By Lise Stransky. Informal referral relationships are a strong source for ongoing business, but small career services typically run into certain challenges. When I first launched Careers That Work For You, I partnered with almost anyone who approached me. Now, I am very cautious about working with friends and family, because the last thing I want to do is destroy a solid, pre-existing relationship. This is one of the reasons my husband and I have a no career coaching rule in our marriage! I’m too close to him to be objective. Fellow CPC mastermind, Adrienne […]

By Skye Berry-Burke. Back in 2008, I was searching for professional development opportunities. I wanted to learn new techniques to help clients gain confidence in themselves and their abilities so that they could re-enter the workforce. Professional Development Defined Wikipedia defines professional development as “learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as intensive and collaborative, ideally incorporating an evaluative stage. There are a variety of approaches to professional development, including consultation, coaching, communities of practice, lesson study, mentoring, […]

By Lise Stransky. Career service entrepreneurs have many things to consider when setting up their business. In addition to market research and brand management, they need to determine what to sell, how to sell, and how to deliver the services. How well you structure your service contract with your client can make or break your business. Why are contracts with clients important? In the first year of my business, I did not ask my clients to sign a contract. Some would ask me if they needed one, and I was always surprised […]

By Karine Touloumjian. Successful businesses brand their products and services. We hear about this marketing strategy often; however, we don’t always know where to start when trying to conceive brand identity for our career service. According to the BusinessDictionary.com, branding is defined as “The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.” So what does this mean in actionable terms? […]

By Kerry Bell. As an independent career service provider, I rely on referrals. Every career service needs a strong network, especially those who work in small business. Business partners, colleagues, and friends send potential clients to me. Often, these are qualified prospects, but sometimes they are not. I recently received a referral from a friend of mine. The client and I went back and forth for some time. She booked a session with me and then cancelled. I sent her a text to re-schedule her appointment and never heard back […]