Media Kit 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION, Contact: Lindsay Sellner LSellner@CM-CS.com (703) 734.6340
The Careers Expert
Carolyn Thompson Author, Ten
Easy Steps to a Perfect Resume Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job
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Contents
Contents
Contents
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Biographical Sketch Press Releases Sample Pages
In the Media & Field Contact
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The playing field is far from leveled - W We have
young talent up against seasoned veterans, and in this type of envirronment, envir onment, every point of contact with potential employers becomes critical, starting with the presentation rresentation of your resume. r
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“ -Carolyn rrolyn olyn Thompson Author & Careers eers Expert
Meet
Expert
Expert
The Careers Expert Carolyn Thompson resides in the Washington, DC area and has been an executive recruiter since 1988. Carolyn is a creative entrepreneur and a certified career coach. Her articles on career development and the employment industry have been published in various national magazines, trade journals, and on the Internet. A frequent speaker on the subjects of career development, recruiting and motivation, she is a member of the Pinnacle Society* and the International Coach Federation**. Carolyn is an alumnus of Kansas State University and author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME and TEN EASY STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB, now available in select bookstores and on Amazon. *www.pinnaclesociety.org The Pinnacle Society is the nation’s premier consortium of top recruiters within the permanent placement industry. Since 1989, membership is limited to 75 of the nation’s top recruiters. **www.coachfederation.org The International Coach Federation is the largest worldwide resource for business and personal coaches.
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Recognizing that a resume is only a mechanism to getting a face-to-face interview, Carolyn has laid out the characteristics that will set you apart from the others in achieving that goal -Mark Ross, The Washington Post
PRESS RELEASES }
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As Unemployment Rates Soar, Resumes Pile Up WASHINGTON – With unemployment rates soaring through the roof and a talent pool now on the offensive, job seekers at every level are being forced to find new ways to show off their professional experiences and unique personalities. "The playing field is far from leveled," says Carolyn Thompson, President of CMCS and author of the newly released Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect Resume, "We have young talent up against seasoned veterans, and in this type of environment, every point of contact with potential employers becomes critical, starting with the presentation of your resume." Speaking regularly in the Washington-Metro area, educating scores of talented individuals looking to secure a job in this economy, Thompson's expertise on resume building, interview preparation and career development are in high demand. In her latest book, Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect Resume, Carolyn Thompson has focused twenty years of industry experience into explaining the quintessential step in any job search: the first impression, the resume. As a member of the International Coaching Federation and Pinnacle Society of Recruiters, Thompson plays an active role in helping ease the strain of a shrinking market on our nation's unemployed. "As a recruiter you have a limited reach to the number of people you can help at one time," she admits, "As the environment began to change, I looked inward and realized that there were so many more people out there that could benefit from my 20 years of resume reworking.. So, I put the pen to paper and wrote a book." Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect Resume is a must-have resource for anyone entering the employment race, those already searching for work and every career-minded individual determined to keep their resumes up-to-date. You can find this book along with Carolyn's other titles on her organization's website, www.CM-CS.com, and at www.Amazon.com. Thompson can also be found lending her experience, advice and stories on her new blog, www.JobSearchJungle.com. Carolyn Thompson is available for interview.
Media Contact: Marc Samson (240) 501.7212 marcesamson@gmail.com
} Job-hunting Today, A New Emphasis on Strategy WASHINGTON – In a job-market where open positions are few and far between and talent is in no short supply, strategy has become the cornerstone of successful job hunting. "It's a buyers' market right now, and the product is talent" says Carolyn Thompson, DC's Leading Careers Expert and author of the newly released Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job, "being qualified isn't enough anymore -- from the resume to the negotiation table, job-seekers need to focus on developing a strategy as unique and impressive as their own experience." Carolyn Thompson is a 20-year career-industry veteran, notable author and President of CMCS (www.cm-cs.com). An active member of the Pinnacle Society and the International Coach Federation, Carolyn speaks frequently across the United States on the subjects of career development, recruitment and motivation. In her newest book, Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job, Carolyn Thompson has focused 20-years of experience as an executive recruiter into outlining the ten key steps to developing and executing a successful job-search strategy. “Hiring managers are looking to fill open positions with problem-solvers and forward-thinkers," says Thompson, "the best way to set yourself apart and show your abilities as a leading candidate is with a well-formulated strategic approach." Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job provides strategic insights into: Understanding the process, networking, recruiters, appropriate follow-up, negotiating the offer and other key areas of the job hunt. Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job is a must-have resource for every job-seeker competing in today's market. You can find this book along with Carolyn's other titles on her organization's website, www.CM-CS.com, and at www.Amazon.com. Thompson can also be found lending her experience, advice and stories on her new blog, www.JobSearchJungle.com. Carolyn Thompson is available for interview. Media Contact: Marc Samson (240) 501.7212 marcesamson@gmail.com
TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME
STEP FIVE
STEP ONE
STEP SIX
XYZ Partners is a privately held company with 2,000 employees in six states. Senior Associate 8/2005–12/2006 Responsibilities included assisting in training and supervision of three staff associates performing word processing and proofreading as assigned. Ensured that quality control guidelines and project deadlines were being met. Reported to senior manager of production.
STEP ONE:
KEEP YOUR LAYOUT SIMPLE AND MAKE Staff Associate 5/2004–7/2005 SUREReceived YOURjob-specific CONTACT training INFORMATION on document control and IS word processing as required by diverse clientele. Position ACCURATE AND CORRECT. required attention to detail, accuracy, and strong computer
STEP FIVE:
STEP SIX:
ADD YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
FORMATTING THE PAGE.
There is a big difference between what the company has
At this point you are ready to start some formatting:
hired you to do and what you individually accomplish in
bolding, underlining, etc.
each job compared to your peers.
As for the text, a 9, 10, 11 or 12-pt typeface is fine, but now
Go back to each job and think about what you made,
skills in Word. Reported to senior associate and was subsequently promoted into that role.
saved, or achieved in this position. What did you contribute that set you apart from your peers? How did you make your company more profitable? How did you contribute to
5/2002–4/2004
Sounds easy enough, New butTown, the USA most common errors on 123 Incorporated,
better efficiencies within your group? What special awards
that you have a lot of great content, you need to make it jump off the page. Pay attention to consistency in formatting, meaning if you underline dates or bold the job titles, you need to be consistent on the page and underline or bold all of them. Also, if you make changes or additions later, pay attention to tenses in your job descriptions. Only
123 Incorporated a small that was subsequently resumes are not in thewas body ofcompany the resume; they are in the bought out by 789 Corporation.
did you receive? Why was your work there important?
contact information in the header.
The easiest way to add these is to bullet point one or
Staff Associate 9/2002–4/2004 Worked on a variety projects as Excel, Modern technology has of opened upassigned manyusing opportunities Word, and database research. Liaised with management for finding jobs, but the receiver on the other end of your and clients regarding content-related issues and supervised performing Internet research. carefully interns crafted coverbasic letter and resume submittal is
two measurable accomplishments in each job under
and accomplishments is what sets you apart from your
experience prior to XX date available upon request” is
usually anIntern e-mail parser. Parsing is a term that refers to the 5/2002–8/2002
competition. Don’t be afraid to be proud of what you
appropriate. Just make sure you have that addendum
accomplished beyond what they hired you to do.
prepared in case anyone asks for it. If your resume is three
the current job should be written in the present tense. All
your descriptions. Be specific about the value of those accomplishments to the company and your involvement in them. Your ability to distinguish your responsibilities
basic that Internet research assigned by staff software Performed technology reads the asinformation on your
your previous jobs should be in past tense. Keep your resume to two pages. Five years of work experience for each page is a good rule of thumb. If your professional experience is longer than that, a statement at the end of the resume such as “References and work
pages long try using a smaller font. You can also easily
associates.
resume and adds it to a database so that the reviewer/s at
TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME
the company can access it later.
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16
17
It’s best NOT to use a template for creating your resume. Templates can be difficult to expand upon later.
As
newer versions of software emerge, the template format
XYZ Partners is a privately held company with 2,000 employees in six states.
you choose may not transfer well, which will require you to retype the entire document at a later date. Parsing technology can also have a hard time reading templates
STEP TWO
3
STEP TWO: ADD COMPANIES AND DATES
Susie Smith 555 Any Street Anytown, USA 00000 (555) 555-5555 Susie_Smith@whateveremail.com
Staff Associate 5/2004–7/2005 Received job-specific training on document control and word processing as required by diverse clientele. Position required attention to detail, accuracy, and strong computer skills in Word. Reported to senior associate and was subsequently promoted into that role.
1/2007–present ABC Company, Anytown, USA Manager 1/2008–present Senior Associate 1/2007–1/2008 5/2004–12/2006 XYZ Partners, Anytown, USA Senior Associate 8/2005–12/2006 Staff Associate 5/2004–7/2005
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Senior Associate 8/2005–12/2006 Responsibilities included assisting in training and supervision of three staff associates performing word processing and proofreading as assigned. Ensured that quality control guidelines and project deadlines were being met. Reported to senior manager of production.
5/2002–4/2004 123 Incorporated, New Town, USA 123 Incorporated was a small company that was subsequently bought out by 789 Corporation.
5/2002–4/2004 123 Incorporated, New Town, USA Staff Associate 9/2002–4/2004 Intern 5/2002–8/2002
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Staff Associate 9/2002–4/2004 “Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect ResumeWorked is a must for of all projects job seekers. Entry level on ahave variety as assigned using Excel, candidates will gain valuable staging insight -- answering questions likeLiaised ‘where with do I start?,’ Word, and database research. management ‘what information is important?,’ seasonedand candidates will gain an advantage overand their clients regarding content-related issues supervised competition by using the steps to critically interns examine and finebasic tuneInternet their resumes performing research.-- pack it with pertinent perfection. Thompson’s book is easy to read, logical, and results oriented -- after all, the interview process starts with the ‘Perfect Resume’.” Intern 5/2002–8/2002 9
Performed-Lori basic Internet research Koffler, USA TODAYas assigned by staff associates.
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“Carolyn has done it again.. Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job helps you understand the process, evaluate alternative successful strategies in the marketplace, and making the transition from your current to future employer. More importantly, her book allows you to ‘take a step back’ and assess where your passion lies, truly finding the job where you look forward to waking up every day, and being excited about going to work.” -Mark Ross, The Washington Post
STEP ONE :
STEP TWO :
Understanding The Process
Customized Searching
Even though the world and its processes are automated, it’s still an individual or a group of people who will hire you. Finding a job requires not only determination and skills but also e ective, professional communication and follow-up to ultimately be the one who receives the coveted o er letter.
When conducting a con dential, strategic, career-oriented job search, responding to Internet postings is enhanced by your ability to perform customized research.
STEP THREE :
Networking
There are three ways to search and identify possible places of employment:
Your goal in sending out your resume should be to reach the decision maker as soon as possible, ideally rst. If you can avoid placing yourself in the pile of all the other resumes, you are one step ahead of the game.
Geography
Whenever possible, try to communicate with the nal decision maker without circumventing the proper recruiting protocol. If you can identify who your future boss might be, reach out to him or her. You can inform this person of your quali cations and interest in the position and ask for guidance through the proper channels to receive an invitation to interview.
Finding companies in your area that might need your knowledge and skills requires you to sort through your resume and make a list of keywords in the following areas:
Industry Skills
Speci c expertise and certi cations you have acquired Technical skills you o er
Starting at the top and working your way back through the recruiting process will give you a lot of information that you cannot get by simply responding to ads. Communicating with the managers rst will ensure that you are, in fact, submitting your resume for a viable position. These people will understand what work you have done and furthermore they will know if there is a current or future need for someone like you.
Industry knowledge you possess Choose three Internet job search sites that you will use for research. These sites vary widely and their popularity is based on your location as well as your industry. You will perform searches in your geographic area with your individual keywords. Indeed, HotJobs, Monster, and Careerbuilder may have some overlap, but we are NOT
Industry Knowledge
Skills
Personal referrals are great. If you get a job because of a referral from someone you know you will already have a friendly colleague at your new company. Ask your friends and colleagues to think beyond their current employer as well. Even if your acquaintance left a company in the past, that doesn’t mean you should avoid that company. People leave companies and jobs for a wide variety of reasons. Individual departments at the same company can be drastically dissimilar so your employment experience with any given employer could be 80 degrees di erent from what your friend experienced. Remember, you’ve done a lot of research into where you may be a t, and you should welcome any avenue you nd to explore those companies further. Professional associations and industry groups are terri c places to meet people who work at your target companies. Many o er career-speci c certi cations. You should pursue any and all opportunities for continuing education and leadership positions in these groups.
Keywords Geography
Since over 80 percent of new jobs are obtained through personal referrals or networking, this is probably the most important step. You’ve already identi ed the key companies in your area that are looking for people with your skills and expertise, so let’s nd people you know to help you get in there.
Cer
Alumni organizations and community groups o er fun and useful venues where you can meet people you
Other
Marketing Plan: I would report to someone titled __ _____________ or possibly _________________. Search online databases, my contacts, and www. LinkedIn.com for people with those titles at these companies to contact. MAKE A LIST AND TRACK INFORMATION GATHERED.
Companies to look into
Your reference list—you should have two former supervisors, a peer, a subordinate, and perhaps an associate or outside vendor you have a business relationship with. Friends and family members are never appropriate. Professors and instructors are appropriate only when you are a recent college (or high school) graduate. Make sure these people have given you permission to use them as references. It’s important that you o er current daytime contact information since anyone who may be checking references will be working during the day, not
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The Careers Expert Examines the job market
Unemployment Numbers and What They Mean to You We need to look around and really evaluate what we are hearing instead of just accepting the numbers. How do they really affect us? Look at Omaha, NE as an example. I was in Omaha last week conducting a resume workshop and promoting my new books. The US Conference of Mayors and the Nebraska Workforce Coalition both showed Omaha ending 2008 at 4.1% unemployment, and have projected the rate will increase to 4.9% by the end of 2009. With an estimated workforce of 466,000, that works out to about 3,000 more people being unemployed at the end of this year as compared to last year. That’s just fewer than 300 people a month. In contrast, in the past 30 days, 1,670 jobs in Omaha were posted on Monster and Career Builder combined. This trend is true in a lot of cities I’ve been visiting. It was true in Las Vegas; it’s true in DC, even in Miami. Take this theory and apply it to the national unemployment numbers: The US Department of Labor estimates our national workforce to be 154 Million people; 12.5M of which they estimate are unemployed. Understand that it’s easy to monitor new claims filed at the unemployment offices around the country. The way the tracking works, though, creates a build in lag time as people roll off unemployment, so those numbers are not tracked as accurately, if at all. Those people who file for unemployment repeatedly are also falling into the new claimant statistics. This doesn’t necessarily get reported in the news lately. Let’s turn to jobs being advertised. On a national level, in the past 30 days, 240,000 jobs were posted on Career Builder, according to Emily Wysocki, DC area Career Builder representative. Several representatives of Monster were unwilling to participate in this survey, but my staff researched and estimates 155,000 jobs were posted in the US in the past 30 days on their job board. Overall, these numbers indicate the weekly availability of jobs being posted both online and on company websites in nearly every city we polled is outpacing the number of applicants filing for unemployment. Yes, at the end of the day, more people are unemployed now than in the recent past, creating a more competitive marketplace than we’ve seen in most of our lifetimes. But, we also have a larger workforce than we’ve ever had, so that’s not as surprising as it might seem. We are a service-based nation, and we are adaptable and innovative. Necessity is the mother of invention. Who’s to say that one of those unemployed people isn’t sitting in their garage as I type, having a few beers, discussing ideas with friends, and preparing them to possibly become the next Bill Gates?
} In the Media } Carolyn Thompson’s careers industry-expertise and her commitment to teaching others has not gone unnoticed. Interviewing regularly on TV and radio stations across the nation, Carolyn has helped thousands of people struggling to secure a job build their resumes and approach the job-hunt with a strategic understanding of how to set themselves apart from the competition.
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Las Vegas, NV
Omaha, NE
Las Vegas, NV
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Career & Resume
} WORKSHOPS}
To coincide with the launch of her two new books, Carolyn is hosting free workshops across the country, offering her and her colleagues' expertise to the public. People are invited to bring their resumes and job-search questions for professional direction and suggestions -- Carolyn also lends her expertise and individual career consultations to those interested.
To date, Carolyn has held free public workshops in:
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Las Vegas, NV Baltimore, MD McLean, VA Washington, DC Omaha, NE Ft Lauderdale, FL Miami, FL
Thank You Carolyn!...
Last evening’s hour with you was the most productive and informative time I’ve spent during my 3 week job search… I’m looking forward to ‘fine tuning’ it [the resume] with your solid advice and expanded ideas from your book. I will then post it on linkedin.com, hot jobs, and craigslist as you suggested. - Jennifer Hedden
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A better resume, Thanks to you…
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Wow! You really do have a gift for what you do, a true resume wordsmith. I would never [have] thought to structure it [the resume] that way and the verbage grabs your attention… I'm sure I can modify your suggestion and make it my own. Thanks again! -Steve Chinn
A True Expert...
Carolyn, thank you so much for your time after yesterday’s workshop. With your help, I have a completely new outlook on the job search and I am finally motivated again! You are A True Expert and I hope many, many other job-seekers will get a chance to learn from you. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! -Rebecca Bloom
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Contact
Contact
Contact
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Carolyn Thompson
Authorr, Ten Easy Steps to a Perfect Resume Autho
Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job
Expert, Career Management President, CMCS, LLC. Media Inquiries: Lindsay Sellner LSellner@CM-CS.com (703) 734-6340
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Carolyn Thompson is available for interview
For more information on the Careers Expert, visit: www.CarolynThompson.net
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For more information on the job search, recruiting, staffing and executive searching, visit: www.cm-cs.com
Follow Carolyn on her blog: www.JobSearchJungle.com