Hallie Crawford

We have moved

Please visit our new blog at www.halliecrawford.com/careerblog

Job picture for college graduates a bit better

I found this article from Chron.com by Jeannie Kever.

(http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/7039961.html) 

This is good news for college grads, but I’m still finding many college grads who need more help and direction. I agree with Jeannie Kever about two things specifically:

1. Alumni Associations are a great place for college grads to go for help…a resource that is often overlooked. Alumni Associations vary but many offer help with resume, cover letters, and interview techniques. A lot of them have specific job boards, networking groups, and online resources and tools. Be sure to check out your Alumni Association during your career search!

2. I also liked how Jeannie Kever spoke about the importance of internships. This is a great way to get your foot in the door. Many companies turn around and hire their interns for full-time jobs. But if that isn’t the case, they are great for experience on resumes. Also it’s a great way to see if the environment and job description is ideal. This increases job satisfaction because an internship would help you know if this was the job for you or not.

Hallie Crawford
Career Coach

Chicago Career Transition Examiner

I was recently privileged to be interviewed by Stephen Thomas for the Chicago Examiner. Here is an excerpt of the article.

Career transitions are difficult during good economic times. During tough economic times, they are best described as tricky, challenging, and time consuming. The answers don’t come easy or quickly. Sometimes, they don’t come to us at all. Enter Hallie Crawford.

Hallie has been a career coach with purpose and a plan for the past 8 years. She is a certified career coach who seeks to be her best, by making you yours. She knows her business inside out and seemingly has her finger on the pulse of what it takes to establish and sustain a career. 

Read the entire article here.

Hallie Crawford
Certified Career Coach

Debunking the “Career Test” Myth

When you hear the words “career test,” do you roll your eyes in skepticism or do you get a bit excited hoping the test is somewhat magical in that it will unequivocally point you in the ideal career direction? Many people respond in one of these two ways and miss out on the value of assessments.

The first important thing to know is that career tests are not tests at all. They are defined as assessments because, unlike a test, there is no right or wrong answer. It is simply a measure or comparison of information based on empirical research. Secondly, assessments help to describe valid, specific pieces of your career puzzle. Think of them as arrows that point the way to career fulfillment. 

Instruments such as the Myers Briggs and Strong Interest Inventory fortify your foundational puzzle and give evidence to the blueprint that is you. These assessments will help you articulate, define, and understand aspects of your authentic self more clearly in a way that can launch you into the research and then decision-making process. Are you ready to put your career puzzle together?

Myers Briggs and Strong Assessment

Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach

Worst-Paying College Degrees

I stumbled across this article from hotjobs recently and I thought this article was very interesting.

Read Article Here

I believe salary is important when you a considering a career path; however it can’t be your only factor. When you are in a job that you really enjoy and provides meaning to you you will be more successful and therefore make more money. You will have more satisfaction, purpose and will look forward to going to work. Being fulfilled and happy at work is a critical component to your overall happiness as your career is integrated into every other piece of your life. 

While taking salary into consideration is important, don’t let it be the only component that guides your career path decision. If you need help finding your ideal career contact us.

Here’s to having a career you love!

Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach

How can a career coach help you?

Finding a mentor, coach or someone who has “been there” can be a huge asset for your career search. 

Because we are often met with resistance, hit with frightening and discouraging "rumors" about the career marketing or industry of our choosing, we can feel like the wind was just knocked out of us. Finding a career can be scary and isolating. This is not a healthy way to feel when trying to break out of established ruts and make a motion for improvement in our careers.

For this reason, if you're serious about finding a new job that has you springing out of bed each morning, you'll want to invest in a career coach, or career counselor. Many people who decide to make a bold move in their career, start up their own business or return to school to learn a new skill or trade, do so with the help of a career coach or counselor. A career coach can give much needed practical advice and guidance, while offering an objective viewpoint on your personal situation.

A career coach can help you:

• Create and implement a transition plan
• Set realistic reachable goals
• Network effectively and efficiently
• Identify the career path you want
• Push gremlins aside and step out of the box and your comfort zone
• Overcome obstacles
• Find a career that’s right for you (not what other’s think is right for you)

If you are interested in a career coaching contact us and set up a complimentary consultation today!

Hallie Crawford 
Career Transition Coach

Visualize Your Career Goals for Rockin' Results

I have created a Vision Board to help me achieve my goals and you can too! It will help you discover how to effectively streamline and achieve your goals.

Learn how to create a Vision and Board when you enjoy this Complimentary Download.

Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach

Six Steps to Landing Your First Teaching Job

I was recently interviewed for a great article for NEA.com titled “Six Steps to Landing Your First Teaching Job”. Read the entire article here.

…Starting each day with a job hunt schedule is the best way to “get focused and stay productive,” says Hallie Crawford, a career coach based in Atlanta. Make a list of things you want to accomplish each day, whether it involves networking, adding to your portfolio, or submitting applications.

Network aggressively with friends and acquaintances—a kind word from a colleague to a school administrator may open doors.

Spread the word about your job search to your Facebook and Ning friends, and look for job feeds on Twitter. The Kansas Educational Employment Board, for example, uses Twitter to send job announcements. CareerBuilder also has several regional Twitter feeds…

Contact us if you are interested in more helping finding a job that's right for you!

Here’s to having a career you love,

Hallie Crawford
Certified Career Coach

Set boundaries in your career transition

Life can get a little crazy when change is happening all around us. If you've still got one foot in your former professional role and the other foot has stepped into the future, you may feel unsure of whether you're coming or going!

This is natural, especially in times of career transition. The trick is to set boundaries for yourself as a way to curb the feelings of overwhelm. One boundary could be, turning off some of the channels of information overflow. For example, if you've signed up for new career membership associations or email newsletters, you could create a special email address for this purpose alone. This way, personal pursuits can be kept separate from your daily responsibilities, helping you to feel less distracted and stressed.

Time can be another boundary that keeps anxiety at bay. For instance, you can make a commitment to not to think about anything career-related after 8 p.m., instead reserving another time slot for this purpose. Your commitment could be, "I will work on my career transition from 5:30-7:30 at least twice a week."

By setting and maintaining boundaries between your career goals, everyday responsibilities, and leisure pursuits, you will feel more in-control of your life, balanced and at peace with yourself and the process.

If you need help with your career transition, you might find this report helpful "Top Three Tools to Identify Your Ideal Career".

Here's to having a career you love!

Hallie Crawford
Career Coaching

Why bother with an informational interview?

• It's a way to learn what it's really like to work in that field and discover possible career opportunities that exist in that company or at other organizations.
• It's a chance to get the inside perspective before you jump into that field and accept a job offer you might regret later.
• It’s an opportunity to get to know someone in that field, make a connection, and possibly land a job in the future.
• It's a way to find out who else you can network with in your field and begin to establish your professional network.
• It's an excellent means of practicing your interview skills without the pressure of having to land the job on the spot!

If you need help with your career transition, contact us for a complimentary phone consultation.

Here's to having a career you love!
Hallie Crawford
Career Transition Coach