From PR to Celebrant

From PR to Celebrant Success Story > From: Job To: Solopreneur From PR to Celebrant “I felt I could put my strengths to a new use which helped people.” * From PR to Celebrant Wendy Coulton's shift started with an off-the-cuff joke and ended with her own business. She retrained, re-jigged her schedule, and landed her first clients â€"all without giving up her day job. Here, she shares how she did it. What work were you doing previously? For the past 25 years I I worked in a variety of public and private sector posts, starting in print and television journalism and then moving onto public relations and media management. What are you doing now? Since July 2013 I've had my own venture: 'Dragonfly Funerals' as a Civil Funeral Celebrant. I support the bereaved to plan a funeral service with little or no religious content, with the focus being on the life that was lived by the person who has died. I conduct the service, write the tribute material, and give my clients a keepsake copy of the ceremony script. I passionately believe in giving as much choice as possible to personalise the funeral. Why did you begin your career change? I have had a fantastic career to date and always found new learning and stimulus, but in recent years have felt my true vocation was yet to be discovered. I had served on a board of trustees of a charity which owns and manages a working Victorian cemetery in Plymouth. This was a steep learning curve for us as lay people running a cemetery, and brought me in contact with funeral directors. One funeral director in particular stood out for his compassion and exceptional professional standards. When he asked me one day about my work, I said I felt it might be time to leave PR and half joked that I wouldn't mind doing his job! He told me there was no reason why that couldn't happen â€" he was a tutor for the National Association of Funeral Directors' Foundation Diploma Course in funeral directing. I studied the course whilst working in PR full time. I passed the course, yet it became apparent that to start as a funeral director I would have to take such a big drop in salary that I couldn't afford to pursue it. I had a family and financial commitments which ruled out being a rookie funeral director, so I just thought a door had closed. In April 2013 the same funeral director asked whether I was still interested in working in the sector. He suggested I consider becoming a funeral celebrant because there wasn't one in the city, and more people wanted non-religious funerals. I wanted to change my career because I felt I could put my strengths to a new use which helped people. Communication and an empathy with people from all walks of life could make a difference as part of supporting the bereaved. When was the moment you decided to make the change? After about five years of trying to move into the funeral sector and coming up against obstacles, it felt like all the jigsaw pieces fell into place. The timing felt right. I do believe in following my gut instinct and it felt like it was meant to be. Within weeks of having the suggestion put to me to be a funeral celebrant, I secured the last place available on a residential professional training course. Within two days of passing the exam and qualifying as a funeral celebrant, I was booked to do my first funeral. Are you happy with the decision to change? I feel energised and very happy with the change. It's genuinely a privilege to be trusted by a client to plan and conduct the funeral for them. It's creative planning the funeral ceremony, and immensely rewarding when my services exceed the expectations of the bereaved. I have received many gifts and thank you cards but for me there is no greater reward than when someone asks after a funeral I have conducted: “How did you know the deceased?” It means I captured the essence of the person they knew and lost. How did you go about making the shift? I planned the transition, because I had to continue with my PR job and bring in an income. I felt honesty was the best policy and informed my employer that I wanted to do the funeral work in addition to working for them. I gave my assurances that I would remain committed and professional for them, and they gave me the flexibility to do my funeral activity. I couldn't have done this without their amazing support, and recognition of why it was important to me to make this change with their blessing. How are you handling your finances to make your change possible? I've been able to work full time in PR, but have approved absence to do the funeral work without pay. The income for the funeral work has gone into a business account and not been drawn on for anything except business expenses. How are you handling being in your current role whilst making the change? It is not easy juggling both the PR and funeral celebrancy work but I have incredible support from my family, particularly my husband and daughters. I also have the backing of my employer. It often means working seven days a week or long days but I have a strong work ethic and know it's necessary if I am to achieve the full transition across to funeral celebrancy. It can be stressful maintaining high standards in both roles, but I won't let down the PR employers I owe much to, and clearly cannot let down the bereaved I serve. How do you manage your time to make the change? I set a realistic timetable from training and qualification, business set-up, creation of promotional material and my website, finding an accountant, liaison with funeral directors etc through to my official business launch. This was often done evenings and weekends but I found it was self-perpetuating. I had a real positive creative energy, so it didn't seem like a chore. My family also supported me by taking on some of the tasks I would usually have done. What is the most difficult thing about changing? Sustaining my stamina, and maintaining the transition commitments with the current PR job. Building up the new funeral work is challenging because I take my responsibilities seriously and don't want to let anyone down. Also, there's no way of predicting how busy the funeral work will be, so I anticipate it may be difficult judging when to tip the balance away from PR towards more funeral work. And being patient...I have to give myself a stern talking-to when feeling frustrated by the pace of transition, because in reality I have achieved a huge amount in nine months! What help are you getting? I am very lucky to have a couple of mentors in the funeral profession who encourage and advise me whenever I need their help. I also really value the personal encouragement I receive from my family and friends. Careershifters is the only website I regularly refer to. It really makes a difference knowing the journey I am on is similar to many other people. What are you learning in the process? That learning doesn't stop, and never to cut corners or bluff. Professional integrity is priceless and I intend to build up my business diligently. It’s important to not forget that my clients are vulnerable and cannot be let down. There is also a lot of advice available in books, online and through networking to tap into. I have no problem asking for help or advice from others. Is there anything you wish you'd done differently? I am where I am and I am happy with the progress made so far. Preparation is key. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Be honest about your strengths and your weaknesses. Plug gaps in your knowledge and don't be afraid to ask for help. If you can find a mentor or someone you respect who can guide you, even better! Trust your gut instinct and don't be put off by risks â€" just identify them, then make a strategy to reduce or mitigate against the risks. Be prepared to put in the hours but try to have a balance and have some fun, otherwise you will neglect other aspects of life important to your well-being. What resources would you recommend to others? Your own creativity, talent, personality traits and experience as internal resources. Careershifters, professional networks and support groups related to the sector you want to shift to. Books, workshops, business forums and free advisory services as external resources. What lessons could you take from Wendy's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Why Do I Have to Use Yahoo Answers For Resumes?

Why Do I Have to Use Yahoo Answers For Resumes?Writing a resume is something that you need to do, but does your writer know how to write a resume that will be accepted by employers? While Yahoo Answers will not help you with this, there are some things that you can do. It will take a little bit of time and effort on your part, but it will pay off in the end. You can make your job much easier if you take the time to learn the basics of creating a resume.Writing a resume is about more than just having the skills necessary to do the job. You want to be able to show that you have the personality, the qualities, and the experience to do the job. Some people go online and try to come up with their own resume, but the truth is that all the information and content in a resume needs to be appropriate for the job you are applying for. Even if you use the same format as someone else, there is no reason to include any content that is inappropriate.That's why Yahoo Answers will not help you. It w on't help you at all. You need to be able to come up with content that will make your resume stand out from the rest of the resumes that you will find.Yahoo Answers will not help you with the content in your resume. You need to find the resume writing community that has the most people joining it and asking the questions that they have. Once you find this community, take advantage of the free advice and help that is available. Don't forget to check the forum guidelines and make sure that you follow them.If you don't do this, you will probably be left with Yahoo Answers for resumes. This will work best for people who are new to the job market or for people who have technical knowledge in the area of the job that they are applying for. You can still learn a lot from this forum, but you won't be able to use the answers to get an idea of what is expected from you. You will still need to be able to write a resume that is considered relevant to the job that you are applying for.There are other ways that you can use Yahoo Answers for resumes. There are plenty of writers that will answer questions that are specific to the area of the job that you are applying for. The more often that you use these forums, the better chance that you will have of getting a response from someone that has a skill that you are looking for. If you really want to find a good writer, that person should be able to provide you with free samples of their work.If you don't want to waste time with Yahoo Answers for resumes, then you need to find someone that can provide you with great content for free. While many websites offer resume writing services, they usually charge a very low fee for the time that they invest in writing your resume. They will also help you with the editing process so that it is all perfect.So, in conclusion, do not waste your time with Yahoo Answers for resumes. Find a writer that will write a resume that will meet the needs of your specific job, and that writer will be abl e to teach you all the tricks of the trade.

Watch Out. How To Protect Your Online Reputation - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Watch Out. How To Protect Your Online Reputation - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everyone has a reputation to protect. And anyone who’s hoping for a new job or a promotion must be especially vigilant, as should consultants and entrepreneurs. The question is: What are the best ways to make yours sparkle and brush away any dirt? Last week, I joined a webinar on Online Reputation Management, conducted by Janet Driscoll Miller, CEO of Search Mojo, which gave me some new tools and tips worth sharing. The first one comes from Miller’s own name: If you have a common name (like Janet Miller) and could be confused with someone else (like so many are), “somewhat rebrand yourself with initials or a middle name,” she said. “Make your name as unique as you can make it” and you won’t have your reputation sullied with someone else’s sins. This is smart advice for the Smiths, but also anyone who needs to be found, whether they work as an independent lawyer or a contract social marketing manager. So what is reputation management? “I look at it as presenting our brand in a positive light,” said Miller, who started her career in public relations. “You have both a personal brand and a business brand. Both are important.” For many professionals, their reputation “becomes your stock in trade and a lever for success,” reputation and crisis management consultant Deon Binneman writes in a blog post titled “Your Name Is a Precious Commodity.”   He notes that a reputation needs constant work “just like a gardener attending to his flower beds…. It does not take much for weeds to grow, pests to come and flowers to wilt.” Like gardening, it’s crucial to protect your brand, to prevent negative things from happening or showing up. Here were three of Miller’s best tips on prevention: Buy the domain names of your name.Pick up the .com and .org and .nets and you avoid confusion in the future. Build out your social profiles. They rank well on Google searches, giving the message about yourself that you have crafted. Besides the usuals, she suggests as quite valuable Google+, Slideshare, YouTube and Vimeo. Watch your name and brand online. She suggested both Google Alerts, and Giga Alert, plus Trackur as ways to pay attention to what’s being said about you. I wasn’t familiar with the latter two and plan to check them out this week. Reputation.com offers Ten Commandments of Online Reputation Management that are similar to Millers, and include two   that are worth sharing here: Behave as if there is no such thing as privacy. Any tweet, email or text could possibly be made public. So don’t say it if you don’t want to see it online. Have your say. Comment regularly on major sites or blogs relevant to you and your career to move up in the search rankings. Miller’s other standout advice was to consider online options for all the positive activities you’re doing in the world. This could be a video or a press release, or it could be a bio page if you’re speaking at an industry event. It could be a blog post (preferably on your own blog) or a Google+ photo and comment.   Google+, it seems, can be a good boost to your Google search results.   She also offered some advanced reputation management suggestions in a blog post that may be better for entrepreneurs and leaders at corporations. The bottom line: Listen to what others are saying about you, and be sure to add your own messages that match and burnish your brand. Author: Vickie Elmer regularly contributes articles on careers and small business to the Washington Post. She has collected a slew of journalism awards, large and small. Her career and workplace articles also have appeared in Fortune, Parents, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, the Financial Times, the Chicago Tribune, Newsday and many more. She has been called “dazzling,” “incredibly competitive” “creative” and “prolific and feisty” by those who work with her. Elmer is the mother of three children and the co-owner of Mity Nice, a start-up that employs teens to sell Italian ice and sweet treats from a shiny silver cart in Ann Arbor, Mich. An active volunteer, she encourages kindness and creativity and embracing change, and she blogs and tweets under the moniker WorkingKind.

5 Most Successful Medical Careers for Women

5 Most Successful Medical Careers for Women While the medical field was previously dominated by men, utilizing female nurses, women have begun to establish a larger presence within the medical field. Many high-paying medical careers are now being held by women, and they are becoming extraordinarily successful. Included here are a few of the most lucrative, successful medical careers for women. Orthodontist If you can’t stand the sight of mouths, this may not be the career for you. But for those who love to see pearly whites and straight teeth, the career of orthodontist may be just what you need. Orthodontists’ work focuses on alignment of teeth and the jaw and they can do some invasive surgeries. They typically make upwards of $180,000 per year, making their career quite lucrative. The unemployment rate for orthodontists is less than 0.2% and the field is projected to grow by another 1,500 jobs anually. Dentist Image Courtesy Vibrant Dentistry Another one of those jobs that can really pay off, but might be a little gross to some, is that of a dentist. Working as a dentist will present you with your fair share of challenges and diverse tasks every day. But it  should prove quite rewarding. Dentists also enjoy a 0.2% unemployment rate, with earnings of around $150,000 per year. This field is projected to grow by over 23,000 in the next couple of years. Anesthesiologists How would you like to be the person who takes away the pain? Anesthesiologists just may be the most beloved individuals to a hurting hospital patient. Anesthesiologists enjoy high earnings of nearly $155,000 per year, but do suffer from a slightly higher unemployment rate of 1.3%. With 7,400 projected jobs coming available, it should be easy to find a career in this pain-free profession. Physician’s Assistant For those who love the idea of being a general practitioner, but loathe the years of schooling necessary, working as a physician’s assistant may be just the job for you. Physician’s Assistants have many of the abilities a normal doctor has, but they must work under the supervision or advisory of a licensed doctor. Physician’s assistants enjoy a yearly income of nearly $100,000, and are projected to have a growth of about 29,000 jobs in the next few years. The unemployment rate is relatively low for PA’s at only 0.2%. Nurse Practitioners Similar to PAs and doctors, nurse practitioners work in a job similar to that of a doctor but with slightly less schooling and power. Nurse practitioners are capable of ordering lab tests, performing physical exams, and more. Yearly earnings come in just under $100,000 and projected growth is nearing 45,000. With a relatively small unemployment rate of 1.3%, this field seems fairly secure and optimal for growth. Image Source; Image Source; Image Source  Main Image:  Ilmicrofono Oggiono

Tips For Writing a Resume for Work in the City of Sonoma

Tips For Writing a Resume for Work in the City of SonomaAny resume writer can tell you that Sonoma County is a great place to work and a resume for those seeking employment in the Sonoma County area should include the best of these factors. The Sonoma County labor market offers employment opportunities in almost every field, and many employment opportunities are open to people of all skill levels. It is easy to develop a resume for the county if you have the right mindset. Here are some tips to make your resume Sonoma County.Do not forget your business contact information on your resume. A business contact in Sonoma County should always be included. If you have trouble locating the business contact information, ask your human resources department or human resource officer at your local college. At least one contact should be included on the resume. All employers in the Sonoma County area expect to receive a business contact on the first page of the resume.Include details on any train ing you have received, whether this is formal or informal. It is important to make sure your resume includes all the relevant information, including training in leadership, teamwork, communication, customer service, and more. This type of information is needed in order to explain why you are a good fit for a job. Note that any training or education you may have received that is professional or career oriented, will be listed on your resume.Put your employable skills in writing. A good, well-crafted resume will contain a wealth of information and clearly describe your experience, skills, education, and any job-related activities. Remember that an employer must be able to see your ability to perform a particular task, and a resume that is well-written and professional will be effective. Consider using some professional resume writing software to help you with this process.Include your hobbies, passions, interests, and more. Aresume is only as good as the information it contains, and i t is the placement of this information that makes it effective. Most employers look for specific skills in the skills you list, so if you don't list the type of skills you have or even your current level of experience, it will be easy for them to tell that you are overqualified for the position.Include references who can vouch for you. Every employer is interested in the personal life of a potential employee, so it is worth including a few references who can attest to your integrity and professionalism. Relevant references may come from work colleagues or a personal references list provided by your resume software. When you want to make sure you list your references accurately, consider consulting with your HR professional or human resources officer at your local college or university.Remember to keep the focus on you and the experience you have provided when you write your resume. This is essential to make sure your resume is very clear about your personality, your employment histo ry, and your educational background. It is also a good idea to write in your chronological order of accomplishments. For example, you might have worked in sales, marketing, and then followed up with customer service skills before landing in operations. This is a good way to outline the breadth of your experience in a short paragraph.There are many questions and concerns an employer may have regarding your ability to handle a position in their Human Resource department. As a hiring manager, you should always make sure that your resume is professional and well-written. You can make this possible by following these basic tips, but always consider hiring a professional resume writing service to ensure your resume looks professional and reflects your current knowledge.

When Job Search Email Goes Missing - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

When Job Search Email Goes Missing Never assume that the email you’ve sent has reached its destination or that it has been read by the person intended. Recently I opened an email with a scathing message from someone I didn’t know. She bashed me for ignoring her previous email inquiring about my services. Problem is, I never received her first email. I immediately sent her an apologetic reply explaining that I hadn’t received the first email . . . that this happens sometimes for no apparent reason . . . that I always respond to inquiries in a timely manner. I expected an apology from her in return. What I got was another angry email denying that this could have happened, and reiterating how unprofessional I was to not respond to the first email. She obviously didn’t believe me.  Sometimes email never gets delivered to the addressee its lost in space. Sometimes it lands in the addressees inbox, but spam filters grab it before the addressee ever sees or knows about it. Sometimes delivery stops dead, from one email message to the next with the same person. Its happened to me quite a few times, when Ive been  the sender and the receiver. Susan P. Joyce, Editor and Publisher of Job-Hunt.org, a top Internet employment portal, said in her article about email and spam filters: Spam filters are not perfect. So a good message, like one from you responding to a job lead, may not be received. Thats called a false positive, and it happens with more frequency than you think. Usually, you dont receive a message letting you know that your message was not delivered. So you never know what happened to your message. You just dont get a response. In her article, Susan goes on to outline some dos and donts to avoid spam filter traps. She also went on to explain how you can use this unfortunate situation to your advantage: It is a legitimate reason to call an employer to check to see if they received your message. And, MAYBE, when you have them on the phone, you can Connect with a live person who will help you get that job, or Ask when and where they post their job openings, or Do a soft-selling job to get that interview, or Discover the reason you didnt get interviewed, or Learn what are the next steps in their hiring process, or Ask if anyone had a reservation about hiring you and what it might be, or Related posts: Get Your Executive Brand Into Your Email Signature How To Land an Executive Job in 2011 Executive Job Search: The Old Way (Networking) Still Works Best photo by Sean MacEntee 00 0

Empower Yourself to Create Your Ideal Career

Empower Yourself to Create Your Ideal Career Too many people find work doesnt work for them.Rather than subscribe to the sentiment that says, They call it work for a reason, what if you instead empowered yourself to have the ideal career youve fantasized about?   What if you took one positive action that inspired you to have a new mindset and introduced you tools to make your dreams a reality?On March 13, 2015, join me for a special career empowerment webinar. Sign up now experience a few of the exercises I use in my proven Soul Search, Research and Job Search process.   Whether you are just starting a new career or arent happy in your existing career, at the end of this webinar, you will have more clarity on your ideal.   All proceeds from registration go to the Center for Hope Safety.Its not to good to be true.   You can create a career that fits who you are and what youre here to do.   Read testimonials from those whove experienced it.   Get empowered find out firsthand for yourself.Friends cherish one anothers hopes. The y are kind to one anothers dreams. Henry David Thoreau

#ATLMix Tweetup -

#ATLMix Tweetup - I want to personally invite you to join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd for the third   #ATLMix Tweetup on Thursday, June 17th beginning at 6 pm at   Pizzeria Venti on Lenox Road in Buckhead. Pizzeria Ventis owners, Brian and Jaime Lackey and their staff are so hospitable, and we appreciate their sponsorship of our event! If youre on Twitter, follow the hashtag #ATLMix for information and to connect with other people who plan to attend. Even if you are not using Twitter (yet!), feel free to join us! I invited a non-tweeting colleague who asked, What is the advantage of a tweetup? Let me count the ways! For the uninitiated, a tweetup is just the Twitter term for a get-together/opportunity to network with all different types of people. Its amazing what synergies there are between professionals in very different fields. For tips to network in-person AND a free ebook offer, CLICK HERE! Networking is important for job seekers and non-job seekers alike. This tweetup (free to attend you purchase your food and beverages) is a great way to connect with people you would probably never otherwise meet! I hope to see you there, and feel free to invite your friends! You can find details and registration here. Space is limited so be sure to sign up early. Watch this fun video that Stephanie createdYou wont want to miss the fun!