If you’re looking to take the next step in your career but don’t know where to start, we have two words for you to consider: career coach. Much like a sports coach or fitness coach, a professional career coach can help you gain and maintain focus, direction, and motivation.
How do you know if this is the right next step for you? Here are a few ways career coaching can make all the difference.
Are you standing at a career crossroads, feeling that inner pull toward something new but unsure which path to take? You're not alone. So many clients tell us that changing careers feels overwhelming, and they don’t know where to start. Let us inspire you to shift your perspective and see this as an exciting opportunity to reimagine your professional future and create a work-life that truly reflects who you are.
Are you ready to take control of your future, embark on a new career challenge, and aim for your dream job? Approaching your job search with positivity and a clear plan, you can open doors to rewarding opportunities that align with your unique talents and long-term career goals. Here are five empowering steps that drive job search success!
In today’s competitive job market, your resume needs more than duties and responsibilities to stand out. Hiring managers and recruiters are looking for that “it factor,” for something that excites and compels them to connect.
What unique skills do you bring to the table? How do you create value? Where do you fit into the organization? They want to understand your unique value proposition, your career journey, and how you'll contribute to their team. In other words, your resume needs to tell a compelling career story that inspires employers and enables them to imagine you as part of their team.
So, how can you make your LinkedIn profile a powerful tool that attracts recruiters and opportunities? Here's how!
In today’s unpredictable job market, industry shifts and layoffs can feel like unexpected roadblocks. It's natural to feel uncertain or even discouraged, and it may be hard to have a positive attitude if you have just lost your job. However, with the right mindset, tools, and support, you can turn these temporary setbacks into opportunities and emerge stronger than ever.
So, how can you make your LinkedIn profile a powerful tool that attracts recruiters and opportunities? Here's how!
A traditional resume highlighting your awesomeness is mandatory when looking for a job or changing careers. But depending on your situation, developing a career portfolio in addition to providing your resume might tip the scales in your favor.
Why both? The resume and career portfolio have different purposes and unique benefits.
Great news! Someone has agreed to be a reference for you! Now, what’s the next step?
Life Working® career coaches suggest preparing a reference page that you can give to a prospective employer. It should match your resume's format, font style, and font size with the same contact information.
Use this format for each reference:
Do companies need your permission before contacting your references? Yes, they should. But keep in mind that providing contact information for references may be construed as permission to contact in many cases. Some companies will require you to sign a release form. Read it carefully, as it may authorize the company to contact unnamed references as well (people not on your “preferred” reference list — sometimes called “back door” references).
Generally, a potential employer will want at least two of your references to be former employers. The advantage of preparing your references in advance is that you can take the upper hand, identify the “best” references, and control whom you offer the employer as your references. You will want to select three to seven individuals to be your “preferred” references.
Reference checks are necessary for both job seekers and employers. References allow employers to confirm the information they learned from your resume and the interview and decide whether to hire you or not to extend a job offer…
“Resumes win interviews, but references win job offers,” says Martin Yate, author of the “Knock ‘Em Dead” series of career books.
Reference checks are necessary for both job seekers and employers. References allow employers to confirm the information they learned from your resume and the interview and decide whether to hire you or not to extend a job offer…
There is no “rule” that a resume should be only one page. In fact, there are many cases when a multi-page resume is not only appropriate but also expected.
Even though the length is not the only consideration for a resume’s effectiveness, the one-page resume myth persists. Jobseekers are being misled to think that recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals won’t read a resume that is longer than one page. That’s simply not true.
Let’s start at the beginning. You’re probably wondering what words are considered resume buzzwords. A buzzword is a word or phrase that is usually vague and sounds like business jargon. But, more importantly, those words don’t spotlight your unique skillset. Typical buzzwords include I’m a hard worker, results-oriented, and a real team player. Perhaps you consider yourself motivated, a go-getter, responsible, and innovative. These words are used so frequently that they are now meaningless. Resume buzzwords are a buzzkill.
Your resume has a job. That job is to position you as the best candidate in the entire application pool. Think of your resume as a marketing brochure—and the product you’re selling is you. Sounds easy enough, but if you’re like most job seekers, the task of writing about yourself is downright daunting.
THE “A” WORD
I love coaching people in their careers and job searches. Recently I spoke to a group of unemployed job seekers, mostly 50+, as I have done many times. The focus of the presentation involved outlining the actions needed to conduct a successful job search in 2015. I made no mention of age.
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