Crystal is AMAZING!!! She doesn't just write a resume. Crystal crafts an comprehensive work of art!read more

I have not updated my resume in years. Patient and really want to get to know there client so that…read moreit is just not words on a paper. Be willing to participate and you will be grateful the excellent product service.

A colleague recommended Traverse to me. She told me that her career coach had rewritten her résumé…read moreand cover letters, prepped her for interviews and helped her to quickly transition from a very unhealthy office atmosphere into her new position. Since I am in a similar situation, I contacted the coach ASAP and, long story short, I spent $75 for her to tell me something that I already knew.. that I'm "creative". In our initial (free) conversation, I expressed that I've done as much as I can do developing my own career and that I needed assistance translating the tasks and duties I've performed at my dead-end job into something marketable to put on my résumé. I also mentioned how much I HATE networking (so many bad experiences. We swap business cards and it starts off as "business" but ends up with an awkward and unwanted "proposition". Ick!) and that I was still reeling from a job interview that went exceptionally poorly. The coach, Ellen, mentioned that she had a background in HR, so I thought she'd be perfect to assist me in all of these areas. I was wrong. In our first (and last) paid session, I reminded her that résumé rewrites were important to me. She told me that "résumés are not really important", and spent the next hour trying to talk about anything but that. I felt that she was not in tune with, and did not consider, my needs as the client (even though I clearly expressed them in the form of a 10-page "All About Me" document that she asked me to write for our paid session). I came in with the expectation that she would consider my concerns, hear my reservations and difficulties and respond with both compassion and reassurance, as well as a plan. I was expecting to hear something like, " Ok.... I see that your résumé is important to you, but I want you to know that that is not the only tool you have working for you, so I'll tell you what. Since you're the client and you are paying for these services, we will address your résumé issues first. After that, we'll start working on finding networking avenues that are more comfortable for you and in the following session, we'll start working on your elevator pitch... I know it's not your favorite thing to do, but we're going to work on it together and I'm going to help you come up with something great!" Had I heard anything close to that, I would have signed up right away. Instead she spent much of the session telling me that I was "putting up walls" if I expressed uncertainty about some of her methods or disagreed with observations she made. Much of what she did recommend to me I have already done, and instead of saying, "Ok, let's talk about how we can capitalize on your efforts and take them to the next level", I felt like I was being criticized for taking my time and choosing to make careful decisions; as if I hadn't been working fast enough for her or something. Even though she insisted she wasn't doing so, I felt like I was being judged the whole time: like the efforts I've been making on my own weren't good enough (which was the whole reason I reached out to her in the first place!). One thing an effective coach does is reassure players and help them to recognize their potential. Instead of reassured and empowered, I left that session feeling frustrated and annoyed. From the questions and comments she provided, it was evident that she did not have a clear understanding of what I needed. At one point, I had to stop her and ask "Did you understand what I meant when I said ...." I was dismayed that she did not ask enough questions to clarify, but instead tried to march forward with her own plans without a clear understanding of what I needed. It's one thing not to listen to me; it's another thing entirely to pay to be ignored. It goes without saying, I do not recommend these services to anyone.

I was a stay-at-home mom for 4 years and decided to put my career on hold as a nurse to be with my…read morekids. Once my kids were in school, I wanted to get back to work part-time, and I reached out to Ellen Dunagan at Traverse Career Solutions for help. Ellen helped me evaluate my professional and personal goals including what part-time meant for me, and how to maintain my work life balance. Once that was clear, I updated my resume with Ellen's help and targeted potential hospitals in the DC metro area to figure out who needed my skills and where I would be a good fit. Based on this approach I quickly landed an interview in a top hospital. In order to be best prepared Ellen suggested that I ask for the names of everyone I was interviewing with so I could do my research and feel more confident connecting with them. It helped me have more of a conversation with my interviewers and feel less stressed. Ellen also conducted mock interviews with me which was incredibly valuable having not interviewed for many years. I was thrilled to get an offer from my first choice hospital following my interview, although the offer was to work within a department that was not the best fit for my career growth. I almost declined the position but Ellen coached me on taking a different approach since I had successfully gotten an offer, connected with several employees, and I really liked the hospital. Instead of declining, I called the Hiring Manager and asked if it was possible to take the part-time position with the hospital, but work for a different department. Lucky for me they felt I was both a great fit and valuable - and I have been working at this top hospital now, part-time, for almost a year - happily! Ellen was both incredibly professional and supportive throughout this entire process and I am so thankful to her! I can't recommend Ellen enough!!!

As a small business with competing financial priorities, updating our website was routinely pushed…read moreto the bottom of our task list. Enter Virginia and the Strategic Tactical Marketing team. With their incredibly savvy guidance and in-depth knowledge, we were able to develop and rebrand who we are as a company and project the image of who our customers should see rather then what they thought they knew - all within our budget. Virginia walked us through how to sharpen our capabilities and helped us refine our differentiators. She and her team took a daunting task and made it manageable. It truly was a partnership every step of the way. In the end we couldn't be more excited with the final product. We have a professional, polished presence that we are proud of, and one that has garnered positive feedback from our customers. We would highly recommend Strategic Marketing to anyone looking to create, refresh, or rebrand your online presence.

This company was 100% hands on and worked diligently to improve the efficiency and the production…read moreof our business. They streamlined every aspect of our company and reviewed and updated software that would keep us running smoothly. ICG increased our bottom dollar and we actually keep them on our advisory board as we look to expand. Thank you. You were and continue to be worth every penny.

We began working with Bola and Mac last year after meeting Bola at a networking event where we…read moreinstantly hit it off. When we started working with them, we were a new company with a great idea and service to offer, but we were lacking when it came to a business plan and direction. While we had clients, our sales funnel and our workflows needed a reboot. Bola and Mac sat down with us in our first meeting and had us re-evaluate what our focus as a company was, who our ideal clients were, and what our ultimate goal (both as a business and as individuals) was. Working with them helped us walk away from that meeting with a clearer, focused objective. Since that first meeting, we have used what MBA Growth Partners has taught us to land deals with many new clients, set a strategy for the next year and each quarter, and create connections we never would have thought possible when we started. If I were to sum up the work Bola and Mac have done for us in one word, that word would be essential. In a single sentence: the work Bola and Mac have done for us has helped us reach goals we never would have accomplished this early on by ourselves, and they've helped us nail down a strong direction and goal for our business where we previously had only a loose idea. The meetings we have had with MBA Growth Partners has been indispensable, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a personable, knowledgeable team that can help them re-focus and growth their business immensely.

I began working with Officium shortly after beginning work as a Business Manager for a new start up…read moreproperty maintenance company. I was essentially the only staff member, and needed support in bringing together the team of staff we would need to run the company effectively. Officium came recommended by our sister company and Edgar was very helpful in planning and preparing for the hiring process. Over the course of about 6 - 8 months, Officium coordinated the hire of three new staff members. I appreciated how detailed and prepared Edgar was in managing the process. He communicated consistently, and more importantly, I felt like he really understood what we were looking for in each staff position and he became a trusted partner in navigating the process. He also is very knowledgeable about HR systems and was an amazing resource as we set up all the policies and procedures needed to have a smooth onboarding process, as well as ongoing HR support. For a small business or organization, where a full time HR person is not feasible, Officium is an excellent resource. Edgar takes the time to get to know his clients, to understand their specific HR needs, how they will match with potential employees during a recruitment process, and how to support his clients with ongoing HR support. . Vincenza Kamwendo Former Business Manager Koti Property Services

I worked with Kelli Kolling for about five months to help me achieve more focus in my leadership…read moreroles and at the same time maintain a level of balance in my lifestyle. While running a small business and also serving on three advisory and management boards, I was considering running for elected office for the Fairfax School Board. Kelli helped to "sort it out". Could/Should I proceed with branching into the political arena, a new experience for me? Kelli helped me evaluate each element of my community-oriented activities, why each was important to me and what would seeking elected office achieve for me and the community. Kelli and I met in neutral locations of convenience and spent the session addressing my emerging thoughts since our last meeting. In a nonjudgmental manner, Kelli posed questions for my reflection and reply. In the end, I decided to run for the school board seat, and did so without reservation that this was to be a natural growth in my life experiences. Kelli deserves credit in assisting me to explore and expose those conflicting ideas and feelings that cause many of us to doubt our abilities to reach out and reinvent ourselves to meet new opportunities.

I have worked with Angelika Sass as my Leadership Coach for the past 9 months. She has helped me…read moreto discover my strengths, blind spots, resources, and challenges in developing my business plan. An excellent listener who is not afraid to ask the difficult and probing questions, Angelika has a great ability to help facilitate my transition to entrepreneur while recognizing the importance of a healthy work/life balance. I have recommended Angelika to a friend who is considering hiring a coach. My work as well as personal life have been enriched by the coaching I have received from Angelika.

ADC is an amazing company that offers a wide range of professional services. Highly recommend for…read moreassistance with Temporary Staffing, Management Consulting or Workforce Development services.