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For the past two years, Luxembourg native Christophe Sauer has proudly cycled each morning to the Centre d’Orientation Socio-Professionnelle – Handicap et Reclassement (COSP-HR) in Lintgen, where he helps and supports individuals with unique backgrounds to find their path.
A calling for support
After completing his A-levels, Christophe was unsure which direction to take. He decided to join a European Voluntary Service programme in Avignon, France, an experience that allowed him to perfect his French and discover the social sector.
It was during a placement working with adults with learning disabilities that Christophe found his true vocation. This pivotal experience inspired him to undertake a three-year specialised educator training course in Liège, Belgium. Driven by passion, he quickly worked his way up to become a the leader of a team of 6 professionals in a care home for eight people with disabilities.
For twenty years, Christophe was fully committed to supporting people with learning disabilities. After many rewarding years, he felt the need for a change. That’s when he discovered an opportunity at the Centre d’Orientation Socio-Professionnelle – Handicap et Reclassement (COSP-HR) in Lintgen, marking the beginning of a new chapter.
COSP-HR supports jobseekers by providing skills assessments and career guidance. Participants benefit from multidisciplinary support, including practical workshops, language classes, CV writing sessions, and modules on life skills and social integration.
Career plans and self-esteem
The primary role of a job coach is to guide people towards the next stage in their professional journey.
“A job coach is there to help open doors for others,” Christophe summarises.
At the COSP, he helps participants secure a four-week work internship, a real springboard into employment. During this internship, candidates can demonstrate both their technical and interpersonal skills; if the internship goes well, it significantly boosts their chances of being recruited in the future. For Christophe, it’s all about “opening the door, then giving people the time and space to show what they’re capable of.”
Support is provided mainly through one-to-one interviews. Some beneficiaries arrive with a clear idea of their career goals; for others, it takes several meetings to define a realistic objective. Christophe places great importance on listening and understanding each person’s situation, taking the time to identify their skills, ambitions, and past experiences in order to offer the best possible guidance. His aim is to help everyone recognise their strengths, even when self-doubt has crept in.
Preparation for the internship includes mock job interviews. Christophe is pleased to see how engaged participants are, even when they need to explain a long career gap due to illness or accident. For him, there’s no shame in this: “We were unlucky enough to fall ill or have an accident, and we needed time for ourselves. If we’re back now, it’s because we’re ready and we’ve changed.”
He also enjoys helping people regain their self-esteem. Sometimes, small tips about posture, dress, or self-presentation can make all the difference. Every mock interview ends with constructive feedback, enabling each person to progress and face the next step with confidence.
A team effort
Being a job coach is not a solitary profession.
“A job coach’s work is impossible without a network,” Christophe insists.
His daily routine is shaped by close collaboration with many professionals, all focused on a shared goal: providing the best possible support to each individual. In total, around thirty professionals share their observations and opinions to deliver the most accurate skills assessment and career advice.
Christophe also maintains strong links with numerous companies to maximise internship and employment opportunities for candidates. Networking is essential in this role: you need to be able to identify and approach the right people, and never hesitate to engage with all stakeholders in the sector.
Creative workshop
A deeply human profession
Above all, being a job coach is about people. Many of those Christophe works with have been through tough times, both physically and psychologically.
He recalls, for instance, a painter who lost his job due to knee problems. Discouraged, the man doubted he would ever work again.
“When you strongly identify with your job, find meaning and pride in it, losing that overnight is a huge ordeal. You have to grieve for your skills,” Christophe explains.
During interviews, Christophe focuses on listening, understanding, and most importantly bringing out all the other skills a person possesses, even if they’re unaware of them.
In the painter’s case, Christophe helped him realise he still had much to offer: advising, explaining, and passing on his expertise to others. This realisation was crucial. After some hesitation, the painter agreed to do a placement in a DIY store, where he not only made use of his existing skills but also developed new ones. By the end of the process, he was even offered a job!
For Christophe, “everyone has professional, social, and technical skills.” He is committed to understanding the complexity of each situation and building a relationship of trust. Curiosity, listening skills, and an interest in other people’s daily challenges are essential for this profession. What he enjoys most is the interaction, the support, and the satisfaction of seeing someone regain their confidence and motivation.
For anyone considering this career, Christophe recommends being curious, open-minded, and comfortable interacting with people. Any professional experience, regardless of the field, is an asset for understanding others’ journeys and challenges, because every path is unique!
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