 Karen Schaffer has helped thousands of people to trust themselves to discover their direction, passion and purpose. She has focused on the specialty of jobs and careers for more than 10 years, having written two books on the topic – Hire Power: the ultimate job guide for young Canadians (Prentice Hall, 1997), a Canadian bestseller and the cult hit amongst career book afficiandosThe Job of Your Life: Four Groundbreaking Steps for Getting the Work You Want (Prentice Hall, 1998). Her new book The Complete Book of Resumes is available from Sourcebooks Inc.
Karen has been guest expert for a large variety of television programs and talk shows, with repeat appearances on most, including Canada AM, Her Money, Breakfast Television, the Chatroom and Workopolis TV with Bruce Sellery. She is a regular contributor to the Maritime Noon News call in show with the inimitable Costas Halavrezos. Way back in the day she was the “Career Expert” for the Camilla Scott Show and for Toronto’s Daytime...if you were watching too much daytime TV at the time you might remember her. She has taught and spoken for career professionals and schools, universities and organizations, bringing interactive discussion and passionate enthusiasm for her subject matter. She has also been a regular contributor to The Toronto Star and the National Post.
Karen holds a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology and an Honors BA in Cultural Studies from McGill University, basically your average smarty-pants. She has had her own practice as a Career Consultant for eight years and previous to that ran her own resume practice. For three years she was Partner, Career Management with IQ Partners ( www.iqpartners.com ). She remains associated to IQ Partners, representing their Career Management practice.
Karen is now a telephone coach based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her clients come to her with a wide variety of career issues, from finding their true career path to working on a tight and focused resume to help them get the job they want.
Karen is a certified Flow Yoga teacher, under the training of Kaila Kukla ( www.kailakuklayoga.com), a yoga based in the mysticism of Tantra and the philosophy of the Tao. She is currently teaching yoga at Halifax's Yoga Loft ( www.theyogaloft.ca ) and finds bringing the insights she has gained as a yoga teacher to the practice of finding work has helped define new ways of helping clients interpret their own personal flow of career development and discovery.
Client Testimonials!!
My meeting with Karen was one of the most enlightening encounters of my professional life - I am still raving about her to friends who are in the midst of major life changes. Karen is an extremely aware and insightful counsellor, whose observations enabled me to acknowledge roadblocks that were so taken for granted that I hadn't even noticed them or how they were affecting my life choices.
- Janice Zima BA, LLB
I took my outplacement package with Karen Schaffer after 10 years with one employer and it was a blessing in disguise - a “reflection” process that really took stock of my capabilities, limitations, past events and future dreams and goals. In retrospect, I was sorry I had not done it earlier. I might not have stayed with my former employer so long, as I realized their direction wasn’t in keeping with my true nature. I’d recommend Karen’s process, even to the fully employed.
- Chris Van Buskirk, Consultant and Co-founder, Net-Ways Ltd.
Karen was instrumental in helping me get clarity on the job I wanted and then guiding me through the job search process to find it! Her coaching was instrumental in helping me through a tough career transition.
- Michelle F., Account Manager
Karen exudes strength, wisdom and compassion. Whatever life transition you may be facing, Karen can walk you confidently through it.
- Marjorie L., Certified Shiatsu Therapist
Eight months after attending a session with Karen for an hour and a half, I decided to do some career testing. That process took weeks to complete and cost me nearly two thousand dollars. Though it was very helpful, I realized that with Karen, we came up with the same answers and conclusions about my aptitudes, strengths and career preferences for a lot less time and money.
- Drew Rice
Karen helped me see in myself the untapped and exciting possibility of being an author. I will be forever grateful to her for helping me ‘see’ this in the time we spent together. Such moments in our lives are truly precious, and Karen was my vehicle to such an epiphany.
- Teresa Eaton, BSc., MRT(N) Bed. and Author
Karen’s coaching is intuitive, insightful and compassionate. I felt “heard”. I got ideas to help me start from where I was at, rather than where I thought I should be. I uncovered hidden barriers that limited possibilities for my career and then broke through them. This has made a long-term difference in my career. I now have my own business doing even more of what I discovered from what I learned from my time with Karen.
- Kelly Cowan, Owner, The BOOST I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Karen over several years as a coaching client. I approached Karen after hearing her on CBC radio. At the time I was going through a crisis of values and was transitioning from a traditional corporate role to something else??? But I did not have clarity on what that could be. Each time I've worked with Karen it has exceeded my expectations. Karen has a depth and an awareness about her that enables her to connect to my inner life, vision and values which is amazing. She has always helped me achieve clarity on expressing my highest values and goals and has helped reveal my passion to me. I have always walked away from a coaching session feeling great and inspired and motivated. Without a doubt the coaching with Karen has been instrumental in helping me identify who I am and what I stand for and therefore what role I can play in the workforce. This fall I asked Karen to rewrite my resume which was rusty after being shelved during a lengthy parenting sabbatical and to write a cover letter which I could use to apply for jobs or approach people for contacts and opportunities. Karen went to work and produced a very original and creative product that has been incredibly effective. The response rate to my letters has been 100% and I have been able to get access to key contacts and opportunities. As a result I have a number of opportunities on my plate right now. Karen is an amazing writer, she captured my ideas and organized and articulated them very effectively. I felt very confident about my resume and letter and the results speak for themselves. As proof, this is what one of my "cold" contacts emailed back to me: “Well, you write the most compelling introductory letter I've ever read!” - Rhonda St. Croix
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