Empowering Mid & Senior Professionals to Reimagine Their Careers

About Career Breakthrough

career advice coaching

Helen Slingsby, MSc

Before I became a coach, I was a business correspondent at the Evening Standard and The Guardian. Reporting on industries like retail, marketing, media, and consumer culture taught me how to see inside organisations, understand strategy, and read between the lines of success. But what I really learned was the power of narrative — and that led me to a career pivot of my own, from journalist to coach.

I have an MSc in Career Management and Counselling from Birkbeck College, London University; and a PGCert in Executive Coaching from Henley Centre for Coaching, which is accredited by the International Coaching Federation.

Why Work With Me? Credentials & Expertise You Can Trust

My approach

My coaching is rooted in empathy, sharp clarity, and a sense of humour. I challenge, support and hold accountable to push toward results. As a top career and executive coach I can help you with a broad range of work and career-related issues.

I support professionals at key inflection points — whether you’re seeking a career pivot, aiming for promotion, returning to work, preparing for retirement, or navigating redundancy.

In our initial 60-minute breakthrough session, we’ll uncover your core strengths, clarify your goals, and map your next steps action plan. After that, we’ll build momentum with monthly coaching blocks.

How I help

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Career change

Coaching to switch careers, change direction, find fulfilment and focus on a different future. Mid-career change. Play to your strengths.

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Return to work brilliantly

After maternity or paternity leave, long-term sick leave, or sabbatical. Re-discover your confidence and capability. Understands what works for you.

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Executive Coaching

For mid to senior executives looking to step up to the next level , build confidence and communication skills, have difficult conversations and manage upwards.

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Third stage, pre-retirement

Leaving a full-on career can be daunting and hard. Thinking about what you want before leaping into the unknown is key. Pre-retirement coaching helps you figure it out and plan ahead.

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Pivot and take control of your career

Tap into transferable skills and experience, pivot to seek new challenges, promotions or improve work/life balance.

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Re-booting after redundancy

Professional outplacement support, confidence building, skills audits, CV, interview and job search advice.

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Our sessions

 

Coaching in person or by video call

Based in Pangbourne near Reading in Berkshire, I offer personally tailored coaching sessions at my rural office which is easily accessible by train or by car. You can also book sessions as a convenient video call or telephone call.

Please contact me to enquire about rates and for more information.

Contact me

  • “Helen is a fantastic leadership coach who has helped my transition to a portfolio NED. It’s been hugely beneficial to have her helping me – a sounding board, collaborator, supporter, mentor, coach, truth teller. I recommend everyone has someone like her on their side.”

    Tina, NED and Strategic COO Advisor (Jan 2024)

  • “My coach, Helen Slingsby, has been wonderful! She is quick to respond, easy to set up meetings with (even last minute when things come up), flexible, and takes a very professional yet friendly and empathetic approach to meetings. She asks all the right probing questions, provides great resources, and has my best interests in mind.”

    Anastasia, ex-schoolteacher, landed a job in the Ed-Tech sector (Jan 2024)

  • “I turned to Helen when I knew I needed a career change after twenty years working in an area I wasn’t really connecting with any more. I had no idea what else I might do, and my confidence was low. Helen worked with me to identify my transferable skills, and believe in my abilities, and I was able not only to shape what I wanted out of my next career but successfully move into a new field, all within a few months.”

    Charlotte, ex-civil servant, now a Deloitte consultant (2022)

  • “After a spell of unsuccessful job hunting I made the decision to get help from a professional career coach and booked in a course of five sessions with Helen. I found a job even before my fifth session and don't doubt for a moment that this was the result of my increased confidence and better job seeking skills resulting from these sessions.”

    IT Specialist (Jan 2024)

  • “Having come to a career crossroads in my life, I felt I needed some support in defining what my real vocational passion was and in finding the best way to put it into practice. Helen was fantastic in this regard: throughout our sessions I found her encouraging manner, broad business experience and practical insights extremely valuable in helping me to refocus and achieve my goals.”

    Director of Government Affairs, pharma sector (Dec 2023)

  • “Helen’s individualised approach boosted my confidence and helped me to completely re-evaluate my achievements and to see my potential in a much more positive light, so that I was able to reposition myself and secure my ideal job.”

    Cindy, Reading, Berkshire

  • “The subtle changes you made to my CV and Linkedin profile made a big difference - with me no longer chasing jobs, but agents chasing me.”

    Jeremy, Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

  • “It’s been a year since our meeting and I just wanted to thank you for helping me to focus on my key strengths and interests. I’ve just been promoted to a Business Critical Account Manager responsible for building and maintaining relationships with customers, and I couldn’t be happier.”

    Wassim, Maidenhead, Berkshire

  • “Helen acted as my career coach after I was made redundant from a large blue-chip organisation. Through our sessions I learned a lot about myself, gained a huge amount of confidence, plus the ability to sell myself better and I have now secured a new role in marketing.”

    Alison, Basingstoke, Hampshire

  • “At times I felt a bit lost, and a little despondent – Helen was a really great coach in keeping my spirits up.”

    Andrew, Oxford

  • “I’ve been successful in my job hunting and will be starting in the New Year. Salary is excellent. As you’d suggested, I found the job through someone I used to work with – so networking wins again.”

    Jane, Tadley, Hampshire

  • “Helen has been a fantastic help in enabling me to progress through a big change in my career. I now have much more clarity on my skills and what I want from my career.”

    Hannah, Pangbourne, Berkshire

  • “Thank you for the coaching and advice – I start on Monday as Chief Product Marketing Officer. The visualisation of walking into the new office did really help, and just having some of those structured approaches to answering questions kept me going.”

    Steven, Reading, Berkshire

  • “Your guidance through the interview process and pointers toward proper preparation gave me, if results are considered, a confident and winning approach in a very competitive first move into industry from a Big Four accountancy firm.”

    James, London

  • “I have worked with Helen for six years. She has been very effective in helping me through a change in career, and through ensuing regular executive coaching sessions that keep me on track.”

    Ross, Reading, Berkshire

  • “From the start I was impressed with Helen’s energy, professionalism and the way that she dealt with me as an individual, this support has been invaluable, thank you.”

    Liam, Marlborough, Wiltshire

  • “I was facing an important life transition after 35 years in the corporate world so finding renewed purpose and re-inventing my identity was essential. With Helen’s coaching and encouragement I have secured voluntary work and am in the process of identifying further options by using my network.”

    Gill, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

  • “I am finally out the other side now and feel like a new person. I have accepted a finance role, which will hopefully free up some time for family and exploring my new love of interior design. Couldn’t have got there without you!”

    Amanda, Hook, Hampshire

  • “I was made redundant from a senior executive role in a global publishing company. I have now landed a job that really excites me, and I am extremely grateful to Helen for her support and expertise.”

    Andrew, Oxford

  • "I am glad to say I am in my second month of my new job with Cisco. A big thank you for your invaluable help and support, your input and advice was instrumental for me."

    Cristian June 2024

  • "I am glad to say I am in my second month of my new job with Cisco. A big thank you for your invaluable help and support, your input and advice was instrumental for me."

    Cristian, June 2024

Front page of a newspaper titled 'Business daily' from April 6, 2006, featuring headlines about Shoosmiths lawyers participating in a relay race, top 10 ways to change careers successfully, and a report on illegal penalties hitting cardholders, with an image of five young women at a race event.
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Media coverage

Over the years, Helen Slingsby and Career Breakthrough have been featured in national and local press, and broadcast media.

Get started with your own career breakthrough, today.

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