You are searching for a new job either because you currently have one and you want a new challenge, or because you were laid off and your unemployment will run out, so you have to find work. In either case, you are working every avenue that you can think of, but you find that the process is slow. You have applied via job boards, you have applied directly to company websites, and you have stopped by companies to drop off your resume. Still, you’re getting tepid responses or not making it past the initial conversation. At a certain point, which only the candidate can determine, it becomes important to seek help and figure what can be done differently to stand out in an ever-growing field of candidates. Options can vary from relatively easy and inexpensive (Resume Writer and Recruiter) to more time consuming and costly (Interview Coach/ Executive Life Coach).

Resume Writer

Writing a resume is not a skill that we regularly use, and often it is done in haste. To stand out as a candidate, one needs to have a resume that appeals to both the potential employer but, more importantly, to the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that will pre-screen your resume before a human being touches it. The days of a real person reading a resume are a far-off history, and instead, a computer looks for key words to determine if the candidate is a good fit. One company that does an excellent job with giving candidates a variety of options is Top Resume.  They take the time to interview you and format your resume, so it stands out. Most importantly, they make sure that your resume will appeal to the ATS, as well as to the human reader.

Interview Coach

Let us say that the candidate keeps getting callbacks and the first interviews but consistently does not make it to the next step. There must be a reason, and they are not certain of what it is. An interview coach can help teach them how to interview, but more importantly, it can help them frame their personal narrative so that they give a compelling answer to interview questions. The interview coach also has the experience to escalate the type of questions as the interview process moves forward and gives them feedback so that candidates “keep on your script.”  The interview coach teaches them how to reply to those questions that they have struggled with. An interview coach that this writer recommends is Barry Drexler, who works remotely so one can have sessions via webcam. From firsthand experience, the writer knows that his methods work, as he was instrumental in helping during a time when his personal narrative was an obstacle to a job search.

Life/Executive Coach

There comes the point when regardless of how the search is going, the candidate realizes that the work that they are seeking may not make them happy—but they feel trapped in a situation. The candidate has spent a career following someone else’s path and has not been able to make the impact that they envisioned. A Life Coach can be a mentor who is not caught up in their aspiration but is there to help them see something different about why they have pursued a specific path, and why it may not be the best one any longer. The Life Coach compassionately “holds up a mirror” so that the candidate can better assess what why did they become a (insert position) and asks was that indeed the path they wanted. Unlike the interview coach, however, this a more intimate process and takes a longer time commitment. To be most impactful, it is best if sessions are person to person and not conducted via webcam. Executive Coach, Bruce Mast in New Hampshire helps his clients “figure out an impact you’re going to make and sort that from a task you’re going to do.”

Recruiter

A great recruiter such as the ones you find at Goodwin Recruiting can combine the aspects of the resume writer and the interview coach, and guide the candidate on how best to interview for specific jobs. The recruiter knows what the client is looking for and can identify if the candidate has the skills and traits that the client is seeking. He guides the process. One great benefit is that the recruiter gets the candidate’s resume and application directly to the hiring manager and points out all the reasons why the candidate should be considered. With over 20 years of experience in recruiting, and recognized as Forbes America’s Best Recruiting Firms 2020, Goodwin has coached countless candidates to great jobs through transparent communication and by helping them to be the best.