Career Counseling, Development and Transition
Are you feeling unchallenged at work? Burned out? Worried about losing your job? Are you searching for greater meaning in what you do? Have you been “downsized”? Should you go back to school to learn new skills? These are some of the questions I have helped so many of my clients answer. I offer the unique benefit of helping you solve your issue from four different perspectives: As a coach I know the techniques to keep you focused and motivated. As a marketing expert I know how to position and "sell" yourself. As a psychotherapist, I can help you uncover obstacles and/or interests that are much more likely to surface through precision questioning and ensuing dialogue than in static personality or career testing. Finally, as a businessman I bring a very practical "What steps need to be taken to make this happen?" approach.
Jim's coaching has given me the confidence to become one of the most successful professionals in my industry.
Think of our work together as an investment in yourself and your future, in the same way that you might hire an investment advisor to help you get maximum value from your personal financial assets. I bring to this process my substantial “real world” experience in the business and non-profit fields, as well as my professional credentials as a therapist and the knowledge I’ve gained through coaching hundreds of clients in fields as diverse as finance, law, the arts, IT, entrepreneurship, real estate, hospitality, education, health care, not-for-profit, and of course government.
Following a traumatic downsizing, I worked with Jim to get my career and life back on track. I can't imagine that anyone could have done a better job!
I know what employers are looking for, how to create outstanding "marketing" materials (i.e. resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, business card, "elevator pitch," etc.), how to launch your own personal “marketing campaign”, and how the job market has changed. I will place special emphasis on keeping you motivated and productive. I look forward to working closely with you on this oftentimes scary, but ultimately manageable journey.
RESOURCES: An excellent source of basic information on hundreds of jobs/occupations is O*Net (www.onetonline.org). Developed under the auspices of the Department of Labor it is somewhat bureaucratically displayed abd organized, but gives valuable insights into the skills and requirements of hundreds of job titles.
Many valuable books have been written about the process of career development and career transition, but far and away my favorites are "The Start-up of YOU" by Linkedin chairman Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnoc, "Designing Your Life" by Bill Burnett, and "Roadmap" by Roadtrip Nation (a group authorship). I can also enthusiastically recommend: "Strategies for Successful Career Change" by Martha Mangelsdorf (although it is missing the essential role LinkedIn can play in the process), "One Person, Multiple Careers" by Marci Alboher, "Let Your Life Speak" by Parker Palmer (a spiritually oriented career book); "The Renaissance Soul" by Margaret Lobenstine, and "Working Identity" by Herminia Ibarra (geared mainly to upper level executives, but with valuable process tips). Finally, the classic "What Color Is Your Parachute" by Richard N. Bolles is definitely worth checking out. Feel free to contact me about which of these might be most appropriate for you.
For those actively looking for new employment (rather than those at the contemplation stage), a comprehensive listing of the ten best job sites (from PC magazine) is at:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342781,00.asp#fbid=HHtzkyIfkSO
Two books with valuable job hunting strategies and tips are: "How to Land Your Dream Job" by Jeffrey J. Fox; and "The Brazen Careerist" by Penelope Trunk (which also covers career choice and tips for success at your job).
You should also definitely check out Career Coach Forum on LinkedIn periodically, as there are frequent posts on all kinds of career related issues, most of them smart and insightful.
Finally, there is a relatively new internet site that is worth checking out: The Muse. It's chock full of little (and not so little) tips about all kinds of career subjects, ranging from reasons why you didn't get a job offer to tricky interview questions to how to ask for a raise to ways to make your current job more enjoyable. The Daily Muse posts new suggestions and ideas every day.