RESUMES -- COVER LETTERS -- CAREER COACHING

20+ years of experience -- office location IN PORTLAND, OR

(Yes, we work in a an office building you can visit; we are not simply a phone number and e-dress)

If you feel paralyzed, remember: action is the antidote. 

There are an average of six applicants for every job opening in the U.S., and in some cases you must compete with hundreds, even thousands. It takes patience, grit, and flexibility; but yes, Virginia (and Oregon, and Washington, and Spain and England) there are jobs! There is hope. There are "pockets of prosperity" in many sectors and one recipe for failure is--not trying.

All employers have problems, and you must be the solution. If you position yourself that way, your odds go way up. Ask us how to do it!  

Boomer Alert: We have special insight into the challenges facing job seekers over 45

R E A L    W O R L D

In a perfect world, you wouldn't need a resume. You'd simply go to a company, strut your stuff, and—shazzam!—get hired.  It still happens that way, sometimes. If you end up in a resume pool, though, the resume had better sing. On key.

C O N S I D E R

• Resumes were invented to eliminate people. That's the hard truth. Employers want to filter you. Our job in writing your resume is to avoid red flags and minefields so you get to the next stage in the process. Your job as candidate is to be as prepared and persistent as possible.
• Employers are very busy. If your resume isn't user friendly, you're gone. You might claim two Nobel prizes and several world-altering patents; but you have just 10-15 seconds to be "accepted," and seemingly small factors can kick you to the curb before you get to do your "I'm amazing" dance.
• Cover letters are more important than resumes. A killer cover letter will generate an interview nearly every time, even if accompanied by a substandard resume. A "generic" letter, though, will create the same excitement as a "Dear Occupant" letter in your home mailbox. Do not neglect your cover letters. They can be labor intensive, but the payoff is worth it.
• Your "brag book" must be top-notch. Whatever your profession, you need to say "I'm a critical thinker, and I'm thinking about YOU, the employer, and what your needs are. I am value added." 
• Research matters. Period. And what is the best way to "connect" with an employer? Hint: Email is almost always the worst way.

H O W    D O    Y O U    D E C I D E ?

• What avenue of approach to use?
• How many positions to list?
• What to do about short-term jobs, patchy education, poor references, jail time, stay-home parent time, layoff, dismissal, long gaps?
• How many pages, what sequence? Where to start?

You don't. You leave it up to us.

F A S T

Much of our work is done via e-mail, and the process is very efficient. If you prefer to come to the office, a typical meeting  takes only 40-45 minutes. With either scenario, we ascertain what you're looking for, how you plan to use the resume or letter and who will be reading it. We have many samples available (for in-office viewing only). Your situation is unique, however, and we are not in the business of baking "cookie cutter" resumes (which we'd probably accidentally burn anyway). Each delectable confection is custom designed.

O B J E C T I V E

You are not the expert on marketing yourself. It takes an outside brain to lend perspective. We know what to include, what to leave out, what to highlight and what to minimize. We help you gain insight into your strengths as a job candidate. We view you as a prospective employer would, and we package you for the fastest sale. We will also tell you the hard truths. Remember, it's easy to promote your strengths; what counts is managing your deficits.

P R O V E N

Why waste time and resources on a campaign that goes nowhere? Because more than 65% of our business comes from return and referral clients, we know what's working out there. Our clients provide us with an up-to-the-minute barometer of hiring practices, company priorities, and industry trends. The recommendations we make to you are based on substantive and timely information.

 

There's no guesswork.