By Lisa Morgan, Michigan Ross Executive MBA Career Coach
As your career coach, I can't "get you a job," but I can teach you career management skills and job search strategies that will pay off for you throughout the course of your career. We’ll first develop a personalized career management strategy, and then I’ll support you as you begin networking, identifying opportunities, interviewing, and negotiating offers. I’ll also encourage you to attend the career workshops, job search conference calls, and panel events we offer.
Focus. The first thing we’ll do when we meet is talk about your goals and determine where you are in the job search process. It is absolutely essential to have a clear focus in your job search. If you are still trying to figure out exactly what it is you want to do, we’ll explore self-assessments and resources to help you find your calling and clarify your goals.
Smart Strategy. Once you’ve identified your goals, we'll develop a customized job-search strategy. We’ll explore whether things like networking techniques, leveraging LinkedIn, attending conferences, conducting informational interviews, participating in professional organizations, meeting with executive recruiters, and searching executive-level job posting sites are suitable for accomplishing your goals.
Resume and Branding Materials. Next we’ll make sure your branding materials are top notch. We’ll look at your resume, cover letters, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, and any other materials you may need to make your pitch. In improving your materials, we’ll make sure your personal brand and most marketable accomplishments are stated as clearly as possible. We’ll make sure your materials pass the “30-second look test” and are also more likely to be pulled if a company is using an electronic resume scanning process.
Zeroing in on Opportunities. I’ll then work with you to find position openings and help you make your approach and pitch. I’ll also connect you with job postings and resources in the Michigan Ross Office of Career Development.
Stand-Out Interviews. As you develop leads and move into interviews, I'll help you make sure you are prepared to shine when the moment counts. These days employers are conducting interviews in a variety of formats, and it’s important to be ready for any of them. I’ll help you effectively research the company and position, develop your most strategic talking points, and convey the value you bring to the table. We can conduct a mock interview and video it so you can gain feedback on your interview style.
Negotiating the All-Important Offer. Once you get a job offer, negotiations are critical and often very stressful. I'll coach you through this process and help you advocate for what you want. I've helped clients get higher salaries and better benefits packages than initially offered. I also can help you intelligently assess whether an opportunity is right for you. At this stage of your career, it's vital to choose the *right* job, not just any job.
Making the Transition. And finally, I'll support you as you transition to your new career. As a career coach, there’s nothing more thrilling for me than seeing you truly find your dream job. The search process can be challenging and overwhelming at times, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it.
Throughout the process, I’ll support, guide, and encourage you to keep moving forward when the going gets tough. Depending on the pace of your search, we can work together as frequently as once a week, or bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly.
After you make the transition, you can continue to consult with me on career strategy. I get an adrenaline rush every time I hear that someone I’ve worked with has earned a promotion or landed a new position. It’s extremely gratifying for me to know that I’ve had a hand in someone’s success.
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