Honestly, you don’t. Many clients’ career advancement has been a result of networking or promotions with one employer, and this may be the case for you. However, this approach may limit your professional opportunities. If you find yourself looking for more in the workplace, a professionally crafted resume can help you get there.

In our digital age, just as a social media presence is essential to connect with new acquaintances, friends, and family members, a professional networking presence is a crucial introduction to future employers and professional contacts. We used to hear that employers or new contacts would “Google you”. Now, they will likely search for you on LinkedIn. In addition, LinkedIn has a range of tools for recruiters, employers, schools, and organizations to search for talent. You may be sought out for a role you never knew existed or never knew was perfect for you.

“The career coach guides a client in expressing his [or her] career dreams, desires, and goals. The career coach builds a relationship with a client and serves as an accountability partner as the client moves towards a new career path. Career coaches train, listen, inspire, lead, prompt, encourage, tutor, query, and act as the Career Search Strategy Development Director for the client. Career coaches are sounding boards, taskmasters, mentors, and Chief Motivational Officers.

Clients need guidance in clarifying their purpose for seeking employment or to improve performance, and career coaches partner with clients to identify the career purpose and achieve career results. Career coaches collaborate with clients and brainstorm to develop career ideas — they do not directly offer advice. There are times, however, when the career coach may ask permission to offer advice or engage the client in specific training, i.e., interview training or image consulting. Career coaches meet clients where they are now — focusing on today and the future through goals and values development.”

~Definition by Diane Hudson Burns, Director of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches Certified Professional Career Coach Program

Long gone are the days when job seekers could create strong resumes on their own or have a friend or family member create one for them. With the rise of job search sites, employers have seen applications increase exponentially. To keep up with this trend, they have utilized automated systems to make recruitment, resume review, and even interviewing more efficient. Certified Professional Resume Writers and Career Coaches are equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate this ever-changing landscape.

Particularly, writing an effective resume through the process of researching, gathering information, designing, writing, re-writing, condensing, revising, and editing the first draft can total 10-20 hours of work. A strategic approach can often turn futile job-search efforts into successful results that have landed clients more interviews and led to increases in salary from the $5K to $80K range, including roles within more positive working environments, with stronger benefits and bonuses, and with additional opportunities for advancement. The ROI (Return on Investment) is immeasurable.

Over the last decade, I have worked with ~8 resume-writing companies, outplacement organizations, small career development businesses, private career coaches, and boutique resume-writing firms in the U.S. and Canada. I still support clients across multiple organizations and know that each one has something valuable to offer professionals at the varied stages of their career journeys.

Often, I find that my clients are looking for more tailored, empathetic, and relational services, and I am proud of Foundations Career Consulting’s unique, holistic, results-focused approach—having the knowledge, skills, experience, and network to support you with any career-related goal. If this speaks to you, I would love to hear from you! If not, I am happy to provide suggestions for other resources and organizations that would best meet your needs and enhance your well-being.