I’ve been laid off and have looked for jobs more times than most as a former contract recruiter for 10+ years. We are dispensable. When the economy is great, they hire certain people. When not, they still hire certain people. There are many, many recruiters particularly within HR or staffing that do survive the times but depend on the market. In my particular case, it was contracted HR recruiter work. I learned a lot about what the hiring manager wants and am comfortable with understanding resume content and format relevance from the hiring management standpoint. The resume lands you interviews. Interviews land you a job. This is going to be the most important part at first after we figure out a game plan.

What we need to do is figure out high quality, long-term tenure if that’s what you want. If you want contract work as well, let’s go for it, opens up possibilities. Entrepreneurship, maybe a franchise, or starting a mom and pop service firm or product shop? I’ve helped clients with that! Military transition life choice? Let’s show them what a former NCO can do in the civilian world! Retiree entering the workforce? Entry-level graduate needing some advice to curb the job hunting lead time.

I offer virtual-based career coaching services to our program users that include 5 face-to-face (or virtual) meetings to cover the entire program. I cover a variety of topics, including an individual career assessment, job hunting, and transition techniques, interview training, career path identification, resume and cover letter writing, the hiring manager/recruiter outreach, job loss counseling (optional), networking opportunities, and tips, self-marketing and branding online, salary negotiations, and mock interviews. We can do this in person (if willing to travel to Wilmington, NC 28405), or via Skype, phone, email, whatever it takes that makes you feel comfortable with the process!

A couple of other items regarding the actual engagement. I don’t make it easy as far as homework. I expect certain things get done, but I am easy going, so as long as you’re happy with how much you put in with your career search for that day, the better. I go by logical thinking. Here’s an example of some things we’ll do together (and some tips to get you started):

1. Stick to a daily schedule. Create To-Do lists and cross them off as you go. This will give you a sense of accomplishment, even during lulls.

2. Like I was saying earlier about us figuring out what you want to do first. This is important. Don’t waste your time or money unless you have just an inkling of what you’re passionate about or makes you tick, something that gets the blood pumping when you do it. Or just pays the bills and you’re naturally good at, we can figure it all out. Let’s identify important activities within your job hunt and declare an ultimate goal as initiation. You need a plan to execute this goal then. Think logically in terms of your job hunt. Who is hiring? Where are they hiring? What type of candidates are they hiring? What is most effective in a job hunt? Who do I know in my network that can help and what do I need from them? Am I trying to find a job domestically or globally? Do I want to start a company or write a book? Do I want career succession with a famous company? Use virtual and network resources to your advantage to answers these questions and ensure you resolve them accordingly. Understanding the tools you need to curb job hunt lead times is vital for both time and sanity’s sake. Be very specific and consistent. This is your Career Bucket List. Reverse engineer how one gets to whatever goal you are targeting and start to work off each task until traction grants you your wish.

3. Think of SMART goals. We all have heard of this before, but it makes sense. SMART is an acronym meaning Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. “I will land a job in 4 weeks” focuses on timing, but not necessarily showing what type of work you wish to perform and is probably not going to work. It’s best to list out success indicators you will need to reach along the path. Use these examples as models: “I will contact 4 individuals within my network who work in my focused industry this week and learn a few tips from each on how they landed their gigs.” “I will create an accomplishment-based resume targeting my industry and specific scope by the end of this month.” “I will improve my interviewing skills by scheduling 2 mock interviews by the end of this week and ensure I review feedback from my performance.” Make sure to understand how you will weave each of these goals within your ultimate goal or on your Career Bucket List, and what impact it will have in reaching that end spot. For example, “After reaching out to my 4 people in my network and completing mock interviews and generating feedback from 2 individuals, I will be able to market my skills towards the work I will be doing in my industry and within my focus a lot better.”

Please reach out to discuss our career coaching solutions and pricing further.

👉 Package information can be found here. 👈