Career Counseling

Career Counseling Plans Designed

Specifically For You

I know what employers are looking for and how to persuade them to hire you. I can teach you how to uncover opportunities you’ll never find on job sites. If you’re looking to change careers but don’t know to what or how, I can guide you through a fruitful discovery process. Here are some more specifics career counseling tips:
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Switching Careers

Does it make sense to switch careers to find fulfillment at work or improve your work/life balance? And even if the answer is yes, can you find greater satisfaction in what you’re currently doing while you’re pursuing alternatives? And if you decide to switch, how do you decide in which direction to go? I will guide you to the right questions to ask yourself, help you answer them, and identify the best ways of going about exploring alternative career paths so that you make the smartest decision.

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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. 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.

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Resume & Cover Letter Review

I will show you how to maximize the impact of these critical documents, including the most appealing formats to use. How to tailor them to the audience you are looking to impress (they should ALWAYS be tailored). And, most importantly, I will guide you as to how to emphasize your accomplishments, rather than just your functions, to phrase your accomplishments in the most compelling and persuasive way, and suggest the right keywords to be using.

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Interview Coaching

In just about all cases, coming out on top as a finalist very much depends on nailing your interviews. I will help ensure that you make the best case for why you’re ideally suited for the position, and help you prepare to answer even the trickiest questions, such as “What’s your greatest weakness?” And “Where do you see yourself in ____ years?” I will also share with you the winning formula for answering just about any type of behavioral question, I.e. “Tell me about a time that you…..”

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Job Advancement

What’s the best way to get ahead? Two paths to consider are getting additional training or skills; and going back to school. But just as often barriers to advancement relate to less tangible factors like low self-confidence and problems you may have with handling organizational politics and critical work relationships with your boss or colleagues. I will provide an informed and objective diagnosis of your situation and suggest the best solutions.

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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, you’ll really benefit from spending time with me to learn what’s changed and how to tailor your approach now.

What to expect from career counseling

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.

My rate per 50 minute session ranges from $250 to $450. The rate varies according to the complexity of the issue(s) we will be working on, and your ability to pay.

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.

Client Reviews

Top Career Coach

Greater Washington D.C. and Beyond

I’ve helped clients from all over the greater D.C. area land their dream jobs and make successful career transitions. I’ve also taken on clients from across the United States and world in a virtual setting. I also counsel clients at my home office in Alexandria.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Normally, sessions are 50 minutes long, although arrangements can be made for longer sessions.

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The answer to that question depends entirely on the issue(s) you are seeking to resolve. If you’re coming in for something fairly straightforward, such as networking or interviewing coaching, or to improve your resume/LinkedIn profile/cover letter, you’ll probably need to meet with me once or twice. If you’re looking to tackle a more complex issue (e.g. if you’re dissatisfied with your current career but don’t know what alternatives would make sense, and/or if there is a significant emotional block like low self-confidence or debilitating anxiety) we’re probably looking at somewhere between four and eight sessions. After a preliminary conversation with you I’ll be able to give you a reasonable estimate.

It’s one of my particular specialties. The key to a successful interview is to be laser-focused on emphasizing how you meet your prospective employer’s needs and the value you will bring to the organization.

Resume preparation is another of my specialties. Of equal importance is crafting an outstanding LinkedIn profile, for which I’ll also provide expert guidance.

For the foreseeable future I am only conducting sessions virtually (FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype, or phone). I have found virtual sessions to be just as effective as in-person, in addition to being more convenient for both my clients and me. I can schedule sessions just about any time between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays, and even on weekends if necessary.

My rate per 50 minute session ranges from $250 to $450. The rate varies according to the complexity of the issue(s) we will be working on, and your ability to pay.

If, after our initial meeting we determine that multiple sessions make sense, I will be happy to discuss a package with a reduced per-session fee.

If you are eligible for insurance reimbursement (i.e. if our work together involves a significant emotional or psychological component, and if you have out-of-network mental health benefits), I will be happy to provide you with the documentation necessary for reimbursement. Unfortunately I will not be able to determine whether you have coverage as there are hundreds of types of plans offered by insurance carriers; you will need to contact your carrier or HR department to determine whether your plan provides coverage for my services.

Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, check or cash.

I work with clients at every stage of their career, from about-to-graduate college students to seniors looking to open a new work chapter in their lives.

The primary tasks in our first session will be:

Agree to a goal (s) for our work together.
Get to know each other so as to ensure that we’re a good “fit” (it’s very rare that the fit isn’t good).
Agree to next steps that will begin to move the ball forward. I believe that every session should include assignments that will result in progress towards our agreed-upon goals.

Despite conventional wisdom, most people do not have one passion buried inside of them that simply needs to be discovered. More generally, people are capable of developing passion for multiple careers.

Most certainly. There are proven techniques that can enhance job satisfaction to at least some degree. Whenever I work with clients who are dissatisfied with their job or their career I make sure to devote at least some time to teaching these techniques in addition to working on exploring alternatives and improving their ability to find better employment.

Career testing is not something I do a lot of: quite honestly I’m not a big believer in career testing for most people. Test results generally confirm what people already know about themselves, and the results are frequently so broad that they don’t provide much practical guidance. Furthermore there is next to no evidence that following the findings of career testing leads to career fulfillment and success.

Yes; it’s an area I have a great deal of familiarity with, having successfully negotiated my own advancement to the top in the very competitive world of advertising.

Most clients don’t recognize how absolutely fundamental networking can be both in exploring career alternatives and in landing the right position. Applying to jobs posted online is how most job seekers spend the bulk of their time and energy, but it’s a method that has a very low likelihood of success. Much more productive is reaching out to people who are 1) in a position to help you understand the lay of the land along career paths you’re exploring; 2) who are in a position to know of available jobs before they’re posted; 3) who can give you tips on applying and interviewing for specific positions and; 4) may be willing to lobby on your behalf if you’ve impressed them. A lot of people are uncomfortable with the whole process of networking: they might be reluctant to reach out to others because they don’t want to impose or because it feels like they’re using people or because they don’t know what kinds of questions to ask. I can help you with all of these issues.

Absolutely.

Here are some signs to pay attention to:

Days are stressful – and only stressful (there are relatively few moments of true satisfaction).
You’ve changed yourself to fit the position (the fit was good when you started but the position has evolved away from your strengths/likes perhaps because of outside factors like a takeover, a reorganization, or downsizing.
Your job is a dead end with no obvious positions to move up to.
You chased the money but have realized that just the paycheck isn’t enough to fulfill you Quitting time is the day’s highlight.
There’s been a shift in organizational values (more emphasis on the bottom line? Less ethical?).
You’re having performance struggles (your evaluations aren’t decent, feedback from superiors is negative).
Work/life balance is progressively getting worse – Unless you can confidently predict that a deterioration in work/life balance is temporary, it is often a sign that your organization is investing in fewer resources than is necessary to get the job done well.
You’re having difficulty getting along with your boss – It may happen that you find yourself with a new boss. If your day-to-day relationship with that boss becomes uncomfortable, or in the worst case scenario contentious, you should start considering moving on. Most people underestimate the influence that their bosses have on their career trajectories; it is generally enormous. So even if you are doing an outstanding job in the eyes of your co-workers, and even others in management, a bad relationship with your boss is frequently fatal.

I have had 4 successful careers – as advertising executive, psychotherapist, non-profit president and career counselor, so I know the challenges inherent in launching and thriving in different jobs. And having built fulfilling lives in 3 vastly different cities- NY LA and DC – gives me valuable additional perspective. Plus having coached many hundreds of clients in just about every conceivable field and through all kinds of challenges I have an unmatched breadth of career knowledge and insight.

Insight – my training as a therapist allows me to better under my clients and helps me provide them with superior guidance. Tone of voice, facial expression, body language, the stories you use to illuminate your history and the way you express yourself – confidently, tentatively, modestly, with an edge – all help me understand you and allow me to tailor our conversations and the homework I usually give so that they achieve maximum impact.

Creativity- I thrived in advertising, a career in which creativity is the most important attribute. It’s one I cherish .Helping my clients think in new ways, see new patterns, and identify opportunities that are sometimes unorthodox are skills that have repeatedly borne fruit.

Intelligence – it’s uncool to boast but as a Phi Beta Kappa, Harvard graduate and Jeopardy winner I think my background speaks for itself.

Curiosity- I’m interested in a huge range of topics ( that really helps on Jeopardy!$ I’ve been to all 50 states and over 80 countries. I speak 5 languages. And what drew me to psychotherapy and career work was the chance to hear the stories and share the experiences and the world view of an astounding variety of people. I love learning about them and coming to understand them.

Achievement orientation ~ I’ve always been motivated by getting results., whether grades, honors, fluency, mastery, or concrete contributions to others. Providing specific, actionable guidance to Help my clients find greater satisfaction in their lives is more than a job – for me it’s a joyous endeavor.

“I will coach you on the techniques you need to do it beautifully.”

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