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Read what prior CDI conference
attendees are saying:
2007 - San Antonio, Texas
As for the
conference, the thing I always love about your events is that they are
edgy. Not only did I walk away with some golden nuggets of information,
but the CDI presentations are always thought provoking and they foster
healthy debate…to video resume or not to video resume…that is the
question!!! Also, because it was a very intimate setting, I got to chat
at length with people I didn’t know very well before the conference and
I’m already thinking about ways to partner with a number of people that
I met. Thanks again for everything, and once again, you produced an
outstanding conference. I can’t wait to see what you have planned for
Seattle!
- Barbara Safani, Career
Solvers
* * * * *
The
laughter, great conversations and developing relationships were
wonderful treasures that I took away and will continue to reflect on.
CDI’s vision for a conference that allowed us to learn, connect and have
a whole lot of fun was most certainly actualized. I want to thank you
for your attention to all of the details that made our experience unique
and most of all for your ongoing dedication and commitment to the
industry.”
- Heather Wieshlow,
Turning Point Coaching and Consulting
* * * * *
I
thought the conference had a really great balance of fun and structure.
From my theatre background, I really appreciated some of the more
interactive elements, such as the table topic lunch, networking game,
etc. I think the the ice breakers were fabulous from the get go of the
badges with stickers. I started getting into a spirit of fun - selecting
what I wanted to put on my badge. It was great!
- Michael Kranes, Resume
Slayer * * * * *
"Going to the conference opened my eyes
to the resources CDI offered, which led to my membership. After going
through the mentoring program and soaking up CDI's resources, my Web
traffic is up, revenue is up, efficiency up, and my frustration level is
down. Now, if I could just improve my tennis game...I would be a happy
girl. Actually I have more time for the courts...so there is hope for me
yet." - Tamara Dowling,
ResumesByGeorge.com
* * * * *
Since last
week's San Antonio conference, I find myself up and at ''em each morning
with exciting new ideas of how to move JobRockit to the next level! I
truly believe that the people I connected with at this conference will
create a turning point in my life! It's hard to explain, but there's one
thing I have learned *for certain* in this industry: we do not get to
the Top ... alone.
It is a good thing that this is not the conference that I chose to sit
out on because of financial reasons, or any other reasons. It would have
caused me to miss once-in-a-lifetime opportunities!
Onward!
- Sharon Williams, M.Ed.,
CPRW, JobRockit * * * * *
I have attended previous CDI conferences
in Atlanta, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and Orlando that were
great, but the conference in San Antonio was the best!
The speakers were top notch, and I learned enough to more than pay for
the cost of attending. Also, the attendees were 100% caring, sharing &
fun!
I was particularly impressed with the work CDI did in preparing the Mega
Trends report. Nona Pratz deserves special praise as she devoted so much
time despite the fact that she is from the New Orleans area and will
continue to be dealing with the aftermath of Katrina for years to come.
I’m making my plans for Seattle!
- Grant Cooper, C.A.R.W., Strategic Résumés * * * * *
Ditto! What an incredible time at such a
beautiful hotel, located in close proximity to the River Walk. More
importantly was the wealth of information from very accomplished
associates. All very practical workshops, all very informative. Good
choice of workshops. Yes, CDI has
pulled it off with aplomb, and has further equipped us and empowered us
as resume writers and career development specialists.
- Judy Ware, Resumes for Careers * * * * *
In short, WoW! They did it again....CDI,
of course. What a wonderful conference, wonderful hotel, and wonderful
food. I learned so much, as usual, and thoroughly enjoyed networking and
visiting good friends and meeting new ones.
- Nona Pratz, Types Write * * * * *
2006 - Orlando, Florida
"Dear Colleagues and all the new
friends I was fortunate enough to have made at the conference, I wanted
to let all of you who didn't attend know how much you all missed. It was
without question one of the two or three best conferences I have ever
attended. From the wonderful no holding back camaraderie, to the
generous sharing of information on new technology, resume
products/styles, how to sell and how much for, and the exchange of
intellectual property, it was just nothing short of great!!!!!!!!!!.
There wasn't one speaker from whom
this jaded old pro didn't learn something, and I am truly grateful to
all the presenters, so if I leave out your name, forgive me (Don). I am
already adding new revenue streams to my business and doing my new
expanded Internet job searching coaching session on Tuesday for the fist
time (Thanks Barbara)...as Jack Chapman would say KA CHING (resume speak
for money). I picked up some great new resume styles and product tips
from Tracy and Louise, and sales tips from Wendy Weiss. Since these are
the areas I count as my "key" strengths I feel I received an unexpected
bonus.
Already paid to go to next years
conference in San Antonio and took advantage of the conference early
bird discount. SINCE I KNOW I AM GOING FOR SURE, WHY NOT SAVE A FEW
DOLLARS!
Laura.....my deepest appreciation and
respect for your dedication and efforts and to the team that assisted
you. I can truly empathize with the amount of work and time, and
planning that went into this (I didn't get paid for this empathy Jack)."
- Marty Weitzman, Gilbert Resumes
* * * * *
"This year's conference was the BEST. It
was so refreshing to hear presentations on new topics and revenue
generators. YES, I am raising my prices again! Don't you just LOVE it!!!
Best of all, I was able to meet new
people and see old friends who are never afraid to share their wealth of
knowledge. I am hosting a resume meeting this coming Friday for a group
of Michigan and Ohio writers / coaches and I can't wait to tell them
about the conference benefits. Sharon Pierce-Williams - you better be
there!
Thanks to Laura and her great team for
a job well done."
- Deb James, Leading Edge Resumes
* * * * *
"As we 'age' in our business we sometimes
feel we know it all (or at least all we need to know) so conferences
become more about renewal, refreshment, and catching up with friends
rather than new learning.
But at this year's CDI conference I
took at least one golden nugget from every single presentation, and I'm
ready to start doing a few things differently... to better serve my
clients AND earn more for my expertise.
It was great to meet new people as
well as connect with old friends - what a great group of people! See you
all next year in San Antonio."
- Louise Kursmark, MRW, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP,
CCM, Best Impression Career Services, Inc
* * * * *
"Ditto to all Marty said! I'm so excited
about using all I learned. Folks, you get an immediate ROI by attending
one of these conferences. Start putting aside some bucks so you can
afford to go next year. It's definitely worth it."
- Ellen Mulqueen, A FutureLink
* * * * *
"Barbara Safani is a wizard when it comes
to networking! Wendy Weiss taught me a few new techniques that will make
us more effective this coming year. What can be said of Ric Lanham
except "He nailed it." I never tire of learning from Jack Chapman and
who knew he could play the drums so well?
Freddie Cheek and Ellen Mulqueen know
more about working with those with special needs than I ever imagined. I
find it really interesting how Louise Kursmark just gets smarter and
smarter every year. She too taught me some "new tricks" we will apply
this year.
I really enjoyed seeing all 7 Laura
Decarlos (I KNOW there must be at least 7 of her because she does the
work of at least 7 normal human beings) Laura deserves an award for
making our conference so worthwhile and interesting.
I look forward to seeing you all in
San Antonio next year. It's so nice to know so many nice people!"
- Don Skipper, Career Beginnings,
Inc.
* * * * *
"Ditto to everyone! Lisa and I thoroughly
enjoyed the CDI conference and came away with a bundle of good ideas to
implement within our writing and sales team. It never ceases to amaze me
how much camaraderie and expertise there is within our industry. Thank
you so much to all the presenters.
I always enjoyed seeing my old friends
and making new acquaintances within the industry. All I can say is what
an amazing group of people.
Laura, you and your team are truly
amazing and we can't thank you enough for all your hard work. We
definitely plan to go to next years conference in San Antonio."
- Barbara Adams, CareerPro Global
Inc.
* * * * *
"I'm so excited! My supplemental 'Great
Idea Book' from Laura is on my desk. I decided to try just two of the
new ideas the first opportunity I had (Of course, I'll implement more
ideas ASAP, including getting in touch with my accountability partners )
So, while doing my best to catch up on client contact from my absence
and following up on some promises made to several colleagues from the
conference -- and not finished yet --- (if you're on my list), I took a
call from a job seeking prospect. Well, both new ideas from my Great
Idea Book were used with this prospect and sure enough, this new client
will be here on Thursday for a fee based consultation. I also did a
"ball park" quote on her resume, based on the second idea in my Great
Idea Book and I provided my highest price quote ever :-) Because of the
wording of how my fees are structured, thanks to one presenter, the
prospect quickly agreed it was a fair investment.
I'm eager to have more opportunities
to use more suggestions and can't wait to share results after my
appointment on Thursday."
- Jane Roqueplot, JaneCo's
Sensible Solutions
* * * * *
"As a first-time attendee, I was very
impressed with the organization of the event, and I especially enjoyed
meeting so many professionals in the resume writing world. I made some
new friends, and learned many new things to add to my business. It was
also great to meet Louise and Arnold in person, as I have resumes that
will be published in their upcoming books. What a treat!
Thank you Laura for taking care of all
the details, especially making sure I was well fed. I truly appreciate
your sensitivity and all the hard work you put into making this a
wonderful conference."
- Marilyn Feldstein, Career
Choices Unlimited
* * * * *
"It is exciting to be in my office today
implementing new ideas, contacting new CDI members, and thanking
everyone for moving us to the next level in not only our businesses, but
in our hearts!
When attending conferences, I always
set three goals. For this conference, the goals were to (1) find writers
for the new launch of a virtual career center www.JobRockit.com (so far
... Ellen Mulqueen., Freddie Cheek., and Cory Edwards), (2) determine
how to set up the website regarding numerous writers (thank you!, Louise
Kursmark!!), and (3) learn new revenue streams (Barbara Safani, Jack
Chapman, Louise Kursmark, Marty Weitzman ... on and on!!)
But, what I take away MOST from this
conference ... the gracious hearts of Jane Roqueplot and Barbara Adams.
Josh Groban has a great song called, 'You Raise Me Up' ... When goals
are set for future conferences, I will make sure that one is set to
"make a difference in someone's life" rather than all goals pointed
toward myself!
As "Make a Difference Day" approaches
Saturday, October 28, I think of Don Skipper's group as they move
forward with the CCTC program ... lest we forget Cordell Tjaden who made
an impression on everyone! Don, we are looking forward to seeing you on
OPRAH! My family was touched by the good hearts of CDI members.
Oprah speaks of many things being 'in
the details.' The Orlando conference was all about "the details." Way to
go, Laura and committees, for creating a fun-filled, rewarding
conference that moves us all to another level business-wise and
heart-wise!!!"
- Sharon Williams, The Resume.Doc
* * * * *
"I ditto everything everyone has said.
For those of you who say it's too expensive or you can't afford it,
coming from Katrinaville I said the same thing. But...you can work it
out. I spent $800.00...which included everything... the conference,
hotel room (I roomed with 3 other ladies - yeah guys it worked out well,
our "networking" continued after our all-day networking), the luau,
meals, some books, plane fare, and transportation to and from the
airport! You can be on a tight budget and still enjoy yourself!
The friendship and sharing was
excellent. The group we had was ready to share anything you wanted or
needed to know. The seminars were excellent! And, of course, Laura had
every detail covered. As we sat munching on M&Ms while waiting for a
session to start, I mentioned to our table the group that if I know
Laura, there is something written on the M&Ms. They laughed....well,
guess who got the prize for knowing what was on the M&Ms!!!!! Chris
(Laura's husband), does she ever sleep??? She made sure every last
detail was perfect. Table toys???? What a great idea!! But the sessions
were packed with so much information, we had to stay during the break to
play with them.
Thank you Laura for such a wonderful
time. It was great to see all of you again. Thank you all for your
friendship and knowledge that you shared. I look forward to seeing all
of you again in San Antonio next year!"
- Nona Pratz, Types Write
* * * * *
"Colleagues, how can I top the fine words
said by Ellen, Don, Marty, Malloy, Louise, Judy, Ric, and Barbara?
First, one goes to these conferences to learn and network. That happened
in gallons of gold, because Laura, Kate, Chris, and the gang all
provided such a nice venue with all the accouterments of home. I got to
finally meet in person the ladies of the Research Committee, Carrie and
Nona. By the way, Carrie, you have such lovely children! That was a
thrill, because we have been communicating on the telephone almost every
month for about a year.
Also, Grant deserves a special kudo
for dressing in a tux. Naturally, the two stories about Katrina from
Nona and Grant made a deep impression. It is the people who helped them
who deserve special thanks as well. I am glad both these treasured
members are able to get back on their feet again. Having gone through
two earthquakes, I can somewhat empathize with their concerns.
One presentation after another from
Thursday morning on moved so quickly, and one wanted more time on each
one. The Luau was particularly gratifying, because so much camaraderie
was expressed. I will never forget the conversations with Susan Guarneri
at the table topics about blogging and personal branding.
Today in our first-year seminar we
talked about the importance of memory in college and related SAVE
(Selectivity-Association-Visualization-Effort) CRIB
(Concentration-Recitation-Interest-Big and Little Pictures) FOTO
(Feedback-Organization-Time on Task-Ongoing Review). In most examples I
used my well-spent time in Orlando to explain to the students how
important it is to remember people's names and something about them.
Sharon Pierce-Williams and Laura, yes, we even talked about lunch
reviews and their etiquette. You can see I could have networked for
another week. It is hard to get back to the classroom after meeting so
many friends and new friends who have so much to offer.
The time flew by!"
- Jay Christensen, CECC, CFRW,
California State University, Northridge
* * * * *
2005 - Las Vegas, Nevada
“So much fun, so much great information, and such wonderful
camaraderie!
Yesterday - my first day back - I
immediately sold 2 new service offerings that will bring me $200 pure
profit at no expenditure of time. I proposed about $500 of additional
(new) services to a top executive client, and I'm confident this is just
the start of something wonderful (for them and for me). And I'm
revamping an upcoming workshop to include some of the great tips and
tricks I learned - again, wonderful for my audience and fun for me.
It was great to meet new friends and
reconnect with familiar faces. What a great group! I look forward to
next year!”
- Louise Kursmark, MRW, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP,
CCM, Best Impression Career Services, Inc
* * * * *
"Spectacular,
Informative, Enriching, Rejuvenating and Profitable are some of the
words that come to mind following this great conference! As a regular
attendee to some of the largest career conferences and events, I have
never been to a conference with such high-quality sessions. I learned
something from each presenter. I have 2-pages of immediate To-Dos and
4-pages of ideas to implement to provide better services and make more
money. If you missed this conference, you'll want to make sure to make
Conference 2006 in Orlando! You won't be disappointed!”
- Cory Edwards,
CRW, CFRW, CWPP, CECC, CCMC, Partnering for Success
* * * * *
"Wow! What can I say - the conference in
Vegas was just awesome. This was a very special time for me, meeting
people I'd met at the New Orleans conference plus lots of new people
too. We all have so much to learn from each other. The presentations
were fabulous and each one of us will have learned something to
introduce into our business and for our clients. I met so many wonderful
people and I thank them for sharing their 'secrets'. Thanks again to
everyone for making this conference awe-inspiring."
- Carolyn Broomfield, CRW, CEIC,
First Place Resumes, Australia
* * * * *
“The
speakers and content were fantastic. Kendall's opening 4-hour
presentation started the conference off with a BANG !! What valuable
marketing information!!! It only got better from there. The mix was
wonderful - from an interactive panel discussion to an informative
presentation by Aussie Carolyn Broomfield. WOW !! I'm really looking
forward to 2006 in Orlando.”
- Deborah S. James, CCMC, CPRW, Leading
Edge Resumes & Career Services
* * * * *
“After attending Vegas this year, I can
honestly say that I have rarely participated in a conference where the
sessions were so worthwhile (and this was probably my 30th conference).
I have attended the CDI <PRWRA> conference for
the past four years. Not only have I had a wonderful time but, more
importantly, I have greatly benefited from each experience.
What have I gained?
- A lucrative relationship with a business
for which I now subcontract.
- Information that I have used in materials
I have written for publication.
- Invaluable tips on conducting my
business.
- Visibility and networking with peers
whose expertise I value.
- Ideas for presentations I have given.
- The best client management tip I have
ever received and which I have passed along to almost everyone I know.
- A chance to meet colleagues whom I admire
and very much wanted to share time with.
- Materials, including a resume critique
program, that I use almost daily to make my job easier.
- Writing and grammar tips that I have
shared with members of other associations.
And that's just a partial list.
Okay, I must admit I have had fun, too.
The food has always been top notch and the accommodations have been
superior. I have always felt a part of a bigger family of colleagues. I
have even walked away each year with a suitcase full of door prizes and
giveaways.
Congratulations to the whole conference
team. I am already looking forward to Orlando in 2006.”
- Freddie Cheek, M.S. Ed., CCM, CPRW, CRW,
CWDP, Cheek & Cristantello Career
Connections
* * * * *
“The conference was so stimulating, my
head is bursting with ideas. Folks, start saving your pennies for
next year. I think it was Grant who said, in an earlier email, that
within a couple of months, he'll earn back the money he invested in the
conference. That can be true of everyone. If you can put away just a little each week, you'll be able to afford
conference costs without any burden.”
- Ellen Mulqueen, MA, CRW, The
Institute of Living
* * * * *
"The Las Vegas meeting was one of the
very best and most informative I have had the pleasure to attend over
the past three years.
I and my staff all learned much at this
meeting. I personally formed two alliances and am working on a third
alliance that I believe will handsomely reward all four of us.
It was also rewarding to learn new
material and to be exposed to new ideas and ways of approaching
problems. In addition to my alliances, I have returned with three
implementable ideas that are being worked on at this writing.
Of course, as always, I had the wonderful
opportunity to rekindle old friendships and to make a few new friends as
well. Isn't that one of the heart, not head, reasons we attend these
things anyway?
To all of those who did not attend, you
REALLY missed some outstanding programs and ideas. See you in Orlando in
October - 2006.”
- Fred Coon, Chairman, CEO - Stewart, Cooper & Coon,
Inc.
* * * * *
“Having attended conferences with four
different career associations, I have to say, hands down, CDI <PRWRA> puts on
the best show, from the awards to the food and content. It may not be
the biggest, but I'm all for quality over quantity.
I recently entered
my fifth year in
business and I don't believe I could have made it this far without
conference attendance. I learned a lot, and made some new friends along
the way. I've never experienced a camaraderie in the workplace with
colleagues as I have in this business, yet we compete for the same
clients everyday.”
- Susan Geary, 1st Rate Resumes,
CERW, CEIC, CPRW, CRW, 1st Rate Resumes
* * * * *
"How do we begin
to say thank you for such a well-done job of organizing and running such
an important conference! The food was so . . . good; the sessions were
so . . .excellent. Especially, I value the time meeting long-time
members and new members. Enthusiasm was contagious everywhere. The days
went fast, and I was sorry when the conference ended.
The thanks just keep coming for you
provided the inspiration. None of us will ever forget the Fremont Street
Experience either."
- Dr. G. Jay Christensen, PhD, CECC, CFRW,
California State University, Northridge
* * * * *
“Fantastic conference and fantastic
association. The dynamics of this organization is responsible for the
really useful and fulfilling conference you presented. Sans politics,
sans status seeking, I witnessed a group of folks sincerely interested
in helping one another.”
- Janice Worthington, MA, CPRW,
CEIP, JCTC, Worthington Career
Services
* * * * *
“Here's just another take on what turned
out to be a superb conference! As VP of International Relations I was
pleased to have not one but two international speakers agree to present
at our Las Vegas Conference! Audrey Fields and Carolyn Broomfield did an
outstanding job bringing an international flavour and prospective
through their presentations. This truly sets us apart and enriches our
membership with a worldwide prospective.”
- Nicole Miller, CRW, CCM, CECC, IJCTC,
Milroy Consultants
* * * * *
“I had the opportunity to attend the
conference this year and have to echo the sentiments that so many of you
shared already. I was delighted! I have attended several conferences all
of them being much larger and wasn't sure if the quality would be the
same with a smaller group. What a wonderful surprise! The smaller group
format was excellent because the speakers were really able to
personalize the material and our burning questions were answered with
insight and depth. This was a new experience for me and I found the
information to be extremely valuable and have already started to use it
with my clients.
Congratulations
on putting on a great
conference!”
- Heather Wieshlow - Turning Point Coaching and Consulting
* * * * *
“I have been in the resume business for 16 years and this is the
first conference I have attended. What a wonderful experience! I learned
something - usually many things - from each session and every single
member I had the privilege of meeting.
My sincere thanks to President Laura, an
inspiring leader, who made this career-boosting experience possible. I
will see you all in Orlando in 2006!”
- Nancy Rosenberg, MBA, A2Z Resumes
* * * * *
“This was my first
conference and I learned so much and I intend on putting new strategies
to work immediately. It was really nice meeting everyone and I enjoy
belonging to a genuine, supportive organization. I am supercharged and
ready for action.”
– Abby Locke, CRW,
CFRW, Premier Writing Solutions
* * * * *
What do you have to say? Join us
at our next conference to see for yourself what all the talk is about! |
