In-depth, accessible, and entertaining?

Finding the right speaker or trainer for a career-related event can be tough, especially when it’s about something as seemingly dull as résumé writing. (Heads up: I see résumé writing as transformational, but realize everybody doesn’t share my point of view.)

“The finest career development program offered by the Harvard Club in the last fifteen years. ”
— Executive Director, Harvard Club of Washington, D.C.

If you’re looking for a speaker or trainer, I’ve done everything I can below to guide you in deciding whether my perspective is right for your audience. We should also have a conversation to discuss the pros and cons of my involvement.

First, I’ll assume that you want to help your graduates, members, or employees prepare for a change in their future. Universities want to arm their students and graduates with the latest market-ready tools, professional associations and certifying bodies want to offer their constituents an extended benefit, and companies want to give their employees a leg up before or during a RIF.

Audience types:

I’ve enjoyed long-term relationships with universities, professional associations, and other groups since delivering my first résumé writing workshop in 2002.

Here are a few:

 

  • University Organizers: Don’t wait until April or May to help your graduating students write their résumés. A good résumé takes time and thought, and your people will appreciate that time.

    • Speaker. “CV to Résumé: Humwork Tested & Tried Methods That Work, Humanists@Work Program,” University of California Humanists Research Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Apr. 2018

    • Presenter, “From Academic CV to Innovative Résumé Using “Purpose, Content & Design,” Humanists@Work Career Workshop, UCSC Silicon Valley Campus, May 2017.

    • Speaker. “Four Principles for Building Your Professional Brand on LinkedIn,” Beyond Academia 2017 Conference, The Clark Kerr Campus, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, Mar. 2017.

    • Speaker. “Converting Your Academic CV to a Non-Academic Résumé (STEM),” Beyond Academia 2017 Conference, The Clark Kerr Campus, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, Mar. 2017.

    • Speaker. “Converting Your Academic CV to a Non-Academic Résumé (Humanities),” Beyond Academia 2017 Conference, The Clark Kerr Campus, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, Mar. 2017.

    • Presenter. “Résumé Redux: Using the Writing Process as a Tool for Career Discovery,” Humanists@Work Partner Summit, University of California Humanities Network, La Casa de Maria, Santa Barbara, CA, Nov. 2016.

    • Presenter. “Résumé Redux: Using the Writing Process as a Tool for Career Discovery,” Humanists@Work Graduate Career Workshop, UC Humanities Network, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA, May 2016.

    • Speaker. “Four Strategies for Building Your Professional Brand on LinkedIn,” California Nanosystems Institute Building, University of California, Berkeley, Nov. 2015.

    • Speaker. “Four Principles for Building Your Professional Brand on LinkedIn,” UCLA Professional Development Conference for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars, Co-sponsored by the UCLA Career Center, Graduate Division, the California Nanosystems Institute, and the Institute for Digital Research and Education in Collaboration with eGSA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, Nov. 2015.

    • Co-Presenter. “Résumé Redux: Using the Writing Process as a Tool for Career Discovery,” University of California Humanities Research Institute, The Citizen Hotel, Sacramento, CA, Nov. 2015.

    • Webinar Trainer. “CV to Résumé: Hierarchy Mapping,” Saturday Morning Coffee with Jared Webinar, Mar. 2015.

    • Presenter. “Don’t Call it a Template: Unraveling Your Résumé’s Purpose, Content & Design,” San Diego Central Library, San Diego, CA, Feb. 2015.

    • Speaker. “Building Today’s Complex Career Change Résumé: Converting an Academic CV to a Non-Academic Résumé,” Career Workshop for Humanities PhD and MA Candidates, University of California Humanities Research Network, University of California, David Brower Center, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, May 2014.

    • Speaker. “Managing LinkedIn: Job Searching & Beyond,” CSU East Bay Entrepreneur Association, California State University East Bay, Oakland, CA, Mar. 2013.

    • Speaker. “Making Today’s Complex Résumé Possible: Using The Right Content & Design for Your Job Search,” MBA Job Search Skills Workshop, CSU East Bay Entrepreneur Association, California State University East Bay, Oakland, CA, Mar. 2013.

    • Presenter. “Lasting Connection: Why the Importance of Your Network Increases Every Year and How to Nurture it Now,” CFA Institute, Women in Investment Management: Access to Success in a Changing Industry,” Global Webinar, Oct. 2020

    • Expert. “Positioning Yourself with Résumés and Social Media,” Career Conversations Interview, CFA Institute Video, Sept. 2018.

    • Speaker. “Reverse-Engineering Your Long-Term Career Goals,” Diversity & Inclusion 2018: Strategies for Success, CFA Institute, San Francisco, CA, Sept. 2018.

    • Careers Expert, CFA Careers TwitterChat, Feb. 2018.

    • Co-Presenter. “How an Online Scheduler Can Make You More Competitive in Today's Market,” American Association of Image Consultants International, Global Webinar, Feb 2017.

    • Presenter. “Using LinkedIn as a Tool for Business,” Forum W, Moss Adams, LLP, Santa Rosa, CA, Jul. 2016.

    • Speaker. “Eye on the C-suite: A Crash Course for Your Future,” The Harvard Club of Washington, D.C., Hosted by the Litigation & Conference Center, Hogan Lovells, Washington, D.C., Jun. 2015.

    • Presenter. “Writing LinkedIn Profiles for Stealth Job Seekers,” National Résumé Writers’ Association, Annual Conference, Denver, CO, Sept. 2014.

    • Co-Presenter. “Build a Niche Career Services Firm to Attract and Serve Your Ideal Clients,” pre-conference workshop, The National Résumé Writers’ Association (The NRWA) National Conference, Denver, CO, Sept. 2014.

    • Speaker. “Advanced Writing Strategies for Your Résumé & LinkedIn Profile,” 4th Annual Career & Professional Development Day, CFA Society of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Apr. 2012.

    • Main Stage Speaker. “Why Retained Executive Search Doesn’t Want Your Client’s Inbound Résumé,” National Résumé Writers' Association, Annual Conference, Charleston, SC, Sept. 2012.

    • Speaker. “Is the Résumé Dead? Adapting Your Résumé to a LinkedIn World,” The Foundation Center, San Francisco, CA, Aug. 2012

    • Speaker. “Making Today’s Complex Résumé Possible: Using the Right Content and Design for Your Career,” Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, San Francisco, CA, Jul. 2012.

Where I typically fit:

Whether presenting or leading a hands-on experience, delivering new ideas through trainings and workshops is my core offering when I step outside the office. It’s learning-centered with a lot of career development and optimism wrapped in the constructs of résumé writing, LinkedIn development, and ongoing career hygiene.

Offerings include:

 

  • Main-stage presentations on my topic are best for other career-related practitioners. People like resume writers, career coaches, university-based career counselors, and other professionals who work directly with clients and want information and tools they might not yet have in their arsenal.

    Main-stage presentations are best in a careers-focused event, as long as the topic is broad enough to be of value to most attendees.

    Leave-behind materials are at a practitioner level.

  • Breakout classes are ideal as an adjunct to a larger event and when they allow time for practice, hands-on learning, and self-reflection.

    Breakouts are best when the event planner wants to provide several options from which event attendees can choose during the same period of time.

    Leave behind materials are provided in the form of templates and step-by-step how-to guides.

  • Webinars are best as instructor-led presentational trainings. They’re less ideal with periods of quiet self-reflection and experimentation. In a virtual setting, periods of self-reflection translate as dead air.

    Leave-behinds are a significant attraction for webinar attendees because they provide actionable post-attendance value.

Ready-to-Go Titles

Custom Presentations

Each of my Ready-to-Go trainings was once a custom topic developed for a specific audience and need. My Ready-to-Go trainings are adaptable to most audiences, but if you have a specific need that isn’t already offered, we can work together to design a new training.

Also, while I can usually shuffle my calendar to conduct a Ready-to-Go training relatively quickly, a custom training usually takes several months of preparation as a typical new presentation takes 12-20 hour to create, complete with slides, logical flow, and leave-behinds. The professional fee for custom presentations and trainings is inclusive of development time.