Blog
Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Put Away the Fire Hose
We’ve all been fire-hosed. Maybe by an instructor, a sales rep, a colleague, or an ad. The presenter gives so much information and detail that you can’t focus, and you tune out. Think about the last time you were in a room with a speaker who had so much material prepared that it was almost…
Ten Keys to Successful Communications
Everything in life is about communication and messaging. How are you going to present your new idea? How are you going to position your background so that it is relatable to the role for which you’re interviewing? How will you articulate your differing perspective to a potential client? We all want the communication “magic bullet.”…
Yes, the pay gap is real
I’ve been reading many articles and seeing various reports in which so-called “experts” assert that the gender pay gap is a myth. This is a commonly repeated theme, and it seems that those who purvey this falsehood believe that if they keep promoting it, it will eventually become true. Unfortunately for them, there is ample…
Becoming Self-Aware
In my job as a career coach and advisor, I have had the opportunity to speak with literally thousands of people from all over the world, with different experiences and backgrounds, who have different end goals. Some clients come to me to rework a résumé or build out a social media plan. Others seek counsel…
Words, words, words
Undergraduates who have chosen to major in the liberal arts will inevitably be faced with the question, “What are you going to do with THAT?” I am sympathetic to them because when I was a non-STEM, non-business major, that same exact question was posed to me. In an age in which it seems that STEM…
I’m returning to work after eight years. What should I put on my resume?
Last week, I discussed the challenges of deciding to remove yourself from the workforce, and how it should be a carefully considered decision. A follow-up to that is another question I get frequently, which goes like this: I’ve been home with my kids for the last eight years, and now I’m ready to go…
What are you going to do differently?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result. This worn out and tired saying is so often repeated (and, therefore, worn out and tired!) because it is true. The beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on what you’re going to…
What can job seekers expect in 2018?
2017 was a year of change in the job market. The improving economy and market record highs have made for low levels of unemployment. Just a few short years ago, employers held all the cards, but that has changed. In a tight labor market, candidates wield power that they didn’t have until recently. The job…
Checklist for more effective communication
Studies confirm our experience. Two thirds of all presentations are rated as mediocre or worse. How often have you been subjected to a 73 slide PowerPoint deck with dense, illegible slides, and a presenter who reads them to you? Have you been on the receiving end of a memo that is so chock full of…
The best advice I can give you
Over the course of my career, I have counseled thousands of people. Some people seek assistance in writing a resume. Some want help crafting a succinct elevator pitch. Many want advice as to how to move their careers forward, and how to achieve their end goal. Almost invariably, I give my clients the same pieces…