Laura DeCarlo

NOTE: Laura is the President of CDI providing business consulting and resume writing training to professional resume writers and career coaches. She does not book appointments with job seekers. If you are a job seeker, please seek out an alternate professional to contact.

Laura DeCarlo is recognized as the business success coach for career and resume professionals who want to authentically grow their businesses and dramatically enhance their skills. In her second year of private practice as a resume writer and career coach over 20 years ago, Laura successfully broke the six-figure revenue mark. It is her mission to help other career and resume professionals to experience similar success as she wholeheartedly embraces the belief that, “Ours is an industry with a soul where you can make a major difference while also making an extraordinary living.”

She has championed the ‘career hero’ mantra by pioneering efforts in visibility, credibility, and quality within the career services industry for both job seekers and career professionals as the founder of the global professional association, Career Directors International.

Throughout her career she has spearheaded the development of numerous training programs and presentations for job seekers and career professionals, including the most recent, Certified Professional in Online Job Search & Reputation Management.

An industry leader, she has earned two degrees and 11 industry certifications and designations such as Master Career Director and Certified Master Resume Writer. She recently attained credentialing as an Infinite Possibilities Certified Trainer and is currently completing training to become a Money Breakthrough Method Certified Coach® and a Certified Money, Marketing and Soul Coach®. Further, she has received the industry’s most prestigious awards in resume writing, career coaching, and job placement.

Laura is the author of  Resumes for Dummies, 7th Edition (Wiley) which is due out Fall 2015, Interviewing: The Gold Standard and Interview Pocket RX as well as co-author of Job Search Bloopers (Career Press); she has also been featured in over 15 resume and cover letter compendiums.

As a resume writer, career coach, and career director for her former private-practice, A Competitive Edge Career Service, LLC, Laura held the role of national//international resume expert for 54 professional associations such as PMI, AMA, AJST, ASAE, ASME, AVMA, and ASCE.

She has been a guest columnist on career issues for The Florida Today newspaper and been quoted in publications such as Forbes (IMPRESS), US News & World Report, Monster.com, SmartMoney.com, Working Mother, the Wall Street Journal, and NBC 7/39 News in San Diego.

Certifications & Degrees

Recognized with some of the highest credentials in the industry for resume writing, career coaching, career transition and career management.

• Master Career Director (MCD)
• Infinite Possibilities Certified Trainer
• Money Breakthrough Method® Certified Coach
• Certified Professional - Online Job Search & Reputation Management (CP-OJSRM)
• Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC)
• Certified Executive Resume Master, Certified Master Resume Writer, Certified Advanced Resume Writer
• Reach 360 Branding Assessment Certified
• Certified Web Portfolio Practitioner (CWPP)
• Credentialed Career Master (CCM)
• Certified Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC)
• Certified Electronic Career Coach (CECC)
• Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC)
• MA Candidate, Human Resources; Graduate studies in Counseling, Training & Development, and Career Development; BA in Technical and Creative Writing

Awards & Honors

• Former CDI Vice President of Awards & Presentations responsible for spearheading the development of resume standards and to direct the international Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) competition.
• Former CDI Vice President of Public Relations.
• CDI Master Resume Writer Lifetime Achievement Award.
• CDI Master Career Professional Lifetime Achievement Award.
• PARW "Most Visually Distinctive Resume," 1st Place National Conference Award.
• CDI "Best Resume Format," 1st Place Annual Award.
• CDI "Most Creative Resume," 1st Place Annual Award.
• CDI "Best Resume Content," 2nd Place Annual Award.
• CDI "Best Functional Resume," 2nd Place Annual Award.
• Herzing College/Herzing University 13 Annual "Employment Recognition Awards for Top Job Placement Levels".

Publications

Author:

• Book: Resumes for Dummies, 7th Edition - Wiley
• Book: Interviewing: The Gold Standard
• Book: Interview Pocket RX
• Book: Job Search Bloopers (co-author) - CareerPress
• Program: Certified Web Portfolio Practitioner program - for CDI, Power Talent Network, Inc., and CECC curriculum for eCareer Learn.
• Program: Certified Employment Interview Consultant program - for CDI
• Contributor of resumes and cover letters to J.I.S.T. Works and Impact Publications.

"America's Top Resumes for America's Top Jobs," 1st & 2nd Editions

"Expert Resumes for Managers and Executives"

"Professional Resumes for Executives, Managers, and Other Administrators "

"Professional Resumes for Tax and Accounting Occupations"

"Professional Resumes for Accounting, Tax, Finance and Law"

"Resume Winners from the Pros"

"Cover Letter Magic," 1st & 2nd Editions

"Gallery of Best Resumes," 2nd Edition

"Expert Resumes for Computer and Web Jobs"

"Expert Resumes for Educators and Teachers"

"Expert Resumes for Health Care Careers"

"Expert Resumes for People Returning to Work"

• Monthly Employment Guest Columnist – The Florida Today Newspaper – 2 years
• Interviewed and quoted in, "Tailoring Your Resume" by Chris Warren for IMPRESS a FORBES special interest publication.
• Interviewed and quoted in more than 50 newspaper and on-line articles.

Additional Board Positions

• Board Member & Southern U.S. Representative, National Resume Writers' Association - 1997 to 1999
• Director of Career Planning & Professional Development, Herzing College - 1994 to 1998; Program Consultant / Career Planning Instructor - 1998 to 2003
• Advisory Board, WENDI (When Entering New Directions), Brevard Community College - 1998 to 2010
• Advisory Committee, Women Off to Work (WOW) Program, The Women's Center of Brevard - 1996

Highlights Of Speaking Engagements

• American Society of Association Executives - Boston, MA
• CoreNet Global - Las Vegas, NV; Philadelphia, PA; Orlando, FL
• Annually - Career Directors International, National Conference Presenter
• National Resume Writers' Association, National Conference Presenter, Chicago, IL - 1998
• Transition Assistance Program, US Treasury, Office of Thrift Supervision, CA & NJ - 2002
• Miami Herald Job Fair & Florida Today Job Fair - multiple
• Military Transition Assistance Program (TAP), U.S. Air Force - multiple
• Talk City's Virtual Career Fair - 1998 & 1999
• Professional Employment Network (PEN) / Professional Placement Network (PPN) - multiple
• America's Promise - multiple high schools
• University of Central Florida, Webster University, Brevard Community College and others