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IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FRAUDULENT LOGO USE & CREDENTIALS
If you see a CDI
membership or
certification logo
on a service
provider's website,
you need to
verify them.
Use the
database
to search by last
name.
If you do not find
them, they are not
a member or their
credential has
expired. Put your
trust in certified,
verified
professionals. |
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Career
professionals come in all shapes and sizes, with different levels of
experience, qualification, and recognition. So, how do you pick one
that you can be confident will be a good match for you?
There are
several factors to consider in finding a career professional:
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While an industry certification is
not a guarantee that a particular consultant will be a perfect match
for your needs, if from a reputable organization with continuing
education requirements, it is an endorsement that the professional
has met strenuous testing and evaluation procedures to demonstrate
he/she is a highly qualified professional. This testimonial of skill
will better ensure that the professional is qualified to meet your
needs.
What to look for:
- A credential that can be
verified through a credible organization such as CDI. It's
always a good idea to make certain that the individual holds the
credential they claim to have and that it is from a reputable
(and real) organization.
- A credential that requires
continuing education requirements. Especially in industry
specialties such as resume writing, you want to know that a
professional is continuing to expand their qualifications to
stay abreast of industry changes. CDI's Certified Advanced
Resume Writer and Certified Master Resume Writer are two of only
a few resume certifications that require continuing education
units.
Avoid scams: Be sure to always
visit the granting association to verify credentials as there are
many fake coaching and resume credentials listed on the Internet.
The Internet tends to play a big part in how
career professionals do business today, however, you need to find a
professional who offers a service that meets your needs and can provide it
in a way that is most comfortable to you.
It is rarely a good idea to make a buying
decision based on a Web site alone. Be sure to speak to the professional and
ask questions such as:
- How does your process work? (You want to
know whether it is face-to-face, on the phone, through questionnaires,
etc.) There is no one method that is right, but it must feel right for
you.
- Will I work with you or a third party?
If a third party, what are the qualifications of that individual? Can I
speak with him or her before purchasing the service?
You also need to consider your comfort level
with the individual? Is he/she motivating, friendly, and encouraging or
brisk and indifferent? If you feel comfortable with the individual you will
have a much greater chance of working together successfully to meet your
goals.
Be careful of guarantees: A money-bank
guarantee can inspire confidence but it is not the only mark of a qualified
professional. Don't base your decision to work with a professional based
solely on a 'guarantee'. Remember, a resume or coach alone won't
individually find you a job! |
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One of the best ways to determine how
successful a career professional will be is by reviewing client testimonials
and contacting references.
What to look for:
- Substantial testimonials that stress
actual outcomes of the job seekers. Fluffy testimonials that talk about
'increased confidence' in their job search is not an indicator that a
document will be successful.
- Real-sounding testimonials; if you have
doubt, inquire.
-
Ability to speak to former satisfied clients. PLEASE NOTE: Not all
career professionals are able to provide these because of their privacy
policies to protect their clients, especially in this age of identity
theft. In most cases, you should be able to learn enough about the
career professional through a consultation, review of written
testimonials, and evaluation of credentials. However, if available, this
could be another way to evaluate that a professional is a good match for
you.
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In career services, there are generalists and
specialists. For instance, if your career is in information
technology, then you want to make certain that the professional you select
has expertise in your field. Alternatively, if you are seeking a career
coach, you should find out if they are adept at working within your goal
area (such as a female seeking promotion to the executive level) or a job
seeker looking to make a career change to an unidentified field. While many
professionals offer multiple one-stop services, make sure they can meet your
needs.
On Specialization: A professional
doesn't have to specialize only in your field to be able to provide you with
the expertise you need. Be sure to ask if the professional has experience in
your field, look for samples on their Web site (if you are seeking resume
services), and watch what they say to gain a sense of their comfort zone
with your field. Many professionals are adept at interviewing and
researching so that they do not need to specialize to provide you with
superior service.
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One sure way to determine the currency of
your prospective professional's qualifications is to look at what he/she has
done. Top career professionals will stand out from the crowd with:
How to learn more: Use
www.google.com to search for the name of
the career professional. Put the first name and last name of the individual
in quotes such as "Tom Jones" and then review the listings. Are there any
about this individual such as quotes, books, a blog, articles, committees,
or industry awards? The professional's online identity can tell you a lot
about how involved, recognized, and up-to-date the professional is in the
careers community.
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Not all career professional specialties can
furnish samples such as coaching, recruitment, and outplacement. In fact,
probably the only professional who will have samples available are resume
writers.
Expect to be able to view JPEG or PDF samples
on the web, or printed samples in the office (for professionals who offer
face-to-face service).
What not to expect: Don't expect to
ever receive samples by email or be given samples to take home, and don't
expect to be able to print, copy, or save Web-based samples. These are there
to show the quality the professional can produce and not for you to
reproduce since they won't be tailored to your needs.
Also, don't expect to see samples of
documents such as cover letters, thank you / follow up letters, or
references. If a professional demonstrates the ability to write a
results-driven resume that emphasizes unique selling propositions, he/she
will be able to write strong supplemental documents.
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Again, while not a definitive single selection
criteria for picking a career professional, a professional who shows
significant continuing education in his/her profile of qualifications is
going to be more up-to-date than someone who has not/does not pursue
life-long learning.
Ask about continuing education or look for
attendance at conferences or attainment/retention of credentials that
require continuing education units to maintain them.
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You can find a wide variety of CDI career
professionals using CDI's member search
feature. Professional specialties that you can search for include:
Career Coach
Career Counselor
Career Researcher
Desktop Publisher
Employment Law
Federal Resume Writer
Human Resource Specialist
Interview Coach
Job Developer
Job Search Firm
Outplacement Professional
Placement Specialist
Technical Writer
Recruiter
Resume Writer
Secretarial Service
Trainer / Instructor
You
can also search by industry certifications, zip code (U.S.) proximity, state
(U.S.) or country (international).
Search now. |
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