(202)667-0665 Jim@DCLifeCounseling.com
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Career Counseling, Development and Transition

I offer the unique benefit of helping you solve your specific problem or issue from four different perspectives:

  1. As a career coach I know the techniques to keep you focused and motivated. Career Counseling is a process that will help you to know and understand yourself and the world of work in order to make career, educational, and life decisions.
  2. As a marketing expert I know how to help you position and “sell” yourself.
  3. 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.
  4. Finally, as a businessman, I bring a very practical “What steps need to be taken to make this happen?” approach.

Do you need a career counselor?

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Are you unhappy with your current job?
    • This is the most common reason to consider working with a career coach. I can help you figure out how to make your current job more bearable while we identify the right career paths to pursue, and the right jobs to target.
  • Were you recently laid off?
    • In today’s world, it may seem like you need to instantly find your next job. Instead of rushing into another unrewarding employment situation, take some time to work with an accomplished career coach. Find out exactly what you want and how to get it.
  • Are you looking for a career change?
    • Even if you’re satisfied in your current job, it can feel like you’re not doing the things you were born to do. This is often the best time to hire a career coach since you’re not under any pressure to find immediate employment.
  • Are you considering going back to school?
    • Too often people who are unsure about what career to pursue decide to go back to school to help them figure it out. That can be a very expensive, time-consuming, and potentially unsuccessful choice. Working with a superior career coach can help you figure out if it makes sense to go that route.

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then I know I will be able to help. These are some of the questions I have helped so many of my clients living in the Washington DC area answer, with individually tailored solutions based on inate wisdom and many years of experience.

Reviews

  • Michael Lilintahl

    I decided to meet with Jim when I was contemplating making a big career change. I found my meetings with him to be supportive, helpful and constructive. Throughout the process he challenged me and helped me see what I could not see before. I was lost and scared in my previous job and Jim helped me by walking me through the process of change...

  • Brian Smith

    I chose to work with Jim after speaking with several other coaches. I was very impressed with his credentials, particularly his repeated success in several different career fields, and I found him very easy to talk with. Jim helped me discover what would be a fulfilling career path for me, gave me the confidence to pursue my passion, and provided invaluable guidance on the best way to do that. I can't recommend him highly enough.

  • Doug Witt

    I have known Jim for ten years. We all have career stuff, whether it's self-inflicted or termination beyond one's control. I've experienced both. Jim can help you through whatever your circumstances may be. He creates a connection where it's safe to share what is really going on. If you need a new job immediately or if you are contemplating a career change going forward, I'd call Jim.

  • Grace Robinson

    As one can expect, trying to make a career transition is a highly emotional and somewhat stressful experience as it requires a certain level of honesty, self-reflection and hard work. I reached out to a number of career coaches in the DC area when I began to contemplate a change but no one I spoke with had the quite the same intelligent, calm demeanor as Jim. Jim supported my growth, both professionally and personally, by providing me with thoughtful direction, insight, and feedback...

  • Robert Sheavly

    I have known Jim professionally for almost 15 years. His intelligence, experience, and background are all exceptional, which has led me to send numerous patients of mine to him when they are in need of career guidance (I am a Jungian psychoanalyst). The feedback I've gotten from them has been uniformly positive - he's made a real difference in their lives.

  • Gail Friedman

    Jim was recommended to me by a mutual friend because I was at a major crossroads in my life and needed compassionate, insightful yet impartial readings of my options. I was especially impressed with Jim's business credentials as well as his counseling background. I continue to consult with Jim and highly recommend him to anyone in need of business counseling.

  • Google User

    I have had the pleasure working with Jim for the past 6 years. I say “working with” as this has been an extremely successful collaborative process. I approached Jim as I was struggling with working through a rough patch in my professional career...

  • Andrew Zalman

    As an executive search/headhunter I have been lucky enough to partner with Jim on a number of occasions. I have referred several local and remote (Skype, etc.) mid-level to executive-level candidates to him who have reported back to me with rave reviews. Jim has also consulted with me whenever my executive search expertise has been a helpful element to his full-service thoughtful career advice he provides his clients. 100% class act and worth the investment.

  • Alex Koleszar

    Asking Jim Weinstein to help me navigate my career path was the best decision I could make in my life. Jim was instrumental in helping me envision a complete change in careers – something I wish I had done years ago, but now have the courage and clarity to pursue. Two years later, and I’m deeply committed in that process...

  • Margot Lester

    Jim is a trusted and effective advisor who helps you develop the skills, insights, connections and tools you need to be successful in all aspects of your life. Jim's committed to helping you achieve your goals with no-nonsense guidance and a compassionate style. Working with him puts you on the fast track to meeting and exceeding your goals.

  • Alex Orfinger

    I’ve introduced Jim to many colleagues and friends - from recent college graduates to CEOs. In every instance, he’s offered sage advice, solid direction, compassionate support leading to superb results.

  • Morgan Long

    I received a promotion and pay raise after working with Jim to help me move forward in my career! Jim was a great help when it came to reaching my career goals. Together, we revamped my resumé and cover letter and put new interviewing skills to practice...

  • Google User

    Jim helped me through a critical time in my business. My market research business had been deeply affected by technology and changes in corporate culture. Do I close the doors and move on? If not what are my options? Is it time for a change? In addition to Jim’s counseling background, he’s a Harvard MBA with years of experience at the highest levels of the advertising industry so he really understood my issues.

Services Offered

I know what employers are looking for, and I know how to create outstanding “marketing” materials that can help you find a new career.

  • Networking
    • I’m a career coach who knows how essential networking is to finding the best opportunities, and can teach you how to identify and reach out to the exactly the right people to connect you with the best opportunities.
  • Resume and cover letter review
    • A good career coach will show you how to maximize the impact of these critical documents, showing you what should and shouldn’t be included and how to phrase your accomplishments in the most compelling and persuasive way.
  • Interview prep
    • Even if you’re satisfied in your current job, it can feel like you’re not doing the things you were born to do. This is often the best time to hire a career coach since you’re not under any pressure to find immediate employment.
  • LinkedIn profile optimization
    • A good portion of today’s hiring managers will reach out directly to potential candidates on LinkedIn, even if you haven’t expressed interest in the position. Reviewing and optimizing your LinkedIn profile is a great way to get the ball rolling on your perfect job, even if you don’t know where or when you’re starting the hunt.
  • Keeping up with the changes
    • Today’s job market would look totally foreign to someone 20 years ago. The explosion of the internet and hiring websites has fundamentally changed the process of applying to jobs. Additionally, thousands of new types of jobs have been created as technology booms. If it’s been a few years since you were last looking for a job, it’s definitely worth spending some time with a career coach to learn about what’s changed and how you should approach things now.

What to Expect

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. As a career counselor I can provide the same value.

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 many 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.

Career choice is often made with sub-optimal research and deliberation. Certainly that’s true of initial career choice. Twenty somethings’ are very much swayed by the opinions of family, peers, and popular culture, and their career choices often reflect (I would say excessively) those influences.

A vitally important step in narrowing down a career path is to make an effort to filter out the “noise” of these outside influences.

I will place special emphasis on keeping you motivated and productive while looking for a new career. I look forward to working closely with you on this often times scary, but ultimately manageable journey.

Career Search Resources

O*Net

An excellent source of basic information on hundreds of jobs/occupations is O*Net. Developed under the auspices of the Department of Labor it is somewhat bureaucratically displayed and organized, but gives valuable insights into the skills and requirements of hundreds of job titles.

Books

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).

Job Sites

For those actively looking for new employment (rather than those at the contemplation stage), here is a comprehensive listing of the ten best job sites.

LinkedIn

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.

The Muse

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.

Call Me Today !

Copyright 2019 Jim Weinstein,1633 Q St NW # 200, Washington, DC 20009, Phone: (202) 667-0665

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