Seeking a confidential sounding board away from the fray.


In a career dilemma. Facing some kind of crisis or transition,
such as conflict with a partner or peer, downsizing, divestiture
of a hospital-owned practice, "burnout" from managed care,
forced early retirement (perhaps due to lost market share),
mid-life crisis, or a combination of several life problems at once.
Examples have included: financial challenges, a death or serious
illness in the family, or a spouse's unemployment.


Career-oriented—desiring more success and personal fulfillment.

1. Self discovery or career evaluation:
   Through personal interviewing, pencil-and-paper exercises, and structured career testing and assessment, we help you create an exact blueprint of the job or career that fits you best, and makes the best use of your skills, interests, and talents. In business this is called a roadmap or strategic plan.
   
2. Implementation:
   In phase two, we finalize the plan you have created. We conduct an aggressive job search campaign, or help you reach the other career goals you have set. For example, if you don't want a traditional clinical job, we'll help you understand your possibilities and make sensible choices.

We do have hundreds of business and industry contacts, and when appropriate, we'll share our contacts with you or make personal introductions. We seldom ever spearhead a career move, or direct a job search campaign, without introducing the candidate to several of the right people.

A similar interdependence applies to career transition. We ask you to complete simple homework assignments, to keep appointments and commitments, to act on our advice—assuming you agree with it—and to make your best efforts to participate. The career transition process is like a tennis game, in that if both of us do our parts, the outcome will be tremendously successful!

Second, we don't know how clients will participate or how strenuously they will work. Therefore, while our success rate is incredibly high—nearly 100%—we never guarantee jobs, and neither do other reputable career firms. Beware of any career marketing firm that guarantees you employment—especially if they promise to do all the work! A firm can guarantee to keep working with you until you're employed, or until you reach the next milestone in your career—but that's an entirely different promise altogether. That we can deliver.

1. Career Assessment and Blueprint
   Subjective and objective assessment and analysis. Study of your autobiography, interests, major life accomplishments, transferable skills, core competencies, and personal and family needs. Review of market conditions and career options, and development of a highly detailed career blueprint—your action plan for the future.
2. Job Placement or Career Transition
   The services above, with the development and implementation of your career plan. We coach you from beginning to end, from the time you recognize the need for assistance until you are re-employed in a new setting. Key deliverables include resume or CV writing, cover letters, national e-mailing of CVs to recruiters, networking direction, development of interview skills, compensation studies, salary negotiating tactics—and ongoing coaching and support through to your placement.
3. Placement Plus
   All the services above, plus, 12 month's follow-up focusing on transition issues, such as, creating the "first wins," adjusting to a corporate culture or political environment, managing an unfamiliar boss, situational problem solving, and other issues of assimilation. We also adjust the career blueprint to look to the future.
4. Spouse/Partner Support
   Our services can be tailored to support your total family's career transition. This could include, for example, optimizing dual-careers, moving to a designated city, creating opportunities that don't require relocation, or finding employment for a trailing spouse or partner.
5. Lifetime Career Management™
   All the services above, with lifetime follow up to establish and implement your long-term career plan and achieve targeted financial goals. It is not at all unusual for us to work with clients through two, three, or sometimes four career moves over the course of a long-term engagement. Uncertainty in the world of work makes this an increasingly popular option.

1. JOB-HUNTING EXPENSES —Source: US Master Tax Guide
   Individuals may deduct all expenses incurred in seeking employment in the SAME trade or business, regardless of whether or not search is successful. Such expenses include the typing, printing, and mailing of a resume, and travel and transportation expenses.

   Expenses are not deductible for an individual seeking employment in a NEW trade or business, even where employment is secured. An individual seeking his first job or switching his trade or business, or a person with a long period of unemployment will be denied a deduction.

   To the extent that job-hunting expenses are deductible, they are only deductible as an itemized deduction on Schedule A, of Form 1040, subject to the 2% floor.

2. EDUCATION AND RELATED EXPENSES —Source: US Master Tax Guide
   Education expenses are generally deductible if the education that is undertaken (1) maintains or improves a skill REQUIRED by the individual in the individual’s employment or other trade or business, or (2) meets the express requirements of the individual’s employer or the requirements of law or regulations imposed as a condition to the retention by the individual of an established employment relationship, status, or rate of compensation.

   Because the expenses of a job search and related career management or transition expenses are specific to an individual, the deductibility from a tax point of view are not always black and white. The gray areas involve the interpretation of what is the SAME trade or business verses a NEW trade or business. With educational expenses, there are also many interpretations that determine the deductibility.

3. CONCLUSION
   Job hunting and educational expenses may be deductible, but you should always seek professional tax advice as to the deductibility and the proper documentation in reporting these expenses to the IRS.