Vancouver, BC
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I begin my process in starting to work with you ?
There are just a few simple steps to follow:
1. Submit your request and information via the Contact page.
2. Wait for a reply via email or telephone call. Afterwards, a "Terms of Service" (Contract) will be e-mailed or faxed to you.
3. Complete (Sign and Initial) the Contract and e-mail it or fax it back to me.
4. Click on the appropriate Package PayPal button on the Services page (must be the same Package that you have agreed to in the Contract or payment will not be accepted).
(Please note that start of services shall not commence until payment is cleared, when paying via any other method besides PayPal )
5. Begin Services
Do you only accept PayPal on-line payments ?
PayPal is the most recognized on-line payment system in the world. It is also one of the safest methods for a person to purchase goods or services without a vendor obtaining any credit card information. PayPal offers 100% protection from unauthorized payments.
Signing up on PayPal is free, relatively easy, and takes only a few minutes.
In addition, other payment options offered are: US Postal Service / Canada Post money orders or Certified Canada / US Bank Drafts.
For local Vancouver based clients, local checks may be accepted - service(s) will not begin until check(s) clear.
Where do you get your career coaching concepts from ?
The training modules that I offer are not new to the world of career coaching. These steps / processes have been around for over 60 years and were the first and most comprehensive corporate training methods used by US WWII veterans transitioning back into the work force after returning home. The system has remained the same since and is currently used by firms charging thousands of dollars per client. While the core of the modules remains unchanged, statistics and up-to-date information has been added to accomodate the 21st century methods of finding work.
Have you ever been licensed as a Career Counselor ?
Yes.
In the State of New Jersey, where I began my official career advisory practice, it is mandatory for any professional conducting the business of Career or Outplacement Services to carry & display a license issued by the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Consumer Affairs. My License number while I practiced in New Jersey was KA1360300. Through one of the firms that I was afiliated with, I also provided Outplacement Services in New York City for a large Healthcare group.
Canada does not regulate the Career Counseling industry with a mandatory license, and there are numerous privately owned Career Counseling Societies. If one is a member, it does not necessarily mean that the individual is adequately qualified. One way to check validity and credibility is to look up the person's history and experience in this field as well as overall experience. You wouldn't want to get an operation from a doctor that will make you his/her first patient, would you ?
Are your services available in Vancouver only ?
My services are available to pretty much anyone in Canada and the United States.
For clients outside the Greater Vancouver Area, services are only avaialble via telephone, e-mail, and fax, with some limitations on hours. I do need to sleep sometimes, I think.
Why should I have my resume done professionally when I know I can do a great job on my own ?
Everyone can put together a resume (Ok!, almost everyone).
But, the key element to consider if you need resume assistance is:
Is the current resume getting interviews ?
If you keep on sending the same or even a tweaked resume and get no calls for am interview, then whatever you put together is not working.
It may also be that the cover letters are not accurately pinpointing your strengths vs. what the position(s) require(s).
Another point to make is that when a trained and experienced third-eye looks at your resume, it is different then when you continue to possibly overlook the same errors, over and over. Simple science.
How long does it take to construct a resume ?
This is one of the most common questions asked since I have been producing resumes.
Generally, once the 30 minute telephone conversation is completed, a Basic Resume is finalized within 1 - 2 days (depending on workload, and travel commitments). I always try to have a return time of 24 hours, but buffer an additional day, just in case.
An Extensive Resume may take longer because it depends on assignments that a client has to complete and return. Once the client's side is completed and received on my side, the average time of finalization is the same as the Basic Resume (1-2 days).
How important is the cover letter ?
Cover letters may be as important as the resume itself, depending on who receives your submittal, and if you are writing in response to a posted job, or as an introduction.
There are cover letters that have to be written very precisely and address the key points of what is required or needed, versus what you feel like writing. The more precision you can provide the better the chances. In today's high-tech environments, certain screening methods can determine if you are qualified for the posted position in seconds, and your information may never reach a human eye for actual review.
Your resume has to follow certain standards and have a certain rigidity and good reading flow. Your cover letter may be the only instance where you can have some liberty to customize (in whole, if needed), while following certain basic principles.
Make the first chance count as if it is the only chance. In responding to an advertised posting, it usually is.
What types of industries have you assisted with ?
My expertise in Career Coaching expands from assisting pipe fitters to C-level executives. It really doesn't matter what the profession of a potential client is involved in. Having experienced several industries myself also helps.
All clients have to put in work to achieve the next career move. The less work one puts in, the less desirable output one gets in return.
What is the expected time of seeing results with your Coaching vs. just applying for jobs?
Results vary with the effort put in. If all the information (including a redone Resume) and training is adhered to, a client will typically begin seeing results immediately. However, some clients wish to take all that is offered and put it in a closet or desk drawer.
There are scientific studies with results that have remained unchanged since the 1970s, indicating that the way people obtain jobs from postings only amounts to 10-15%.
So where are the other 70-80% of the jobs funneling from ?
It is often called the hidden job market, but its really an untapped market. Anyone can access this market, but one has to take certain steps and connect the right way with decision makers. These and other methods are part of the modules that are provided in
Package 3 or Package 4 (if completed with all the modules).
Do you meet clients personally ?
I get this question quite frequently, because there is no physical address listed on this site; only a PO Box.
I meet with clients who want to meet with me in the Greater Vancouver Area. Some clients, even though they are local, wish to conduct all processes by telephone / e-mail / fax. It is up to the client whether they wish to meet with me or not, I don't decide on this topic. The only gray area arises when and if a client needs to have the mock interview module, that has to be done face-to-face.
Obviously, for clients outside of the GVA, all services (with the exception of the mock interview module) are available via telephone, internet, fax.
How did you start in this profession ?
Interestingly, I was once a client for a mid-sized career outplacement firm in the NYC area. After paying several thousand dollars (they were that expensive) and just about half way through the program, I was asked by my career coach / advisor to join as an advisor. A vacancy recently developed with one of the advisors relocating to a different state to start his own practice.
This was not the first time that my career had taken a different path from the norm. :)
You can call it luck, fate, and timing, or all of the above.
Copyright
CareerChoiceSolutions.com
Serving Vancouver & other markets since
April 2009
All rights reserved.
Vancouver, BC
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