Resume Expert Wisdom: Interview with Laura Garbers

As a part of our discussion “Do resume builders really take off the workload of resume writing?” we contacted Laura Garbens the Career Coaching Expert of craftresumes.com and asked her 5 questions.

Why resume builders apps are so popular nowadays?

Resume builder apps are very popular nowadays, as they offer clients the opportunity for immediate assistance with resume formatting and structure. Often, clients are unsure how to formulate resumes and resume builders provide some insight to the complex world of resume engineering. Resume builders are often quick and easy to use and clients usually see immediate and marked improvements to their resumes. Helpful to clients is also the fact that resume builder apps are free and cheap as opposed to spending more money for professional help.

What are 3 main points career coaches can do – resume builders can’t?

Three main things that career coaches can do which resume builders can’t are that career coaches are real people who can listen and collaborate, they can offer insight and ideas and help guide clients in certain directions based on experience and they can use and shape language in ways that computers can’t. Resume builders offer some formatting and structure, but they aren’t people who communicate, they don’t have the capacity to gain and share unique client, career, industry and resume experience and they can’t use and improve complex and descriptive language.

What are the most common misconceptions about career coaching job?

The most common misconceptions about a career coaching job are that career coaches have all the answers, all clients can receive certain programmed answers and career coaches are calculated experts in all industries. Though career coaches should be highly qualified, they must not be specialized in all clients and industries to be successful in helping all clients from all industries. The key to being an effective career coach is the well trained ability to 1) listen to and understand clients and 2) support them in making the decisions which seem best for them. Career coaches, above all, must be highly qualified in being client centered and solution focused. It’s wonderful if career coaches are specialized in a wide variety of clients, careers and industries and most experienced career coaches are. However, of utmost importance is the ability of career coaches to step outside of themselves to meet the unique needs of their clients.

What can the average person expect to get from working with a career coach?

The average person can expect to receive person centered and solution focused attention from their career coach. Career coaches have the responsibility to meet clients where they are, in whichever circumstances they may be, and to provide them with full attention and support. Career coaches must listen, tolerate, understand, guide and motivate clients, as clients are telling their own stories and working towards their own solutions. Career coaches help clients draw out their own problems and coach them in finding their own paths to success. The stories and successes of clients are all different and are in many cases unpredictable. Career coaches are there to be well trained support systems to assist clients in finding their own unique ways toward improved careers and overall quality of life. Career coaches draw from a wide range of experiences and tools to offer insight and ideas, but the initial problems as well as the final answers always come from the clients themselves.

Do you recommend to use resume builder? Why?

I recommend using resume builders only if clients are completely certain that they are not in need of professional assistance. Clients who may need someone to listen to, guide and motivate them would do better to work with a highly qualified career coach. Career coaches provide essential communication skills, industry experience and language skills which can significantly improve clients’ careers and resumes. Slight changes in resume formatting and structure are often not enough of what clients need to boost their careers and their resumes to the highest level.

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