Career coaching shaped by real early careers experience.
I’m Siobhan Warren. I’ve spent 15 years designing graduate, intern and student programmes for employers.
That experience gives me a clear view of what helps young people move from education into work, and what employers look for when they hire for potential rather than experience.
I created Thrive to bring that insight into career coaching, helping students understand themselves, explore their options and prepare for what comes next.
My career has focused on helping organisations attract, select and develop early career talent.
I’ve designed and led graduate and intern programmes for organisations including Xero and FNZ. I’m also Co-Chair of the New Zealand Association of Graduate Employers and an accredited Cappfinity Strengths Profile Practitioner.
Through this work, I’ve seen what helps young people succeed beyond school. It isn’t only about choosing the right subject or qualification. They also need self-awareness, practical experience and the confidence to explain what they can bring.
Thrive gives students and families access to that insight earlier, when they are making important decisions about school, study and work.
My early careers experience matters because I understand both sides of the transition from education to work.
Why my early careers experience matters.
I know what employers look for.
Early careers employers can’t rely on years of experience. They look at strengths, behaviours, motivation, capability and potential.
I help students recognise and communicate those qualities.
I understand the recruitment process.
I’ve designed the programmes and recruitment experiences students encounter when applying for internships and graduate roles.
Students gain practical insight into what employers assess and why.
I look beyond the next decision.
Choosing a subject or qualification is only one step.
We can also consider how work experience, university activities, internships and other opportunities could support the student’s longer-term direction.
A warm, practical and student-led approach.
Career coaching should give students space to think. It shouldn’t tell them who they should become.
I create a structured conversation where students can explore possibilities, test their ideas and develop their own views. I bring assessment insights, career research and employer knowledge into that discussion.
My role is to listen, ask useful questions, challenge assumptions and turn broad ideas into practical next steps.
The aim isn’t to find one perfect answer. It’s to help each student understand themselves better, make an informed decision and know what to do next.
Why I use strengths- based assessment.
A good assessment should create insight, not place a student in a box.
Cappfinity Skills Discovery helps students understand their strengths, learned behaviours and development areas. It gives them clearer language for what energises them, where they perform well and where they may have untapped potential.
The assessment doesn’t tell a student which career to choose. Coaching connects the results with their experiences, interests and future options.
Together, this gives us a stronger foundation for exploring subjects, qualifications, career pathways and the environments in which the student may thrive.
Experience and qualifications.
15 years of graduate, intern and early careers programme experience
Co-Chair of the New Zealand Association of Graduate Employers
Accredited Cappfinity Strengths Profile Practitioner
Master of Management
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Studies
Bachelor of Arts
See my LinkedIn profile for more details.
Start with a conversation.
Book a free introductory call to talk about where the student is at, what decisions are coming up and whether Thrive is the right fit.
There’s no pressure and no obligation to book a coaching package.