Career Counselors are LYING If they Say They Will Find You A Job

LYING seems to be running rabid in America. From CEOs, to executives, to the average Joe too many people seem to think it’s OK to tell untruths. In the survey results published in the Winning Resumes 2nd Ed (WILEY) 52% of executives LIE on their resumes. But they aren’t the only ones who are fibbing these days.

 “Career Counselors who advertise and tell prospective customers that they “will find you a job” are nothing more than scam artists, lairs. The only thing you can be guaranteed of is that they will steal your money,” says Robin Ryan (www.RobinRyan.com), bestselling author & a career coach herself. She noted that the several attorney generals in Minnesota http://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/PR/PR_040511BernardHeldane.htm; Ohio, Kansas, have filed lawsuits for fraud against the largest career counseling firm in the US—Bernard Haldane. 

“Ethics and a moral compass seem to be in short supply in the coaching field where anyone can create a webpage and call themselves a coach. There are many qualified career counselors most in mom and pop shops, but the con artist with slick sales and advertising skills seemed to have the upper hand making false promises preying on the most vulnerable people – job hunters.” stated Ryan., who’s appeared on over 1000 TV & radio shows including Oprah and DrPhil, and is regarded as the leading career authority in the country. Ryan’s written several books including: Soaring on Your Strengths (penguin), 60 Seconds & You're Hired! (penguin), Winning Resumes2nd Ed; Winning Cover Letters 2nd Ed(wiley) and What to Do with the Rest of Your Life (simon and schuster).

 “The crooks ruin it for the REAL career counselors—the reputable one that are highly educated and have devoted their lives to helping others advance their careers. Career Counselors do not “place people” nor do they “find them a job”, instead they teach the process and act as the guide,” says Ryan who has a career counseling practice where she personally has helped thousands of individuals over her 20 year career. Ryan warns, “my counseling guarantee is a promise for delivering high-quality service, but I flat out say I won’t find you a job.  I partner with the job hunter, I guide, advise, direct but in the end the person must do the work—phone calls, networking, mailing resumes, going on the interview—themselves.“

If any coach promises they’ll find you a job, run! Ryan offered guidelines on to find a reputable career coach who can help you advance or change your career, write a better resume, polish your interview skills and learn how to even negotiate salary include:

• Check qualifications. Career counselors hold a graduate degree – a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. in counseling, vocational education, or career development with a specialization in career counseling..

• Use counselors with a well established reputations Ask for referrals from friends, former bosses, co-workers, and college career centers for someone with a solid track record of successfully helping someone in your situation. Check the counselor’s website for credentials, service offered, and fees. Comparison shop - training, specialties and experience vary greatly. Be sure you understand the fees, and exactly what services you get for the dollars invested.

• Look for experts online. Technology allows most counselors to be your “virtual coach” meaning they use the phone, fax, and email to provide their services. This may allow you to work some one who has the right expertise even if they don’t live in your area.

• Select a counselor whose style is a good fit for you and your needs.  Some counselors specialize in the self-analysis, vocational testing, and career exploration phase. Others have expertise in the “job search” process — writing resumes, cover letters, targeting companies and helping prepare for interviews. Some are business consultants others act more like a nurturing therapist. You may need to use two different people to aid you in achieving your goals.

• Realize Vocational testing may or may not be helpful.  Many counselors, as well as most community colleges, offer vocational testing but most people want to take a test and get an answer on what to do with their life.  There is no test that you can take and 30 minutes later it tells you exactly what you should be.  Typically, you invest hundreds of dollars to take a battery of tests — The Strong Campbell Interest Inventory and The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator are commonly given.  Both tests are simply a piece of the puzzle, a component in your decisions on career choices.  Numerous factors — desire, time, money, family situation, and whether or not you are willing to obtain the necessary training, degrees or even relocate, to be the biggest factors in limiting your career choices.  If you really want to uncover your talents and to direct yourself to a new career, you must combine testing with a good counselor who can interpret the results and help to better direct you. 

© Copyright 2008 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.

Need more assistance?  Robin is available to help you achieve your goals and dreams with individual career counseling. Click here to learn more.

Robin Ryan has appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil and is considered to be America’s top career coach. Robin has a busy career counseling practice providing individual career coaching, resume writing services, interview preparation, salary negotiations, and outplacement to clients nationwide. She is the best-selling author of : "60 Seconds & You're Hired!," "Soaring On Your Strengths," "What to Do With the Rest of Your Life," "Winning Resumes," and "Winning Cover Letters." A dynamic national speaker, Robin has spoken to over 1200 audiences sharing her insights on how to improve their lives and obtain greater success. Contact Robin at: 425.226.0414, or email: robin@robinryan.com, or visit her website: http://www.robinryan.com

Reprints release: Newspapers, magazines, online websites are granted permission to reprint this in part or whole but are required to credit the author including author's bio, book credits, and include author's website information (with link if online); PLUS email author at robin@robinryan.com and state when and where reprint publication will occur. Questions: contact author at robin@robinryan.com or 425.226.0414.