Tag Archives: career coach

Today’s Resume is Ideal for Mid-Career Reinvention

Because today’s resume is a forward-facing document that positions you for your next job, it has never been easier to reinvent yourself professionally.

I work with many mid-career professionals looking to reinvent themselves. Their industry may be contracting, job outsourced or they may simply want a change. Many want to pull back from the responsibilities and headaches that can accompany upper management roles and, once again, become individual contributors. The prospect of leaving your job behind at 5 pm and enjoying a personal life can be pretty attractive.

Until recently, I do not think many of us actively managed our careers. Sure, most of us were told by our parents that we could be anything we wanted to be, but how many of us followed our dreams? I doubt many people wanted to be stuck in an 8’ by 8’ beige cubicle, eating lunch at their desk under glaring fluorescent lights. Yet, that is where many of us Baby Boomers find ourselves. The time to restore your work/life balance and live a purpose-driven life is NOW!

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The Benefits of Working with a Career Coach

There is a great deal of hiring taking place in early 2016, but the competition for top jobs is fierce. As the confidence in the job market rises, jobseekers in transition must compete with people who are employed full-time but looking for a better position. You do not have to go through this alone. A career coach can help you gain the competitive EDGE.

Working with a career coach can accelerate your job search results and reduce the frustration typically experienced in a DIY job search. Offering insightful guidance, I will help you navigate the “hidden job market” to find the right opportunities, and develop a structured job search plan that breaks down the overwhelming process into manageable steps. Hiring a career coach provides a significant ROI. Typically, my clients win more job interviews and land job offers with attractive compensation packages. Continue reading →

University Career Centers Offer Valuable Assistance

As most of my blog followers know, in addition to working with private clients as a career coach and professional resume writer through The Resume Resource, I also serve as Assistant Director of the Center for Internships and Career Development at Eastern Connecticut State University. Between these two roles, I work with a wide range of people helping them to identify their ideal career path and develop the tools, strategies and confidence to achieve their career goals.

Over the last few months, I have been approached by quite a few parents of new college grads looking for resume and job search assistance for their children. In most cases, these alumni have graduated from expensive private colleges, and despite the fact that the family has paid well over $150K in tuition over the 4 years, Continue reading →

The Millennials Are Right!

Boomers can learn a lot from Millennials. As a generation, many of us Baby Boomers have never managed our careers with intention. Rather than identifying careers that aligned with our passions, many of us moved from job to job as the opportunities presented themselves. Now, in our 50’s and 60’s, we are looking for careers that provide us with the opportunity to do meaningful work. Whether precipitated by a layoff, stress-induced health issues or dwindling prospects in our field, many of us are considering job satisfaction for the first time. What do we really want to do next?

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Give Your Grad the Most Valuable Graduation Gift – a Jump on Their Career

Need a great idea for the best present you can give a recent college graduate? Consider an Entry Level Launch Package from The Resume Resource, which includes a resume and cover letter with job search counseling and LinkedIn advice, is the perfect gift to help your grad jump start their career.

The job market for recent college grads is the most competitive it has ever been. With many carrying high student loan debt, these new college graduates must demonstrate that they have transitioned from “college kids” to “young professionals” to be considered serious candidates. A professionally written resume gives these new grads the competitive edge needed to win interviews.

The Resume Resource assists new college graduates as they embark on their professional careers. We guide them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful, and help them develop the tools and confidence to achieve their specific career goals.

1:1 Career Coaching: If you are not sure of the specific career you would like to pursue, we can help you identify the types of positions that best align with your education, natural talents and interests, and establish a realistic career goal.

Resume and Cover Letter Package: Focusing on what you have accomplished academically and personally, we will design personalized career documents that sell you as the ideal candidate. We will highlight your personal qualities to show that you have transitioned from a college student to a young professional.

Job Search Coaching: We will share proven methods and strategies to locate jobs, how to use social media in your job search and application best practices that will accelerate your results. Together, we map out a structured and systematic job search plan.

Interview Prep Sessions: We can help you prepare to answer those tough interview questions and articulate the value you offer an employer. If needed, we can also explain the proper attire, grooming and follow-up for the interview.

Ongoing Career Support: We enjoy building long-term relationships with our clients and provide ongoing support through weekly blog posts and daily career tips shared via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The Resume Resource helps their clients develop and express their personal brand with a compelling resume and cover letter that stands out among other candidates’ submissions and persuades employers to call for an interview. Your career success starts here!

Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource in 2009 to help people advance their careers with rewarding jobs that provide more than just a paycheck. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she provides her clients with the tools and strategies needed to achieve their goals and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful.

What To Do If Your Industry Is Dying

A smart career manager stays up on current trends in his/her industry. Don’t let yourself fall victim to the changing job market. If you have heard rumblings about change in your organization and see that opportunities in your field are drying up, it is time to revamp your resume to highlight your transferable skills. A few keys kills are highly desired in almost every industry:

Communication
Collaboration
Analytic Skills
Project Management

Communication – In almost every career, strong communication skills are vital. Whether communicating with clients or colleagues, you need to be able to articulate your ideas verbally and in writing. Hiring managers are looking for employees who can communicate effectively across the organization and represent the company in a professional manner.

Collaboration– In very few jobs do you operate in a vacuum. Interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds is very desirable to employers. Cross-functional collaboration, co-creation and cooperation are vital for business success. Successful companies know that collaborative teams encourage creativity and innovation.

Analytic Skills – Most jobs involve collecting and analyzing information to some degree. Analytic skills are crucial in problem solving, and identifying and designing process improvements. The ability to analyze data and make decisions based on available information is needed in performance measurement, compliance and auditing functions.

Project Management – Project managers are in high demand in most industries, as almost every company is trying to work better, smarter and faster. Your ability to plan, organize, allocate resources and oversee the execution of a project to achieve a specific goal is highly transferable. In today’s highly competitive job market, jobseekers may need to broaden their job search and leverage their transferable skills to stand out from the competition.

Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource in 2009 to help people advance their careers with rewarding jobs that provide more than just a paycheck. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she takes the time to get to know each of her clients and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful.

How to Find Complete Career Happiness

Do you dread going to work every day? Does your job require long hours of unfulfilling work but your 6 figure paycheck makes up for the misery you endure during the work week? Do you find yourself questioning whether you should stay or go? Before you make any decisions, ask yourself these questions:

Is money everything?
What makes me happy?
Am I living a life of fulfillment?

Expensive cars and vacation homes are only one measure of success. Take a moment, and visualize yourself in a state of complete happiness and joy. What are you doing? Are you attending your kid’s soccer game? Are you fixing something or solving a problem? Are you doing something you love — but never had the chance to do because of overwhelming job-related commitments? Sit back and reevaluate what is most important to you.

The most important gauge of career success is your happiness. Do you really love your work? Do you wake up every morning excited to tackle any obstacle that comes your way? If not, then it is time to make a career change. If you are not sure in which direction you would like to head next, a career coach can help you manage your career with intention and find happiness through a rewarding position that provides more than just a paycheck.

It is possible to love your job and feel fulfilled by your work. It is completely normal and possible for anyone who wants to make it happen. First, you must look inside yourself to identify your interests and natural talents. Once you identify a valid, marketable skill, develop a strategy to achieve your goal. The most important thing is to discover and recognize your passions and then follow them with conviction.

It is not only your right to manage your career, but your obligation. You owe it to yourself. You CAN have a job that is satisfying that also meets your financial needs. Each of us must manage our career, making conscious decisions to move us towards our career goals. Pursuing your happiness is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Once you experience happiness in all aspects of your life, you will reach that level of complete fulfillment that attracts the same energy from those around you. What are you waiting for? 2013 is the time to take control of your career and find a position that provides satisfaction and takes care of your financial needs.