Tag Archives: job search advice

How Do I Find the Best Career Coach for Me?

As we emerge from the COVID shutdown and workers are required to return to their offices, many people are reevaluating their employment. They want jobs that do more than just pay the bills; they are seeking meaningful work that aligns with their values, personal priorities and lifestyle. For a good number of employees that means working remotely. As they consider their work/life options, many successful professionals are contacting career coaches for the first time.
Whether you are trying to transition into a new career or looking for a similar role that is a better fit, a career coach can help you land your next job faster than you typically would on your own. But how do you find the right one for you? I recommend starting with a quick Discovery Call.

What Is a Discovery Call?

A Discovery Call is a complimentary (free) call between a coach and a prospective client to discuss the possibility of working together.

Because the coaching relationship itself is vital to client success, many career coaches, including myself, hold Discovery Calls with potential clients to determine if we are a good fit. This first conversation allows both parties to get to know each other, and to make sure they connect on a personal level. Some coaches do charge for these calls, but I do not believe you should have to pay to interview a future service provider.

A Career Coach Can Support Your Career Advancement in a Variety of Ways:

Continue reading →

What Does a Career Coach Actually Do?

Do I need a career coach? Where do they fit into my job search?

If you’re wondering about the difference between a career coach and a recruiter, it’s actually pretty clear-cut. A recruiter works for the employer – a career coach works for YOU. When it comes to helping you reach your career goals, that’s a big difference. As your career coach, I have your best interest at heart. I will make sure you are prepared for success and will guide you along your journey.

Now you’re thinking, “Okay, so you work for me. But what exactly do you do?” I’m so glad you asked. My role is to help you gain a competitive edge in a crowded job market. I do this by helping you establish realistic career goals, articulate the incredible value you offer an organization and actually get in front of decision makers.

As a Certified Career Transition Coach, I can help you identify your career drivers and preferred communication style as well as the work environment in which you thrive. When you are in a role that aligns with who you are as a person and how you operate, you are generally happier and more successful.

As a leader, you drive success by filling your team with experts. Why should your approach to managing your career be any different?

Career coaching is a truly collaborative process through which I help you determine what you’d like to see in your next role and where you would like to work. We develop a branding strategy and then a step-by-step action plan to get you into that new role.

Want more? As a professional resume and LinkedIn profile writer, I also help you position yourself as an expert in your field. Through our conversations and coaching exercises, I will pull all the important content from you, and weave it into a compelling career narrative written in your voice. Describing your own career accomplishments is difficult for many people, but the objective viewpoint of a trained coach facilitates this process. Another bonus? A professionally written resume does so much to boost a job seeker’s confidence, which in turn, promotes success!

Can a career coach really help?

How many times have you thought: “Why should I hire a career coach? I have always written my own resume.” It’s a common question. Let’s look for answers. Continue reading →

A 3-Step Year End Review Will Rejuvenate Your Job Search

[Back by popular demand and updated for 2018.]

Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. If your job search is not winning job offers, then it is time to change your approach.

Photo by Bruce Mars on Unsplash

A year-end job search review helps jobseekers to reflect upon their strategies, evaluate their progress and determine which actions they should continue and which they should change.

Step #1: Clarify Your Goal

Do you have a crystal clear picture of what you offer an organization and a defined list of target companies? If you cannot articulate your career goal, how can you possibly achieve it? The crucial first step is to determine who you would like to work for and how you can help them achieve their organizational objectives. What do you offer that other candidates do not? Continue reading →

Are Employers Being Unreasonable?

What? They want you to be on time, prepared and respectful? That seems like an awful lot to expect in a professional business meeting – which a job interview surely is. Interviewers have clear expectations of job applicants that impact their decision on whom to hire. By the time you’ve landed the interview, the employer is pretty sure you have the skills to do the job. Now, they want to find out if you are the type of person they’d like to have on their team.

To provide the best possible help to my career coaching clients, I speak regularly with recruiters and hiring managers to stay on top of what they are looking for in a candidate and what they like to see on a resume. We also discuss what bothers them and a few common themes stand out. I’m sharing them here to help you avoid these interview mistakes that can cost you that great job.

What Really Annoys Interviewers?

Here are the biggest pet peeves that I hear from hiring managers:

Poor manners
Lack of preparation
Not following up

Let’s take a look at each of these.
Continue reading →

I’ve Applied to Hundreds of Jobs Online, but Never Hear Back

The most common frustrations I hear from jobseekers are related to applying for jobs online. The application process itself is time-consuming, can be confusing and most of the time you don’t hear back after you’ve submitted your application materials. First of all, if you have applied to hundreds of jobs – STOP! Either you are applying for the wrong type of jobs or your resume is not selling you as well as it could. It might not even be making it through the Applicant Tracking Systems. Read on to see how you can turn things around.

Why Is My Online Job Search Failing?

Here’s the problem with applying to jobs online: your application is only one of hundreds, if not thousands, submitted for each opening. With employers’ increased reliance on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen for the most qualified candidates, your application may not even be reviewed by a person if it does not include the right keywords or proper formatting. For more information about getting through these online filters, see my previous blog “Are Applicant Tracking Systems Rigged Against Jobseekers?”.

Making it through the ATS is step #1. Continue reading →

How to Quickly Land a Job in a Tough Economy

I speak with job seekers every day who are frustrated and overwhelmed by today’s job search. I’ll share with you the strategy I have used successfully with hundreds of my clients who are now working at jobs they love.

While it is true that the job market has never been more competitive, when you break it down there are really only 2 steps to landing a great new job.

You need to:

Get in front of your target audience
Make yourself memorable

A networking strategy that combines face-to-face and online networking has been key to landing a job in recent years and is even more effective today. An increasing number of employers are abandoning the big paid-to-post job boards because they do not want to sort through the flood of resumes from hundreds, if not thousands, of anxious jobseekers, many of whom are not qualified.

So, if you don’t search online for job postings, what do you do? It’s easy: you create your own job opportunities by building a list of target companies and impressing the decision makers. It is not as difficult as it sounds. I can teach you how. Continue reading →

Dispelling 3 Job Search Myths That Are Paralyzing New College Grads

Congratulations on your recent graduation from college! As you prepare to launch your professional career, you might feel overwhelmed and unsure how to start your job search. You may have heard that no one is hiring, or that you need to apply to hundreds of jobs to win one interview. Don’t let fear or outdated career advice derail your job search efforts. Here’s the scoop on the top 3 job search concerns that I hear most often:

MYTH #1: No one is hiring.

TRUTH:
Despite the doom and gloom reported by the media, there is actually a good deal of hiring going on today, in nearly every sector. Continue reading →