Today we’d like to introduce you to Wanda Kiser.
Wanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
To be honest, I never planned or thought I would be doing the type of work that I’m doing today. Back in 2008, during a tumultuous economic climate, when I was still working at a Fortune 100 company, I helped several of my employees update and/or craft their resumes, as many of them were facing a layoff. I worked with them during their lunch hour, before and after work, to polish both their resumes and interviewing skills.
I also called on my network developed over 20+ years, matching my employees’ skill sets with opportunities in progressive areas of the company. Long story short, none of my employees lost their jobs and all of them accepted higher-rated positions with better pay and overall compensation.
News of my employees’ success spread quickly, and I received numerous requests for similar job-search assistance. While I provided the services to my employees at no cost, these were paid offers.
As an MBA with an entrepreneurial spirit, I’ve always wanted to work for myself, so I performed extensive research into the Careers industry. In early 2009, I decided to take a leap of faith and resigned from my position as a top-performing operations leader.
Has it been a smooth road?
Yes and no. Early on, I aligned myself with top industry leaders and completed numerous training and certification courses. I also attended several conferences to shorten my learning curve. These actions positioned me to receive several contract opportunities (The Ladders, The Wall Street Journal, and countless others) and enhanced my value as a career expert.
The main struggles I faced included putting my business out there in a big way, establishing a competitive fee structure, and remaining profitable during slower periods. I knew the statistics for small businesses, and failure was not an option, so I strengthened my faith through daily prayer and meditation. I also avoided distractions, established systems and routines, and aligned myself with other successful entrepreneurs.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Elite Resume Writing Services story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a multi-credentialed resume writer and career coach who provides the full suite of career-related services including job-search strategy and assessments, development of interview-winning career marketing collateral, and facilitation of laser-focused career and interview coaching services. As an extension of those services, I also design and deliver customized outplacement services and career workshops.
I am most proud of the fact that I get to use my skills and experience to position job seekers for success in the marketplace. Moreover, greater than 90% of my clients begin to interview within the first 30 days. As a result of my client success-rate, greater than 60% of my clients are referrals and repeat clients. Simply put, I love coaching and developing graduates, professionals, and executives, identifying their value and equipping them with the tools and skills to realize their career goals.
What sets me apart from others is my skills, education and training, and 17+ years of combined coaching experience, along with a sincere desire and passion for helping job seekers maximize their career potential.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Since working in the Careers industry, numerous trends and changes have already occurred including video interviews, digital resumes, and QR codes, just to name a few. As such, I stay abreast of best practices by attending conferences; reading and contributing to career-related journals, books, and white papers; collaborating with industry peers; and attending career-related conferences.
On a personal level, I would like to facilitate more career workshops at colleges, universities, high schools, and professional organizations. My life’s purpose is to continue adding value to graduates, aspiring leaders, professionals, and executives by positioning them to win in the marketplace.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10 Glenlake Pkwy., NE
Suite 130, Atlanta, GA 30328 - Website: http://www.eliteresumewriting.com
- Phone: (404) 692-4337
- Email: wanda@eliteresumewriting.com
Image Credit:
Photos by David J. Cason- www.davidjoecason.com
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