Testimonials

Karen helped me secure a senior level role with a financial services company that has very high standards and an extremely robust recruitment process. She worked with me from the start to help develop and refine my resume ensuring it highlighted relevant skills and experience. She was very proactive throughout each stage of the interview process making sure I was well prepared and gathered good, quality feedback to help me in the subsequent rounds. She led the negotiations which ensured I secured the role, maximized the opportunity and achieved the best possible outcome.

Karen was referred to me by a former colleague in September. I was at a critical crossroad in my career and I was at a loss on where to begin. Although I have 30 years experience as a Senior Executive building IT organizations, being on the other end of the recruiting process was relatively new to me, and selling myself is not one of my strong suits. Karen guided me through a crucial process of self-reflection and developed a step-by-step network strategy, recreated my resume, and personal branding. During the networking and interview stages she offered a fantastic coaching program that provided structure, accountability, unbelievable support and inspiration. As a result of our coaching process, this week I received an offer and have made a successful transition from Financial Services into the Professional Services Industry. I am looking forward to continuing to work with Karen as a coach reaching the milestones with both my short and long term career goals.

Job hunting and interviewing can feel like a daunting process and having a coach like Karen guiding you through from resume prep to interview prep increases your confidence, keeps you focused on the goals and ongoing steps, and keeps you motivated so you can keep your momentum going. It was so easy to lose hope because many companies today have a long and extensive interview process and have you go through multiple interviews with various levels of management and it can take a while to hear back. The natural inclination is to assume you are not getting the job. You're also not sure what you should be doing during this waiting period. One of the things that helped me the most with working with Karen is her knowledge of this process and her explanations of what is going on behind the scenes every step of the way and her helping me stay hopeful for the position I wanted the most. She seemed to have a talent for understanding what I was feeling at every stage and giving me the needed advice to stay the course. I could also feel her genuine interest in my success and her excitement for me when I got the job. In this current job market, I was grateful to have her advice, expertise, and inspiration.

In 2019, after 15 years of employment with the same firm, the extensive travel was taking a toll on my family life. After countless discussions with my wife, we made the decision that I needed to pursue career options that did not require travel. The first step of updating my resume and LinkedIn profile were obvious. However, creating a professional resume to reflect 20 years of expertise was an inconceivable project. The alternative was to find a professional resume writer who could quickly understand my background, industry experience, knowledge, values and goals. I reached out to Karen at AKA Associates, Inc. and she quickly went to work. The first thing I noticed about Karen was her professionalism and her business/industry knowledge. She asked all the right questions, gaining information regarding my background, experience and what my end goal would be. Karen’s blend of professionalism, experience, tenacity and compassion was truly motivating. Going through a career change or job search can be a difficult and challenging time but Karen made the transition for me an extremely positive experience with a terrific end result.

I was preparing for an interview for an Administrator Position for a Cardiology Group. The interview process involved an initial phone interview followed by an on–site panel interview with several esteemed doctors from the practice. I started to look on LinkedIn for a coach to help me prepare for the challenging interview process. When I came across Karen's LinkedIn page, I knew that I could benefit greatly from her experience and expertise. I emailed her and she immediately got back to me to set-up a coaching session. Karen was incredible! She knew exactly what questions to ask and gave fantastic tips and feedback. Thanks to Karen, I felt so prepared for the interviews and I am excited to share that I was chosen to be the Cardiology Group's Administrator!