Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Fard.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mandy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started in career-related fields in the early 80’s… A couple of years after graduating college, I wasn’t happy with my job. I went to an employment agency to find a better opportunity. The owners of the employment agency extended a job offer to me to join them and to work as a Recruiter at that same agency. I was hired on the spot, and they welcomed me aboard. I must admit that I was thrilled and more eager than I can describe, to prove myself.
Since then, I have grown progressively within career-related fields. Over time, I have owned and operated my own employment agency (which was also called Market-Connections), I have trained other recruiters, and I have worked at a variety of large and small staffing companies and employment agencies in the United States and Canada.
In 2010, I decided it was time to leverage all that I have learned about the hiring process and the art of resume writing, to help job-seekers with their job hunting efforts. Many people were experiencing challenges while trying to find their way through the job search labyrinth and I knew that I could easily demystify the process for them. After all, I had been a recruiter for more than two decades by then and I had a clear idea about the do’s and don’ts of professional self-presentation when it comes to securing employment. So, I established my company once again and of course, I named it Market-Connections Resume Services, in memory of the staffing agency I operated years ago, and my new resume writing service became my full-time passion.
Today, what I enjoy the most is the opportunity to help my clients place themselves at their ideal jobs and secure new career opportunities. It is truly a pleasure and a privilege to be of service to my clients.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
At the beginning, and especially during the first year, the struggle was truly overwhelming. When I started, in 2010, we were experiencing one of the most turbulent economic times. The nightly news was reporting massive layoffs every night, and many people were looking for work without a formal resume, and without a budget to pay for one made professionally.
While I felt very comfortable writing resumes, I quickly realized that nothing will happen until I step out of my comfort zone…. Isn’t that always the case? So, I set out to hold in person-presentations to teach people how to write resumes. I would gather prospective clients in group meetings to teach the ins and outs of effective resume writing so that they could each prepare their own career-related documents. It was a win-win scenario because my services were being put to effective use, clients were learning to help themselves, and everyone was networking with one another. But it was challenging because economic tumult was on our minds and in our collective consciousness.
Things got easier with time. Today, I focus on writing and producing attention-grabbing and industry specific resumes for my clients which are keyword optimized for every career level; be it entry level resumes, mid-career level, professional executive resumes, and senior management C level resumes and curriculum vitae.
By now, I have established my practice as an expert service provider in career transition strategies and my clients continue to refer their friends and family to me. It is truly a pleasure to be referred to new clients. I have to say that no other pay measures up such “emotional pay”, to know that clients refer their next of kin, their best friends, and everyone they want to impress, to “me” at Market-Connections Resume Services.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Market-Connections Resume Services – what should we know?
Market-Connections Resume Services is a B2C service-provider based in Los Angeles and serving clients across the globe. We provide resume writing services and career transition strategies starting with anything from cover letters, interview follow-up letters, scientific/academic curriculum vitae, and statements of purpose, to career biographies, visual resumes, LinkedIn profile content, online personal profiles, interview coaching, and everything else in between. i.e.: Reference letters, resignation letters, salary negotiations, social media job search strategies, credit lists, project lists, and more.
What I am known for, is my resume writing and interview coaching abilities. I can walk my clients through multiple interview processes (first, second, third interview process, job offer acceptance, salary negotiations, onboarding, and placement). In fact, that is how I started in this industry. I would say that is where my expertise is.
It makes me proud to say that I worked as a recruiter and survived on 100% commission, for more than 20 years. Not too many people survive a sales position with such pay structure for too long unless they are very good at what they do. In this case, what made me most proud is the fact that the recruiters I have worked with, have always sent their job seeking clients to me to have their resumes written by me. Today, I work with many recruiters who regularly send their job seeking clients to me, because they know that when I write their clients’ resumes, interviews are on the way.
What sets me apart from others is as follows:
1. I am accredited as a CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer).
2. I am a FULL-TIME resume writer and I have authored close to 4,000 resumes throughout the past three decades. I have been writing resumes full-time for more than seven years.
3. I have more than 750 LinkedIn endorsements for resume writing and related skills.
4. I am highly recommended on multiple platforms online, including LinkedIn.
5. I have decades of experience as a Recruiter, Placement Specialist, and Employment Consultant.
6. Along with a new resume, I offer comprehensive reports at no charge with strategies that will help my clients with their job search project.
7. I create a FREE VISUAL RESUME for my new clients.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Being a certified resume writer by an accredited organization is important. It validates one’s knowledge of the trade. It is also important to stay informed about new industry trends and effective processes. One must stay abreast of career related news and employment trends.
A successful resume writer is someone who has dealt with resumes in their prior position(s), at a paid level: screening, reviewing or writing resumes, must be a big part of your past before you can call yourself a resume writer. The truth is that just being a talented writer is not enough. Not every good writer is a good resume writer. Effective resume writing is a skill in itself.
It is also important to know the difference between accomplishments and responsibilities. It is even more important to know the lingo and keywords of all industries and know how to use it in syntax.
Last, but not least, is the ability to connect with and to relate to people and be able to create a context of trust for clients. It is important to understand that job seeking clients can be vulnerable and need a little extra boost of confidence sometimes, just to start that engine.
Contact Info:
- Address: Market-Connections Resume Services
2337 Roscomare Rd.,
Ste 2-214,
Los Angeles, CA 90077 - Website: www.market-connections.net
- Phone: 310-621-9060
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResumeByMandy/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MandyFard?lang=en
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/market-connections-resume-service-los-angeles-3
- Other: http://www.linkedin.com/company/market-connections-resume-services.com
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