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Do you want to risk being in the no pile?
A resume provides the employer with a thumbnail sketch of who you are, what you have accomplished and what type of image you present. In 15 seconds or less, you are either in the “yes” or the “no” pile: you are off to nowhere, or on the way to an interview and a job offer.
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Is your job search stalled? Are you getting few or no interviews?
If you answer yes, then perhaps you need to reassess the quality of your resume and cover letter, because you need both to get results in today’s competitive labor market. Is your resume effectively showcasing your skills and experience? Will it position you to get the best salary, or does it downplay your attributes?
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Why Marilyn?
As a proven and effective resume writer, I obtain an understanding of your essential transferable skills -- the lesser known, but important responsibilities or achievements that can easily be overlooked by an inexperienced writer.

By taking the time to speak by phone or meet with me, I can ask the necessary questions and get in depth answers that will ultimately define your unique experience. I always take the time to get a sense of you as a real person behind the paper, so that the resume ultimately reflects your individual qualities and gets you an interview!

The plus side of this process is that together we identify your strong points and this information is an integral part of preparing for any interview.

For over fifteen years, I have demonstrated the ability to help people in their job search, to develop effective strategies that move the process forward to the end goal: the job offer.

I have created thousands of resumes, cover letters and thank you letters for those in the blue collar trades (carpenter, electrician, truck driver etc.), office administration, business management, nursing and related, medical technology, human resources, education technical, retail and outside sales, insurance, hospitality, customer service, banking, law enforcement, security. My experience also includes experience preparing resumes and cover letters for ex-military, career changers, re-entry, recent high school and college graduates.
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I'm ready to move forward. Now What?
Go to the form to upload your resume if you have one, or complete information to prepay for services.
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When would I need employment coaching?
When months have gone by and you don't have a job, have had few or no interviews -- and you don't know why. Your confidence level is low and you need a reality check.

Early in the process to identify problem areas in the job search process such as: an ineffective resume, no cover letter, inappropriate job leads, lack of organization, poor interviewing, or search skills.
In the beginning to get an action plan and shorten the job search process from months to perhaps weeks- it is true, really!
When a first interview does not lead to a second interview- when you want it to, and it happens more than once.
When you are not sure what your worth is in the marketplace.

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How do I contact you?
You can contact me by phone 510.987.7271 or email to arrange a telephone conference call, or meet in person at my office.
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What are the clear signs that I might need help with interviewing or salary negotiation?

You get the first interview, but you don’t get called back for a second interview
You get the second interview but you don’t get an offer.
You get employers interested on the phone or in interviews, you may get close to an offer, but something happens to blow it when salary comes up.
You get offers from 2 employers at the same time and lose both of them.
Somehow you get paid less than you think you are worth, or you are not always sure.
The interview lasts 10-15 minutes and there is no callback.
After the interview you think of all the things you should have said.
You couldn’t anticipate any of the questions the employer asked you about the job, or your skills and experience.
You didn’t send a thank you letter and aren’t sure what to include in one.

Many employers will not consider an applicant without a cover letter, some will ask for it upfront in the ad, others won’t ask; but will just eliminate you from consideration if you do not include one.

The cover letter is your opportunity to include things that aren’t appropriate in a resume: it is your chance to show your personality, creativity, drive, passion for the industry-- your individuality. After all, employers are hiring a person, not just a resume, and you need to become more alive to them when they are reviewing your application. It is essential.
Determining what your marketable traits are is where an expert comes in, and how to blend personal with professional information in a clear, concise but interesting manner.

Follow up letters; thank you letters and supportive information are just as important. If an employer is ambivalent about hiring you, a well thought out thank you letter can make the difference.
How do I know? Twenty years ago, I sent a convincing thank you letter and got hired into an entry-level job as a personnel recruiter, then I did it again several years later for a job as an employment counselor for a vocational rehabilitation firm, a career change for me. I know it works. In all instances, the employers told me that my letter convinced them to contact me for a second interview or to make me an offer.
You also need to be prepared with a reference sheet and salary history, just in case the employer wants one following the interview. If you scramble to do it, and there are errors, it will definitely work against you.
A thank you letter or a networking cover letter that you can use, or tailor to different situations as you job search will also save you time.