About CoachOiseau - Meet Mike Bird
Oiseau - noun | "WAH-zoh" - the French word for Bird
My name is Mike Bird. I'm the founder of CoachOiseau Career Coaching, and an iPEC-trained Certified Professional Coach.
I help university students confidently launch their careers.
My work helps clients answer "yes" to the question, "am I ready to become a working adult?"
Clients who work with me develop their leadership, communication, decision-making and other soft skills so they can get hired faster, thrive in their early careers, and move up the ladder of their profession more quickly.
Coaching today's students into tomorrow's leaders
I was a lost young man coming out of university. The confidence I had in my ability to find work wasn't high, I didn't believe I could learn to speak the official language of my city (French), and my overall sense of direction in life was weak. Going from student to confident professional certainly wasn't my personal experience!
Thanks to a connection I'd made as an undergrad, I entered into my first career leadership position at just 23 years of age. Not even two full years later, I was let go from that position.
Although I had pretty strong technical skills for the role, my soft skills simply weren't up to par. I was a weak communicator and struggled to build the relationships that are needed to lead a team effectively. Oh, and my French skills were still paltry at best!
Seeing the need for massive change in my life, I went away and took a new role with an organization in an almost completely French-speaking town. For over five months, I made very little money, worked very long hours, and didn't say a whole lot as I began to absorb a new language.
The days were long and hard, and my head often hurt trying to figure out what everyone was saying all the time. But in the end, it was totally worth it! At the end of my contract, I was able to walk away with a working understanding of French, and today I identify as functionally bilingual in English and French.
The effect my transformation had on my confidence was enormous! It's clear to me that when people challenge themselves and get out of their comfort zone, they grow quickly and become better and better versions of themselves.
And that's the essence of what I help my clients do.
Transition confidently into the working world.
Is that what you want to do? If it is, let's create a relaxed conversation around how we can work together to make this your reality.
Looking for your first "real" job?
Download The 6-Step Plan to Confidently Launching Your Career. You'll also receive weekly emails with tips and insights on beginning your career with confidence.
A few fun facts about me
I was born with a life-threatening medical condition that required very invasive surgery and substantial follow-up care. I lived the first five months of my life in a hospital, and was treated for this condition over the course of five years. I have the mindset of a survivor and can teach you how to think like one (which is helpful, because life demands resiliency!!).
As a result of my medical operations, I've never played contact sports. And yet, I've been coaching American/Canadian football for over a decade. By not saying "no" to myself and becoming something I wanted to be, I've done things (liked coached a 1000+ athletes) that others might feel are impossible given my background. I help my clients stop saying "no" to themselves, too!
I'm an avid reader and lifelong learner. I work tirelessly to stay on top of my game and keep pushing forward to become the best coach possible. As a client, you get all of me - I hold nothing back when it comes to the insights I share, the questions I ask, and the challenges I issue. It's a fun, full-contact experience!
