Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing a Job You'll Love

Master the new world of work.

You want―no, you need―a new job. But not just any job. The job. So you polish your resume till it shines. You apply for countless openings, tailoring your message to each. You search for the hidden job market, although it remains very well hidden. And the response? Well, it’s underwhelming. To top things off, maze-like online application systems appear designed to keep you and the perfect job apart. What’s going on?

How people successfully land jobs has changed. You need help from a pro, someone who navigates career data, the labor market, and hot jobs with ease. You want a coach who will tell you what to pursue and what to avoid, and an expert who has mastered job-hunting and career change to offer wisdom gained from experience. What you need is a career coach. Better yet, several.

Expert career coaches contributing to this volume include Lakeisha Mathews, Dan Schwartz, Sheila Margolis, Alisa Cohn, Michelle Riklan, Marie Zimenoff, Laura Labovich, Lynne Williams, Thea Kelley, Jean Juchnowicz, Alan DeBack, Marilyn Feldstein, Vivian Blade, David Hosmer, Barbara Seifert, and Nicole Miller.

Find Your Fit guides you through answering foundational questions like: What do I want to do with my career? Where should I do it? And how do I get there? As you develop a strong sense of self-awareness, you’ll be able to identify the work environment best for you, shape your online identity, and network more effectively by focusing on people instead of openings. You’ll learn about coveted employee referrals, and how to get one at your target company. With the help of experienced career coaches, you’ll be able to handle any kind of interview. And, you’ll become familiar with the pre-employment testing and assessments increasingly common today.

What are you waiting for? Your personal coaching session awaits.

Editor Bio: Sue Kaiden is the manager for the Career Development Community of Practice. This community helps professionals develop their careers and the careers of others within their organization. With more than 20 years of experience improving performance in the healthcare, IT, and nonprofit sectors, and 10 years of experience as a career coach, Sue is your point of contact for the ATD Career Development Community of Practice. She holds an MBA from Cornell University, a BS in business administration from Miami University, Ohio. She is trained in Lean Six Sigma and certified as a Myers Briggs (MBTI), and Strong Interest Inventory practitioner. Sue lives in Alexandria, VA. Contributor Bios: Vivian Blade As an executive coach, career coach, and leadership development trainer, Vivian Blade works with ambitious professionals and organizations to build leaders and develop excellence so they can achieve their vision of success. In 2009, Vivian founded Experts in Growth Leadership Consulting. Since then, she has worked with many global organizations, such as Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, and GE, as well as individual professionals, to help them realize their full potential. She's seen professionals succeed as leaders--making a noticeable impact in their organizations and achieving their personal career goals. Vivian is the author of FuelForward, Discover Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Career Forward. She lives in Louisville, KY. Alisa Cohn Alisa Cohn is an executive coach who works with start-up founders, co-founders, CEOs, and executive teams. She is the executive coach for the "Runway" program at NYC Tech--an "accelerator" that focuses on supporting post-docs to commercialize their research and build companies. She is also on the Entrepreneurial Advisory Committee at Cornell University and is on the advisory boards of a number of start-ups. Alisa guest lectures at Harvard, Cornell, and Georgetown Universities, as well as in the Naval War College's accelerated leadership program. Alisa is a CPA and earned an MBA from Cornell University. She lives in New York City. Alan De Back Alan De Back is an independent career counselor and learning consultant located in the Metro D.C. area. He has more than 20 years' experience in career counseling and learning- and training-related functions. Alan also served as director of global learning for an Internet consulting firm and as manager of leadership development for a major aerospace corporation. Alan holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and history from the State University of New York at Geneseo, a master's degree in human resource development from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a graduate-level certificate in Industrial Labor Relations from Cornell University. He is the author of Get Hired in a Tough Market and the TD at Work issue "Marketing Your Career Brand" and lives in Burke, VA. Marilyn Feldstein Marilyn Feldstein has more than 20 years' experience working in both corporate and nonprofit organizations where she held management positions of increasing responsibility. She has contributed to the books No-Nonsense Résumés, Expert Résumés for Baby Boomers, Directory of Professional Résumé Writers, Job Search Bloopers, and No-Nonsense Job Interviews. Marilyn is a certified Job and Career Transition Coach, Professional in Human Resources, and has been Certified in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. She has been a featured speaker on CBS and Clear Channel Radio, and is an adjunct Professor in Career Management at Webster University Graduate School. She also has a master's degree from Penn State University. Marilyn lives in Jacksonville, FL. David Hosmer David Hosmer has 26 years' experience in organization development, learning and development, and coaching as a manager, director, and consultant across a variety of industries. David is currently the director of talent management of the Specialty Diagnostics Group at Thermo Fisher Scientific. He is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, MIT internal Leader to Leader, and the Harvard Kennedy School's Art and Practice of Leadership Development, and a lifetime associate member of the Career Thought Leaders Consortium. He has an EdM from Harvard University, and became a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance in 2011. David wrote the TD at Work issue "The Manager's Guide to Employee Development," as well as a number of other articles including "Coaching With Questions" and "Mentoring Works" for the Training Journal. He lives in Andover, MA. Jean Juchnowicz Jean Juchnowicz is the owner of Human Resources Simplified, a human resources consulting and training company. She also does career coaching, including resume writing services, bios, and profiles, as the owner of Career Advice Simplified. Jean received recognition as a Senior Professional in Human Resources, is a Certified Business Manager, a Senior Certified Professional, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Rowan University and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Argosy University, with a concentration in Human Resources. She lives in Sarasota, FL. Thea Kelley Thea Kelley is a certified coach and resume writer who has been facilitating career success for more than 10 years, first through larger agencies and since 2008 as Thea Kelley Career Services. A former training specialist, Thea understands the talent development field and enjoys working with learning and development professionals. She is skilled in interviewing individuals to discover their unique brand and helping them tell their story in a way that is both authentic and strategic. Her specialties include interview coaching and writing LinkedIn profiles for clients nationwide. Thea holds a degree in journalism and has 20 years of professional writing and editing experience. In addition, she is a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Global Career Development Facilitator, and a Certified Professional and Personal Coach. She lives in Albany, CA. Laura Labovich As CEO of The Career Strategy Group, an outplacement firm in Bethesda, Maryland, Laura Labovich's contagious enthusiasm and powerful methodology make the perfect recipe for getting job seekers unstuck in their job search. She began her career with Walt Disney World, where she recruited nationwide for the Walt Disney World College Program, and America Online, where she launched the first company-wide internship program. Laura has contributed to The Washington Post, Sirius XM Radio, Fox News, NBC, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Yahoo, and Monster.com. She is the co-author of 100 Conversations for Career Success: Learn to Network, Cold-Call, and Tweet Your Way to Your Dream Job, which was a 2013 top career book selection by Forbes. She is also author of the comprehensive job search course HIRED! She lives in Bethesda, MD. Sheila Margolis Sheila Margolis holds a doctoral degree in human resource development, teaches part-time at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, and is president of the Workplace Culture Institute. As an organizational culture expert, Sheila is quoted in newspapers and magazines including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Her expertise is in defining organizational culture, managing organizational change, and increasing employee engagement. Sheila is the author of the facilitator and participant guides for Building A Culture Of Distinction, the organizational culture and change management program, and lives in Atlanta, GA. Lakeisha Mathews Lakeisha M. Mathews is an independent career coach and director of the Career and Professional Development Center at the University of Baltimore. Committed to helping professionals find their passion, achieve their dreams, and refine their brand, Lakeisha is a dynamic career coach and higher education administrator who excels in collaboration, curriculum development, innovation, and project management. As a coach, she enjoys helping clients and students clarify goals and strategize action steps. She has worked with a broad range of clients in a variety of industries. Lakeisha holds several certifications, including Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Professional Career Coach, and Global Career Development Facilitator. She lives in Columbia, MD. Nicole Miller Nicole Miller has more than 20 years of experience in the career development field, including stints as a school support counsellor helping guide students and as a vocational counsellor helping injured employees re-enter the workforce. Her knowledge and experience served her well when she was appointed to be coordinator of a career center for military families. She is currently the assistant director of learning and professional development at the University of Ottawa in Canada. Nicole was the first person in Canada to receive the coveted Certified Resume Writer distinction; she is also a Certified Electronic Career Coach and an International Job and Career Transition Coach. Her work has appeared in many career publications, and she co-authored the e-book Have Career . . . Will Travel. Nicole lives in Ontario, Canada. Michelle Riklan Michelle A. Riklan has a combined 25 years of in-house corporate and targeted consulting experience. She services large corporations, small businesses, and individuals in all aspects of human resources and career management. Michelle is an internationally recognized, award-winning resume writer, and a member of several prestigious career, training, and resume writing organizations. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer and Certified Employment Interview Consultant, Michelle has written hundreds of resumes and coached clients through all phases of the job search. She holds a BA in theatre, English literature, and speech communications from Hofstra University, and an MA in speech and interpersonal communications from New York University. She lives in Marlboro, NJ. Dan Schwartz Dan Schwartz is a research and organizational development specialist for Government Employees Health Association, partnering with senior leaders and building consultative, strategic partnerships to achieve business results. Dan was a participant in the ATD Training Certificate, and is the author of Winning Strategies: Achieving Success in the Classroom, Career and Life. In addition to his full-time role, Dan also regularly speaks to college students, preparing them to launch successful careers. He lives in Independence, MO. Barbara Seifert Barbara Seifert is the founder and president of Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting. She has more than 25 years' experience in the workforce, holding various management positions in both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Barbara has mentored and trained employees and business leaders to become successful and achieve their personal, professional, and organizational goals. Barbara has a PhD in leadership and education, with a specialization in human resource development. She is a Certified Professional Coach and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Qualified Supervisor. Barbara lives in Orlando, FL, and is an adjunct professor at Webster University and is also on faculty at Florida Institute of Technology. Lynne M. Williams Lynne M. Williams is an on-site local and virtual assistant providing support to people in career transition, busy executives, solopreneurs, and small businesses. As the founder and owner of Around the Clock Executive Helper, Lynne provides executive assistance and operations management for sales, marketing, social media, and administrative work. Lynne is also an experienced trainer, researcher, and writer. She has a BS in business administration marketing from the University of Delaware, and an MA and doctoral work in educational leadership from Immaculata University. Lynne does training workshops on LinkedIn and other career transition topics, and has done extensive research and writing on web 2.0 social media applications. She lives in Wayne, PA. Marie Zimenoff As CEO of Career Thought Leaders and Resume Writing Academy, Marie Zimenoff is on a mission to change the world one career success story at a time. She develops content and training across multiple mediums to keep careerists and careers industry professionals ahead of trends. Using pioneering strengths-based coaching and marketing techniques, she consistently improves outcomes for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and organizations. Marie holds a master's degree in counseling and career development and the industry's top certifications in career coaching, leadership coaching, branding, and resume writing: Nationally Certified Counselor, Master Resume Writer, Certified Career Management Coach, and Certified Executive and Leadership Development Coach. Marie lives in Fort Collins, CO.