By Amanda Brandon, NRWA Newsletter Editor
When I came across Laura’s comment on a Facebook post, I did what any curious writer does—I checked out her social profiles and website. I started browsing her website, and something resonated with me—her authenticity of being a mother. Her “why” for this business is her children. I hope you enjoy getting to know Laura as much as I did.
Laura ran a local career center in the San Diego area beginning in 2012. She was helping professionals recovering from the Great Recession adjust to the new job market. Through her work in the career center, she handled the “tough cases.” She helped professionals transition to new industries and careers, shift back into the workplace after long-term unemployment, and secure federally funded training.
Then her own world shifted – she had her first child. And as she says, “He had different plans for me.” So, she stepped down from her career center leadership role. However, play dates and playdough would not be her new normal. She has a specialized skill set (like all of you!) that former colleagues, friends, and family needed.
One particular former colleague sparked her new business. He had been No. 3 out of 2,000 sales reps; yet, he had been job searching for an entire year without any results. So, she reworked his resume, and within two weeks, he got an interview and a job offer for more than he was making before. Soon, she launched Anew Resume & Career Services.
“My specialty is recognizing transferrable skills,” Laura says. “I pull those out and help my clients transition to industries and careers they may not have considered.”
Laura says she got started on Thumbtack (a professional referral network) her first year and “never needed it again.” The referrals from former clients and LinkedIn networking now drive her business. She’s presenting a workshop at the 2021 NRWA conference in September on how to leverage virtual networking (If you’re interested in learning more about how to grow referrals, check out her on-demand workshop from last year’s conference, “How to Grow Your Business with Quality Referrals.”)
Working with children is a constant obstacle for any parent, but Laura makes it look easy. She says, “Be flexible. Have your process down. Schedule consultations. And give realistic timelines.”
With her background in helping clients build new careers, Laura also offers career coaching and interview preparation. She helps her clients understand how to execute their search, develop their referral networks, and gain confidence in interviewing. She also assists clients with performance evaluations, LinkedIn profiles, and salary negotiations.
As for her participation in the NRWA, she says this organization meets you where you are. “If you’re just starting, the training can build your confidence,” Laura says. “If you’ve never worked with LinkedIn before, Thomas Powner’s training is excellent.”
“The other side of the NRWA is the networking,” Laura says. “It’s nice to have people you can trust when you’re overbooked or overwhelmed.”
Laura’s blog has a fun story. She loves music (particularly live music) and posts her concert list on her LinkedIn “About” section. (She says this has helped her connect with clients.) She named her blog the “Ruby Tuesday Career Blog,” after the Rolling Stones song. She posts on Tuesdays, and she says the song is a great reminder to do that.
Be sure to check out Laura’s blog and website at www.arcresume.com and connect with her on LinkedIn.
