FAQs

The primary focus of career counseling is to help people make decisions and develop action plans related to their career, educational and life goals. Typically short-term in nature, individual career counseling is composed of a series of 50 minute sessions that cover topics such as career assessment, career options and exploration, skills identification, values clarification, career and educational information, resume and cover letter writing, networking, job search strategies, interviewing, salary negotiation and work-life balance. Services are tailored to the specific needs of each individual and the number of sessions desired is determined by the client.

I offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each of my client’s individual needs. I work with each client to develop an agreed upon plan to best meet their needs and individual situation. Each client selects the services that meet their specific needs and determines the number of sessions they would like as the process proceeds.

Absolutely! Through a variety of assessments and exercises we can identify potential career paths and next steps to help you explore options, hone your focus and advance your search for a career that works for you.

It is always preferable to initially meet in person before I begin the process of reviewing your resume so that I can learn about your background, skills, interests and goals. Because resumes should be customized for each position or type of position, it also helps for us to meet to discuss the types of jobs you are interested in applying for and explore which of your experiences will be most important to highlight. After this initial meeting, further resume and cover letter development can often be done via email.

While I am often aware of specific job openings and will share those that are relevant to your career goals with you, my focus is to provide you with information and help you develop your skills so that you can effectively identify and seek out openings on your own.

No advance preparation is required. However, if you have a resume or cover letter, no matter how old, bring those along. In addition, if you have the results from any career assessments that you have taken in the past those may also be helpful to bring for review.

An initial face-to-face appointment is preferred. However, telephone, Skype and/or email appointments can be arranged when time or distance don’t allow for an in-person appointment.

Anything that is shared with me during a career counseling session is considered confidential unless otherwise requested, with the exception of statements of intent to harm yourself or others, or your past or intended participation in a specific crime. The results of any career assessments that are taken during career counseling will be provided to you.

If you do need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please try to allow 24 hours notice. This will allow me the opportunity to offer the appointment time to another client.

I look forward to helping you reach your career goals! Please contact me at 530-756-8219 or andrea@weisscareer.com and we can schedule an initial appointment to discuss where you are in your career journey and how I can assist you.

Outplacement is a service that provides transition assistance to employees who are leaving the organization due to downsizing, reorganization, layoff or firing. The exiting employee receives emotional support as they cope with the change and practical advice as they try to find a new job.

Typical outplacement service options range from executive transition programs spanning several months, one or two day group workshops that can be delivered with or without individual follow-up sessions, facilitation of an on-going job search support group and/or a one-day career assessment workshop which can be an add-on to any of the services. Andrea is available to confidentially advise management on the combination of services that best meet your organization’s needs and budget.

Yes. Due to their more specialized skills and salary requirements, executive level employees often require additional time to identify and secure their next position following layoff. Consequently, it is common practice to offer outplacement services to executives that last between 2 and 12 months. Whatever the length, these programs begin with a one-on-one introduction to services and are followed by up to 4 private sessions (in person, phone, Skype) for each month of service. Topics addressed in sessions are highly customized to the individual client and include career assessments, career change, resume development, job search strategies, networking, targeting prospective employers, interviewing, starting a business, organizing a job search and other career related issues.

Outplacement programs range from 3 or 4, one-hour sessions to 6-12 month programs. The exact length of outplacement provided often depends on the employee’s position in the organization and/or their length of service.

There are numerous benefits to providing outplacement services including:

• Maintaining the organization’s reputation
• Reducing the amount of time for employees to be rehired
• Improving morale of those leaving and those staying
• Managing risk
• Reducing stress

Normally the employer picks up the full cost of outplacement services and it is frequently part of the separation or severance agreement.

I offer workshops on a wide range of topics including career management, communication, team building and work-life balance. I work with clients to design customized workshops that address their specific needs.

Absolutely! I customize all of my workshops and would be happy to work with you to design a workshop that meets your specific training goals, budget and time constraints.

I work to create interactive learning environments with plenty of time for discussion, participant interaction and real-world application.

There are a number of benefits to working with an experience executive recruiter including:

• Comprehensive management of the recruitment process saves time, creates efficiencies, keeps the project on track, lends credibility to the process
• Increased probability of a successful and longer-term placement
• A more diverse and higher quality candidate pool that includes passive candidates who might not otherwise apply
• Efficient use of board members’ time as they undertake selection of a new Executive Director
• Strategic, comprehensive outreach is time consuming. Hiring a recruiter frees the CEO/Executive Director and/or staff to continue to focus on their primary tasks
• Brings credibility and objectivity to the process; Screening of candidates is applied evenly
• Recruitment is completed in a timely manner
• Maintains candidates’ confidentiality

While I can coordinate every aspect of the recruitment from start to finish, I also offer my recruitment services “a la carte.” Frequent elements that organizations purchase “a la carte” are Outreach Efforts to develop a high quality candidate pool, Candidate Screening with the goal of bringing forward the top 6-8 candidates for Board consideration, and Board Interview Facilitation to coordinate an effective selection process.

Unlike many search firms, I do not charge the typical 30% or more of the first year’s salary to conduct the recruitment. My fee is a flat rate that reflects an understanding of the budget constraints of many nonprofits. Payments are aligned with project milestones so you can be assured your recruitment stays on track and is completed in a timely fashion.

Yes. While I have never had to fulfill this guarantee, if the selected candidate leaves the position on his or her own accord during the first year of employment, I will provide additional services to recruit a replacement at no fee.