| Quoted in the Wall Street Journal today in an article about career coaches; MANAGING YOUR CAREER JANUARY 5, 2009, 11:35 P.M. ET High-End Help for Job Hunters: Does It Pay? By JOANN S. LUBLIN In this crowded job market, it's getting harder to stand out from the crowd. That's why job hunters increasingly tap professional marketers to improve their prospects. Experts such as executive-marketing firms, executive agents and certified personal-branding strategists claim to provide more tailor-made guidance than conventional coaches. Business is booming. About 100 Wall Street executives requested assistance during 2008 from David Werner International Corp., a New York executive-marketing firm that serves just four individuals a month. Neal Lenarsky, a Los Angeles executive agent, receives three times more calls from potential clients than several months ago. Paul Copcutt, a branding strategist in Dundas, Ontario, reports a similar recent pickup in demand. But you could spend plenty for such services with scant results. In the past, state agencies cracked down on numerous career-marketing concerns for charging hefty upfront fees without fulfilling their promises. "A lot of people would like to make money off job seekers," cautions Joseph Daniel McCool, a management-succession consultant in Amherst, N.H. "Not all will bring you the ideal job at the end of the rainbow." Here's a guide so you can weigh the pluses and minuses before buying "expert" advice about peddling the brand called You Inc.: Executive-marketing firms David Werner International aids executives earning at least $300,000 annually. The firm revamps each client's résumé and sends letters touting his or her qualifications to as many as 3,000 companies, says David Werner, its president. Because most prospects are employed, the letters usually omit their identities. Clients typically pay $26,000 plus a $13,000 "success fee" if they land positions through the company. Craig Schmeizer, a senior credit-card executive for Washington Mutual Inc., became a Werner client shortly before he left WaMu last spring. Mr. Werner initially dispatched about 315 letters to officials and board members at 114 insurance and financial-services companies, according to Mr. Schmeizer. As a result, the executive says he interviewed for attractive spots at five corporate giants, remains in the running at one and obtained a temporary consulting gig with a $200 million Internet concern. Mr. Schmeizer believes the $30,000 he has given Mr. Werner was money well spent -- despite his lack of permanent employment. "I'm happy to pay David a bigger success fee if his work helps me take on an even more meaningful assignment than the last." Certain Werner clients are unhappy, however. Steven L'Heureux, a California broadcast-technology executive, says Mr. Werner contacted 962 concerns on his behalf without naming him. The letters "didn't produce a single interview," the executive recalls. "A blind mailing campaign is not the best way to get a job." Mr. Werner disagrees. He says Mr. L'Heureux's name was disclosed in certain letters and the former client "did get interviews" because he paid $5,500 after obtaining at least one interview. Mr. L'Heureux says he used Mr.... |
