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A+ Career & Resume, LLC, Kansas City, MO (2026)

04/23/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: TALENT STACK: BOOST YOUR CAREER!

The Talent Stack concept was coined by the late Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert. However, I want you to think of Talent Stack beyond its original scope. We’re going to “supersize it” to maximize our talents.

Initially, the idea was to combine multiple “good” skills to become extraordinary in your work. Great idea, but I’m going to add a new wrinkle or two to the equation.

We’re all “good” at many things, but a few of our skills, abilities, or knowledge base areas can be exceptional. Conversely there are weaknesses to consider as well.

First, as an example, look at the areas where you’re a Subject Matter Expert (SME). You might be very adept at project management, and your projects tend to deploy without issue. This is part of your Talent Stack. Now, (still an example) let’s consider where you may be a SME within your project management expertise.

For instance: Do you have standout proficiency in Agile PM Methodology? Do you put teams together that implement projects under budget, or are always on time, every time? Can you train end-users effectively, creating curriculum, lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, participant handouts, and a manual that creates a seamless transition for all impacted end-users.

The above are SME areas, and they are higher value in your Talent Stack! Not only can you heavily market these in a job search, but to your current organization for better raises, bonuses, and promotions because they produce enhanced outcomes.

Now, where are your weaknesses? When you know your weak areas, you can mitigate some and LEARN the others, becoming more valuable as an employee.

Struggling with MS Excel? Want to learn H and V Lookups, Pivot Tables, and Macros? Microsoft has free training modules, YouTube has free videos, Coursera will have several online courses, or if you like a classroom environment, your local community college probably has some great classes. You could become a SME within months, possibly earn a certification, and have SEVERAL new skills for your Talent Stack.

Excel at Excel already, you could add AI, R, or Python to your Talent Stack for Business Analysis. When you look at your weaknesses honestly, you can see where to plug in a new capability and enhance everything else. Learn a new skill and bolster your confidence level while motivating yourself to add new competencies.

Yes, I realize that organizations often lack training resources, so seek them externally. I would encourage you, however, to see if your company will pay for them!

Spend some time determining what your “good” skills and abilities are, increase your Talent Stack by growing weak areas, and promote your SME proficiencies. Your future career and income will thank you!

04/17/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: How Long Should You Have to Consider a Job Offer?

How long should you take, and a company give you, to consider a job offer? First, never be pressured on the spot at an interview to take a job. This is a huge warning flag that something is wrong with the organization. If they can’t wait for a couple of days for you to make the decision, then you don’t want to work for them.

Second, an acceptable or common time period is “over a weekend” or two to three days, and many organizations give up to one week. Requiring a great deal more time on your part means that you have an issue with their offer, or something may be making you uncomfortable. In that case, the answer from you should likely be NO!

Need to negotiate an aspect or two of the job offer? Do so quickly, as a delay can cost you. However, if what they promised in the interview for salary, vacation/PTO, bonuses, and/or commissions, aren't the same or better in the offer, then turn that role down, and tell them why.

If a potential employer or boss lies to you before you start the job, what will they do once you are working there? Remember, it’s your preference to take the job, so the ball is in your court, and you have the power to say yes, or no.

If you are looking for help with your resume, career exploration and transition coaching, or interview coaching, contact Coach Karen at careeerandresume.com or 816-942-3019.

04/09/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Stop Downsizing Employees Without Doing the Work!

In the last few years, we’ve seen many companies layoff staff using questionable approaches. From Zoom video, to emails, to FedEx or UPS letters; these are impersonal layoffs.

I realize when downsizing thousands, you can’t have one-on-ones. However, you can do better. Here’s how:

1) Let your whole workforce know ahead of time; six weeks or more, there will be layoffs. The rumors are already out there!
2) Identify and communicate specific departments impacted.
3) Let employees know you support them searching for a job now, as leaving by attrition saves you time and effort.
4) Do an appropriate severance package. For every year they’ve been employed they receive two weeks of pay, AND at least six months (preferably one-year) of health care.
5) Give them two options for severance: lump sum payment, or regular pay every two weeks.
6) Offer early retirement/early out options to anyone interested (the same severance package), primarily those in senior leadership roles or long-term employment with your company (10+ years). This could impact the restructuring picture.
7) Layoff day(s), have departmental managers in tandem with HR, meet with those being downsized, as a departmental group. Have package details prepared for each employee in a packet (email copy can be sent later to personal emails). Then, let them clear their desks with supervision. Only if an individual is overly emotional, should a manager clear the desk for them. Their computer access should be turned off prior to them returning to their desk.
8) Provide dedicated HR contacts for employees seeking support post-layoff.

Treat people like a piece of equipment, and you will ruin your organization’s reputation. The consequence will be fewer qualified candidates applying in the future and former employees and their family members badmouthing you online. Instead, treat people like humans and you will look professional and compassionate in the public eye, and to potential new employees. Now, your reputation remains intact.

To companies treating each employee with respect!

Need help with your resume, job search, interviews, or career exploration, contact Coach Karen via [email protected] or 816-942-3019.

04/02/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Tips for Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone and Socializing in Public

As promised, here are some tips I give to clients on cultivating a better social life.

1) Take a trusted, and socially appropriate, friend or family member with you who isn’t shy.

Outgoing individuals not only set a “how-to” example but help others get involved in the conversation. Then, you can “take the wheel”.

2) Go someplace where you feel safe to meet others.

The library, your children’s school, an alumni group, museum, community center, or church/synagogue/temple, etc., all can bring a sense of safety in introducing yourself and starting a conversation.

3) Be aware of conversations around you, where you might introduce yourself and start a conversation, or gently merge yourself into one.

Grocery stores and post office lines, doctors’ offices, or anywhere you might wait are ideal places. Remember, always ask permission to enter an existing conversation.

4) Parties, weddings, and funerals. During a party, or AFTER a funeral or wedding, people invariably introduce themselves to each other. Often, their first question is “what do you do”, which is a great opening for you. Keep the initial answer short, then ask about them. People love to talk about themselves and their family.

All tips in this blog post are with one proviso, ALWAYS BE SELF-AWARE and SAFE. While rare, every so often you may need to end a conversation early. Just walk over to another person or group and socialize with them. This is a big reason for my first tip – take a friend or family member with you.

So, grab that extroverted friend and head out on a little adventure. Visit some of the recommended places from Tip #2, go to a party or wedding reception (no drinking, to stay sharp and keep safe). Strike up a polite conversation in a grocery store line or let them start the conversation. These could be your first steps to your new job, new friend, or maybe something so much more. To you creating new connections!

Need help with resume development or career coaching, contact Coach Karen at careerandresume.com or by phone at 816-942-3019.

03/31/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Digital Communications Don’t Replace Real, In-Person Interactions!

You want a life of rich relationships, not just superficial interactions. I love social media and texting, but it won’t replace bonds made with those you meet offline. The digital world simply can’t supply the necessary connection!

I’ve never seen a world more in need of connection than current society. From taking parents to interviews, to being afraid to speak on a phone, to insisting on only remote work, to keeping masks on 24/7 to hide themselves, people are putting up walls encouraging mental illness, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and intense loneliness.

Ask yourself the following question: When is the last time you went out with friends or family, to a bar, restaurant, local attraction, event, etc.? Online gaming doesn’t count. Seeing people at work doesn’t count. Video calls don’t count.

When did you leave your home or workplace and hang out with friends or family for several hours? Now ask yourself how often this takes place.

This was common pre-COVID, before nonsensical rules about approaching and speaking with others, before colleges created safe places, and before we started choosing family and friends based on who they voted for or whether they agreed with us on every issue!

Do you want a full life, or not? If you do, then you must push yourself to create relationships with others, those who are different from you, don’t always agree, and yes, don’t necessarily vote the same as you. Your life should include a diversity of people and should never be lived online.

I do have many clients who are terribly shy, suffering under COVID shutdowns and absurd rules about every interaction. As their coach, I must help them to break this cycle and live a more robust life.

In my next blog post, I will talk about strategies I use with clients to help them develop relationships and create a more vivid life abounding in real connections with real people.

Need help with resume development or career coaching, contact Coach Karen at careerandresume.com or by phone at 816-942-3019.

03/26/2026

Coachable Moment, by Coach Karen: Why a Part-Time Job Can Help Your Job Search!

When clients come to me, they are often in the throes of a lengthy job search or recently lost their job. My advice; get a part-time job.

First, part-time work likely pays more than unemployment. Second, many companies discriminate in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) where you apply online, within one to six months of unemployment. You won’t know this is going on, you just get standard “Dear John” emails saying they appreciate you applying but more qualified applicants are being interviewed.

We both know you don’t suddenly lose skillsets and experience in one to six months. This is a tactic to narrow the applicant field. It is discriminatory but legal. Circumvent the problem altogether with a part-time job AND earn a paycheck.

Yes, companies constantly complain they cannot get qualified workers, yet they discriminate against the unemployed. A note to companies; there are millions of skilled workers who don’t have a current job, but are highly qualified for your organization. Stop complaining about unqualified applicants when you toss out half of the potential candidates due to bias or convenience.

Part-time work also gives you a possible employer reference, a sense of purpose, and perhaps benefits! You still have ample time to do a search and those “honey-do projects”. There is little downside.

HR, Recruiters, and Hiring Managers tend to perceive a candidate with a part-time job after layoff, job elimination, or firing, as a hard worker doing whatever is necessary to feed their family. In other words, additional value is shown to a potential employer. The part-time job you choose has little to do with this equation.

While you may be enjoying some time off after a downsizing, seek part-time employment. Your bank account, sense of purpose, and job search will all thank you!

Need help with resume development or career coaching, contact Coach Karen via her website at careerandresume.com.

03/25/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Laying Off Employees to Fund Large Projects; Are We That Stupid!

Recently, the news has been reporting on several large companies downsizing employees to fund large projects. Does this make sense?

A current Gallup poll, regularly surveying employee engagement since early 2000’s, reports for the first time ever, more employees are struggling than thriving in their work.

In the constant battle to get more productivity, many companies saddle staff with ever-increasing workloads. No extra pay, no raises or bonuses, but lots of extra hours. Now, they want to lay off more people.

Why does your leadership think this is a good idea? Why do you continue to treat your employees like indentured servants that should devote their entire lives to YOUR company, not their company, YOUR company.

The answer is simple, you plan poorly, you execute poorly, think of people as “resources” to be manipulated, and answer to large stakeholders who care only about themselves.

Thank you for the big bulk of potential and new clients who are coming to me from these companies. They all tell me similar stories about their workplaces.

I’ve said this before; I’m a capitalist but also believe people should have a vibrant life outside of work and quality time with their family. Oh, you say you want this for your employees, but your actions and surveys say otherwise.

If you can’t afford to build your new data center, factory, corporate headquarters, etc., without laying off employees, your company is managed poorly, or you don’t understand the concept of profit and revenue reinvestment 101.

Stop laying off workers while joyously reporting your record-breaking profits. Keep employees, reinvest in new technology, factories, etc., and watch your company grow while the competition languishes. You gain loyal employees and clients and truly build for the future.

Need help with resume development or career coaching, contact Coach Karen at careerandresume.com or by phone at 816-942-3019.

03/24/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Don’t Lie on Your Resume!

Depending on the article or survey you read, 50-80% of people lie on their resume. The likelihood of you doing so is more possible than you think!

What do people lie about on resumes (this is a basic list):

1) Degrees.
2) Company/organization for which they worked.
3) Making up an employer.
4) Fudging dates employed.
5) Claiming abilities and skills not possessed.
6) Technology never/barely used.
7) Certifications or licensure.
8) Stating they speak a foreign language when they don’t.

Get caught lying, you won’t be hired or can be automatically fired, and have no recourse. Is it worth your reputation and job to lie?

From long job searches, to wanting an “edge” over the competition, there are many reasons. However, the fact is your experience is enough for the right job.

So, what should you do for a resume you feel is lacking?

1) Get training in a missing skill, technology, language, etc.
2) From parents’ returning to work, to lengthy unemployment, stop lying. Instead, volunteer, get a part-time job, get training, or pursue a certification.
3) Stop thinking you must have a degree. Only around 30% of the population, according to both BLS and Census detail, hold a four-year degree. That means 70%+ don’t!!! Unless you’re a high-level professional, you typically don’t need a degree. Read job ads carefully, as most state “degree preferred” not required. Many ads don’t require a degree, just a high school diploma.

a. If you went to college for a full semester or more, put it on your resume, IT DOES HELP – something like the following:
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
Pursued one year of coursework toward B.S. Business Administration.

To you writing an improved, and truthful resume!

If you’re looking for help with your resume, job search, career exploration, life coaching, etc., feel free to contact me (Coach Karen) at careerandresume.com or 816-942-3019. To your career, and life success!

03/12/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Put Your Best Foot Forward

Crafting a resume bullet point can be difficult, let alone a whole resume. Why, because you, your family and friends, only see duties and responsibilities, not your successes.

Certainly, duties and responsibilities are part of many resume bullet points, but without showing how you created success, increased profit and revenue, better client retention strategies, managed an inventory, supervised staff, etc., you have a general resume that will get little attention from potential employers.

My advice: always put your best information first. Ensure the bullet point detail applies to the specific job you are pursuing.

I see a lot of resumes that have a first bullet of “Answered Phones” or something similar. That’s it, nothing more. However, the third or fourth bullet point will be things like “Sold $4,500,000 in product, 127% over goal” or “Manage $2,000,000 in merchandise inventory monthly, tracking via SAP Inventory Management System” and are far more important than the fact you answered the phone.

Even if you are pursuing a receptionist position, I would give them a more descriptive bullet point, such as: “Answer six-line phone system, distributing calls to appropriate departments and fielding general inquiries”.

While you want to be succinct in your descriptions, give the reader and Applicant Tracking System (ATS) enough information to know what you really can offer as an employee. It will increase your chances of getting past the ATS, and in getting an interview.

02/27/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: Is Decision Fatigue Disrupting Your Life?

Ever watched someone at the grocery store struggle to make a decision in the cereal aisle. Too many choices! You’re watching decision-fatigue.

Think about it, most of us have a chosen cereal choice and just move on. Want to try something new, and overrun with other decisions to make, now you stand and just look at all the choices, unable to decide. Once the cascade starts, it runs amok through our lives.

How do we keep decision fatigue from interfering in our everyday life. Here are some tips:

1) If you are list person, like I am, and derive pleasure in crossing things off, put them on a list. Only add a few a day. Get all or at least most crossed off.
2) Time Chunk! Some things take more time. Don’t try to tackle it all at once. Start with 15 to 30 minutes devoted to a larger decision, set a clock/phone timer so you stop immediately. Repeat again now or later. You may make your decision quicker than you think.
3) Consider the cost. Emotional, physical, mental, and/or monetary. We were considering having a new deck built for us. We decided to tackle redoing our existing deck ourselves due to cost. Our deck has amazing features and was built by my father and grandfather. I literally watched them build that deck from the ground up when I was a little girl. My husband and I didn’t just want to avoid a big bill, we wanted to save something precious to both of us. Emotional and monetary!
4) Call a trusted family member, friend, mentor. Sometimes we need perspective.

You have control in making most decisions, and they don’t have to engulf your life. By compartmentalizing the overwhelming number of decisions at work, you can be more present in your personal life.

If you are looking for help with your job search, resume, career exploration, life coaching, etc., feel free to contact me (Coach Karen) at careerandresume.com or 816-942-3019. To your career, and life success!

02/13/2026

COACHABLE MOMENT, by Coach Karen: But I’m Perfect for that Job?

I hear this quote in all its iterations, a lot. Clients feel slighted, believing they’re 100% perfect for a “job” they applied for, but never heard back.

What’s going on? Do companies want to hire the most qualified? Yes, but you were not the only “perfect” person for the job. 50-100 other applicants were too. Unfortunately, we have a tough time processing that others can be just as, or even more qualified than we are for a position.

With the amount of people applying for a given job, organizations simply can’t interview all the “perfect” candidates. And this doesn’t even address the 40% of job postings that aren’t real.

In a job search you must make peace with the fact that you will not hear back from most applications. There’s no magic AI pill to take, or new trend to make your resume suddenly irresistible.

What can you do? Here are FIVE tips to help your resume standout:

1) Apply between 6:00 AM-10:00 AM, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. HR isn’t typically reviewing resumes on Monday and Friday. Be one of the first resumes they see when looking at ATS results, apply early in the day, and stick to the middle days of the week.
2) Research keywords and key phrases specific to your industry, career, and special skills.
3) Tailor each resume to the job ad. What keywords/key phrases are in the ad that aren’t in your current resume or cover letter AND are skills/experience you possess.
4) Network with people to gain connections at companies where you apply. Referrals can mean an automatic interview. Remember, everyone you know, knows people you don’t.
5) Don’t apply to bright shiny objects. Keep your job search targeted at one to three different careers with accompanying one to three targeted resumes for those careers.

If you are looking for help with your job search, resume, or career exploration, feel free to contact me (Coach Karen) at https://careerandresume.com or 816-942-3019. To your career success!

A+ Career & Resume, LLC

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