mock interview and she gave me feedback, which set me up well for the real interview.  I was ultimately offered two jobs - and had another session with Jo to help prioritise and think about the risks and "fit" of both jobs.  Jo has a good, clear approach and communication.  She always listened and gave balanced advice, not always what I wanted to hear, but honest and to the point.  She was really professional and always available to talk when issues arose eg we debriefed immediately after the main interview so I was ready for the next interview stage, the site visit.  I would really recommend Horizons Careers, it's a no-brainer, a sold investment in you and your family's future. 

Long term career support 2015-2018:​ AK (female, early 40s) 

I worked with Jo over a couple of years, to help build the skills to take the next step on the career ladder from a technical leader to senior management in the UK civil service.  Jo helped me think through my career plan and the different areas I needed to focus on. We worked through how to communicate with impact, be a confident and consultative leader, and horizon scan.  Jo challenged me to continue to work to my strengths, acknowledge my weaknesses and find strategies to minimise them. Jo used our 121 discussions to explore bite sized tasks for me to try. She provided me real time feedback and we used subsequent sessions to reflect on what went well. She helped me identify which techniques didn’t work for me and what alternatives I could use. I ended up with a huge range of leadership tools at my finger-tips that I still use.  Jo took her coaching role incredibly seriously, she wanted me to succeed and enabled me to find the confidence and capability to do so. She used her own wealth of experience, tailoring her approach to my needs. Jo challenged me. At times it was uncomfortable to look at myself but she judged impeccably how far to push. Most importantly she put me in the driving seat of identifying choices I make. This has set me up very well for the future and I continue to build upon all the skills she helped me gain. 

 

 

Promotion support 2016:​ David R (male, late 20s) 

As I was looking for promotion in my organisation, I sought out a coach to help me through preparations for the next steps in my career…..our work enabled me to identify what role would best suit me, and to successfully apply for a promotion.  The practical focus of the sessions with Jo really helped drive home some key messages, and her ability to ask about what is really important allowed me to think more strategically about my career pathway....I was also able to improve my interview skills.  Her inputs really made a difference and I would strongly recommend her to others.
​

Meet Dr. Jo Abbot

Jo Abbot founded and heads up Horizons Careers. She is British, educated to PhD level, and has over 30 years experience in academia, not for profit and international development & diplomacy. Jo has held senior roles in the British government and with major international organisations, living and working in the UK and seven African countries. Her international expertise means clients can unlock a global career with purpose, whether for the public, charity or private sector. She is passionate about helping women get back to work after a career break bringing up children. 

Read More

Who Have We Worked With?

Horizons Careers has worked with clients from, or helped clients land jobs or get promoted within, key global and African organisations including:

Available Courses

Fresh Horizons

8 week online programme to help women get back to work in South Africa

Helping women take ownership of their career and regain confidence for the workplace. 

Join our 8-week back to work programme.

Learn More

FutureReady 

8 week programme for 16-20 years old in Zimbabwe

Equipping young people with skills and tools to discover their ambitions and confidently make informed choices about their future.

Learn more below.

Learn More

Book Career Coaching

1-on-1 Career Coaching

*From June 2024, I am not taking new clients. Existing clients can email me for an appointment*

Work with your coach at a time and frequency that suits you. Schedule time with Jo if you are looking for career coaching and  insights e.g. to re-think you career, perform better at work, build your dossier (CV and LinkedIn), prepare applications or practise for interviews. 

Book Initial Call Free

Book 1:1 Coaching

International Development Career Coaching

If you work in international development, then look no further. Jo has over 30 years experience in international development policy, programmes and research, and uniquely combines this with career coaching expertise. 

Learn More

Be Part of the Horizons Community

Leadership Teams

We undertake executive coaching with C-suite leaders and wider senior leadership teams to enhance performance and help identify potential, getting the right people into the right posts and helping teams perform at higher levels.

Latest Blog Posts 

Not living the dream? Six tips to figure out the work you love

Jul 29, 2023

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May 29, 2023

Tenacity and resilience in building the career you want

Mar 27, 2023

Attention stay at home moms: here's how to get back to work in just...

Nov 14, 2022

How can women successfully return to work after a career break

Aug 22, 2022

Closing gender pay gaps "one carefully worded negotiation at a time"

Nov 05, 2021

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