Media
CBC Radio Interviews Susan Kelly Easton
September 21, 2009
Susan Kelly Easton was interviewed by Joanne Roberts, the host of All Points West broadcast from Victoria, BC on Monday evening. Susan provided resume-writing tips related to her International Resume Writing Nomination with Career Directors International. She is up against some stiff competition for the Toast of the Resume Industry Award, the only endorsement of its kind in the career industry, world-wide. Stay tuned for the podcast!
CECS Nominated for International Resume Award
August 28, 2009
Career Directors International
The anticipation is over! The time to announce Career Directors International's Annual Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) Award Nominees has arrived!
Best International Resume Category
Susan Kelly Easton, Competitive Edge Career Services
Laura Labovich
Kathleen Alexander
Jennifer Rushton
Tamara Dowling
While we say it each year, this year represented the absolute best resume submission quality, and the greatest competition, we have seen so far. Award medals will be awarded at the 2009 Career Directors Conference Awards Ceremony in Orlando, FL in October.
Congratulations to our 2009 Nominees and all the excellent resume writers who entered this year!
Laura DeCarlo
President & Executive Director
Career Directors International
Cover Letters For Dummies Wins Best Career Book of the Year at the 2009 New York Book Expo
May 30, 2009
Competitive Edge Career Services’ cover letters are now in print in the latest edition of Cover Letters for Dummies! Here’s what author and Syndicated Career Columnist, Joyce Lain Kennedy, had to say:
Dear Susan Easton
Cover Letters For Dummies, 3rd Edition, won First Place in the careers category of this year's national Benjamin Franklin Awards - Best Career Book of the Year - presented at the annual Book Expo, held in New York this week
The sample letters provided by you and other top career management professional writers were a leading element in the win. How lucky we were to find you! Please know you have my high regard and genuine appreciation, and that of my associate, John Gill, and the book's editor, Traci Cumbay.
Sincere thanks,
Joyce Lain Kennedy
May 30, 2009
Joyce Lain Kennedy | Syndicated Columnist | Tribune Media Services
When Home Is Where The Paycheque Is: Finding the Right Balance is Key To Making the Most of Two-Second Commute
Published September 24, 2008
Caitlin Crawshaw, Working.com
Raymond Biesinger's illustrations have graced the pages of international publications like the New York Times, Fast Company and Neon -- but he remains in Edmonton, working from a home studio.
Since graduating from university and launching his illustration career five years ago, Biesinger has established himself in global markets from the comfort of his home. These days, most of his work is done for European publications -- and communication with clients is limited.
"The people who I have the strongest working connection to are art directors and, by definition, they're very busy people," he says.
Communication generally consists of "Looks great!" and "See you next time."
Clients leave it up to him to find a concept that will visually communicate a print article, "Which I find completely harrowing," Biesinger admits.
It's a far cry from his university days, when mentors -- usually profs -- seemed abundant. For the most part, he's taken it in stride -- as a student, he was used to working
long hours alone, so the transition to working from his home office wasn't jarring.
Nevertheless, Biesinger is at risk of isolation. He stays connected with people in his industry by attending illustration conferences and organizing a monthly meeting of illustrators in town.
His mental health and happiness play an important role in how he orders his days, too. "I desperately try to shut work off at 5 p.m.," he says. "I haven't been good at it lately, because I'm working on some labours of love." Each day, he takes a one-hour lunch break and now and then, takes a splash in the bath mid-day when stress catches up to him. "If my mind's stressed, I'm going to make horrible concepts," he explains.
"Momtrepreneur" Susan Easton credits her kids with making work-breaks mandatory. "For me, because I work (and have) kids, for me, my mental health break is, 'Now it's time to pick up the kids, or go for a walk.'
"Most people who work at home, either as an entrepreneur or as an employee, struggle to balance their lives, says the Prince George, B.C.,-based career coach. "Working from home means you're always at work and it's tempting to work too much."
Without co-workers, there's no one to remind you to take a break, or encourage you to consider the ergonomics of your work station, as an HR department might do.
Easton says a Vancouver friend who works at home has the right idea: he's purchased a Nintendo Wii and plays the boxing game when clients frustrate him. "It gets him up and moving, even if it's just a 15-minute break.
People who work at home are likely to neglect other considerations too, like hygiene, nutrition and rest.
All of these things play a role in your ultimate success, Easton says. She thinks it's best to treat the work-at-home workday like any other.
"Treat it like you're going to the office. Get up and take your shower and get dressed," she says. "Set up a beautiful place that you love, which is ergonomic and has windows, ideally, to remind you to get outside."
It's crucial for both your health and happiness, and the success of your work, to continue to meet people and make professional connections.
Having a mentor, or coach, can help, too.
Easton recently signed up with a local women's entrepreneur association to find a mentor in her field. The two meet regularly to discuss business issues. Many Canadian cities have similar programs, which can help home-office-types connect.
People have different work styles, but Easton cautions that even self-professed introverts need to leave the house.
"Everybody works differently, but no man is an island. If you're in business, and you're trying to remain introverted, chances are you won't be as successful as if you formed those relationships and got out there."
© Copyright (c)
Get the Edge You Need With a Career Coach
Published: August 19, 2008
Allan Timberlake
Susan Easton owner and Senior Career Developer for Competitive Edge Career Services.
No matter the state of the economy or the employment rate, one thing is for sure. Most Canadians now transition through several, in some cases numerous, jobs and careers during their working life.
Whether it’s a desire to advance or a passion for a new career path, most of us will face the prospect of yet another job search, along with newcomers to the job market and those affected by the occasional but seemingly inevitable industry specific layoffs and restructuring.
Whatever the career choice or potential employer, competition for employment remains high in all sectors. That’s where a job search and career development coach becomes almost mandatory.
For those serious about advancing their careers but lacking in the skills and confidence to get themselves in front of hiring managers and those dreaded interview committees, you can’t go wrong by engaging the services and experience of a professional human resources specialist.
Susan has 8 years of experience as a Human Resource Manager and has interviewed hundreds of candidates. She has been providing Career Development Services for more than 16 years, and established Competitive Edge Career Services in 2007 to “provide personalized assistance to individuals seeking a professional advantage for their career advancement efforts.”
Susan is passionate about assisting individuals to achieve their full career potential, and strongly believes that “everyone deserves to experience the fulfillment of a career that energizes and adds value to your life.”
Competitive Edge Career Services is based in Prince George and is structured to provide flexible appointment scheduling to meet busy lifestyle demands. Susan says, “Appointments can be conducted in person, or over the phone, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, or in an office setting. Competitive Edge Career Services maintains high ethical and professional standards to ensure your privacy and confidentiality.”
As well as doing an excellent job of helping people achieve their career goals and getting those dream jobs, Susan contributes her expertise to career guide publications, newspapers and journals. She is active in the Prince George community, particularly in working with the Minerva Foundation to help bring new employment programs for women into the North.
If you want to kick start your employment search and move it into high gear, and achieve career success quicker, Competitive Edge Career Services will energize you and help make that dream job a reality
Find this article at: http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/pgfreepress/lifestyles/27152084.html
Making the First Cut
A telephone interview is a chance to wow a would-be employer
Caitlin Crawshaw, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Sunday, April 20, 2008Weeks after firing off your resume into cyberspace, the phone rings -- it's a hiring manager asking you for an interview. Over the phone.
Having played the waiting game for weeks on end, this may be puzzling. Do they question your ability to do the job? Are you the only one being pre-screened? Does this mean the odds of snagging this position are slim?
B.C. Career-Developer Susan Easton (getthecompetitiveedge.ca) suggests you take a deep breath before you panic -- after all, pre-interviews are increasingly common, in all industries and at all levels. Many of Easton's clients have been required to undergo telephone interviews -- even a fire chief.
"You'd think that's pretty specialized, and they wouldn't need to do the pre-interview over the phone to limit applicants," she says.
Despite Canada's labour shortage, many employers are becoming more careful with their hiring practices, Easton explains, and are choosing to pre-screen candidates over the phone. Additionally, many companies are more focused on environmentally sustainable practices and, rather than fly candidates into an area for the first round of interviews, some opt to conduct interviews over the phone.
"It's not just a cost savings, it's a carbon-footprint savings," says Easton, adding that this is likely to go over well with a younger generation of worker, who increasingly judges potential employers by a green standard.
Yet, a phone interview can be a boggling concept, even for a tech-savvy generation. The protocol for a face-to-face interview is fairly clear -- dress the part, describe your achievements, explain what you'd bring to the role --promoting yourself to a disembodied voice is more ambiguous.
But it needn't be confusing, says Easton. "I tell people to treat it as much as possible as if they were going to an interview or a panel." This means no PJs -- dress as you normally would for an interview.
Remember that phone interviews may be more casual -- but they also may be just as formal as an in-person meeting. So, assume the later.
Do your research about the company in advance, and be prepared to speak off the cuff about your skills and experience. Remember that the phone picks up background sounds -- you don't want them to hear you nervously shuffling around papers.
"Don't try to do other things while you're doing your interview, like putting away the cutlery," she adds.
Make sure to find a quiet space to talk, and ensure that there's no chance your phone will die during the conversation (cordless phones are a bad idea). The interview will likely take between 10 and 30 minutes, says Easton, depending on formality -- but some will go as long as an hour.
To ensure your voice comes across clear and confident, consider standing during the conversation. "If you're standing, somehow your voice is stronger and you have more confidence," says Easton.
As with any interview, the more work you can do to prepare, the better. If you've got some questions about the job, call the hiring manager ahead of time to collect those details (just don't call without a reason). "It gets them thinking about you, and shows you're thoughtful, and you're planning."
Most importantly, remember that this is a chance to wow them, even if it is an elimination round, and don't forget that you've already made the first cut -- otherwise they wouldn't have called at all.
"Be confident. If they're phoning you, they've already determined that you qualify. You've made the first cut. Be confident in your skills -- you're in, you just have to get to the next stage," says Easton.
© Edmonton Journal 2008