This book's insights and strategies for job seekers are not just an academic curriculum. They result from my direct work with individuals, like you, who are focused on finding a job. I understand the challenges you face, and this book combines education with my personal experiences, aiming to provide a fact-based practical guide to today's job challenges.
My background is deeply rooted in hiring, staffing, and business operations. After retiring, from 2017 through 2022, I dedicated my time as a volunteer counselor at a regional employment center, assisting people, like you, in finding jobs. My extensive experience in these areas has equipped me with the knowledge to guide you effectively.
The work involved coaching and teaching, networking resumes, LinkedIn, informational interviewing, and everything that goes into a successful job search. Candidates often needed help understanding how LinkedIn could help them by boosting their confidence, creating focused self-promotion, and designing a profile that would be found by the algorithms that would show them where they fit. On LinkedIn, over 800 candidates added or improved their profiles with my assistance.
You never wholly find the words to help with the total impact that abrupt job changes have on people, but more than words, just being there to help does make a difference. When the Global Pandemic hit in February 2020, the need for help skyrocketed, and some past approaches had to change. Video conferences, even for networking, became particularly important. I am here to provide that support and guide you through these challenging times.
In my professional career, I have managed Human Resource departments, one serving 3,000 employees.+ Before 2017, I worked as a volunteer career counselor with people in all situations. I've witnessed the traumatic impact of losing a job, which often leads to depression, despondence, tears, and even divorce.
Sometimes, the need to obtain a job is unexpected, bringing people with little prior experience face-to-face with job search challenges. One typical example is a woman who left the job market for many years to raise children. Whether due to divorce or the death of a spouse, some are suddenly confronted with the need to find a job but feel they have no marketable skills. In many of these cases, the candidate can be pleasantly surprised by the skills they discover that they do have and how they can look on their resume.
Whatever the cause or the circumstance, being out of work is challenging. In today's world, with few exceptions, finding a job is not optional. It's something we all prepare for and plan for in one way or another from an early age. Work is an economic necessity, a societal given, and a source of personal fulfillment. Work matters. It always has, and it still does.
