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Bio: Matt Youngquist
Bio: Cindi Bright
Bio: Allyson Schrier
Articles & Publications
Speaking Engagements
Client Testimonials
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Matt is a recognized expert in the field of career coaching, job hunting, and professional employment counseling. After witnessing the intense structural transformation of the job market over the past decade, he founded Career Horizons in 2004 to assist clients in navigating successfully through these unfamiliar and largely uncharted waters.
In his current role, he consults with clients at all levels on how to assess their careers, explore their occupational options, reach their full potential, and master the complex dynamics reshaping today’s employment marketplace.
Matt's delivery style is characterized by his intense passion for the career transition field and his ability to help clients develop practical, real-world solutions for addressing their job search challenges.
To date, he has delivered hundreds of group career workshops and provided one-on-one coaching to over 7,500 individual job seekers at all levels, ranging from entry-level employees to Fortune 100 executives. A frequent author and speaker, his thoughts on the employment landscape are featured regularly by media sources such as NPR, KING-5 TV, and career advice columns he's authored for the Seattle Times and Puget Sound Business Journal.
Cindi is a recognized expert in the areas of Executive Coaching, Organization Development, Corporate Culture Change, and Diversity. During a 20+ year career of senior Human Resources leadership roles in both mid-size and Fortune 100 organizations, she's exercised her passion for helping businesses fully develop and align their workforce, culture, and leadership capabilities.
Known as an extremely strong advocate for women and minorities in the workplace, she works with organizations to help them understand these issues in the context of their recruiting, succession planning, and internal career development activities—in addition to coaching individual women on how to successfully advance their careers when targeting executive-level positions.
One enormous influence on Cindi's life and work success to date is the fact that she was raised as a bi-racial child in the 1960s and 70s, during a time when being of mixed race was a major societal prejudice and an extreme barrier to corporate advancement. The fact that she overcame the adversity of this upbringing, however, serves a large part of her lifelong commitment to helping other women and minorities advance themselves despite tough obstacles. Additionally, as a single parent for many years, she's no stranger to the challenges of work/life balance and personal sacrifice—but has had the gratification of seeing her son, Aaron, admitted to Stanford University as a student athlete, where he won MVP honors as the starting point guard on the 2012 NIT Championship team.
Cindi's educational credentials include SPHR certification and current enrollment in the 2014 Executive MBA cohort at UW's Michael G. Foster School of Business.
Allyson's career began in New York City, where she spent several years teaching technology classes at The New School. Shortly thereafter, however, she decided to move across the country and pursue new adventures in Seattle, landing the role of MIS Manager at Asymetrix Corporation -- followed by a Project Manager role at Vulcan and subsequent (and very exciting) appointment as Head of Technology for Paul Allen's new Experience Music Project.
After this series of high-profile leadership roles, she decided the time had come to "downshift" her career and concentrate on raising her young family. During this period, she continued to be active in the community, co-founding a successful environmental nonprofit, serving as an active board member for several educational and environmental organizations, and attending graduate school where she received a Master of Fine Arts in Writing. This latter credential has since propelled her into the ranks of published authorship, with her first book (a children's novel) scheduled for publication by Penguin Books in June of 2013.
Allyson is proud to lend her unique mix of writing skills, executive management experience, and compassion to the coaching roster of Career Horizons, where she specializes in assisting with resume development -- as well as in working with younger professionals and new graduates who are just starting out on their employment journey. She loves to help young adults figure out the puzzle of who they are, where they want to go, and how best to take action to get there!
Looking for practical, real-world career management and job hunting advice you won't find anywhere else? If so, we invite you to click here
and browse through the collection of "Conscious Careering" articles
we've authored to help shed light on the unique process of finding
meaningful work in the 21st Century job market.
Advanced Resume-Writing Tips
Antioch University, 5/13
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Women Business Owners, 4/13
The Keys to Social Capital Management
Utah Bankers Association, 4/13
Navigating Your Career Successfully
Puget Sound Business Journal, 4/13
10 Career Tips for Young Professionals
College Success Foundation, 4/13
Managing Your Social Capital Like a Pro
Seattle Rotary, 4/13
Building Your Professional Network
Woods Creek Consulting Executive Peer Group, 2/13
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce, 11/12
LinkedIn: The Magic Referral Machine
Puget Sound Business Journal, 10/12
The 5 Critical Guidelines to Resume-Writing
National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), 10/12
Managing Your Social Capital
Harbor Club Bellevue, 10/12
Making Successful Career Transitions
Springboard Academy, 10/12
Career Insights: Personal Branding Advice
University of Washington, 8/12
Creative & Non-Traditional Job Hunting Techniques
Americorps/VISTA Program of WA State, 7/12
Social Media Seminar Panelist
Leadership Snohomish County, 6/12
Career Advancement Symposium
UW Professional & Continuing Education, 6/12
Navigating Career Opportunities in Today's Economy
Puget Sound Business Journal, 6/12
Using LinkedIn to Find Legal Industry Jobs
Highline Community College, 5/12
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
The Irish Network of Seattle, 4/12
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Woods Creek Executive Assistant Roundtable, 4/12
Managing Your Social Capital Like a Pro
Utah Bankers Association, 3/12
Ask the Expert: Running a Successful Counseling Firm
Northwest University, 3/12
Job Search Alerts & Data Mining
New Life Church, 3/12
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Issaquah Chamber of Commerce, 3/12
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Seattle University School of Law, 2/12
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Smmall Business Development Center, 2/12
Managing Your Social Capital
Washington Bankers Association, 11/11
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
PSBJ "Grow Your Business" Expo, 10/11
The Keys to Career Planning & Networking
Project Management Institute (PMI), Puget Sound, 10/11
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Intl. Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAAP), Seattle Chapter, 9/11
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
National Association of Asian-American Professionals (NAAAP), Seattle Chapter, 8/11
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Business & Professional Women, Bellevue Chapter, 6/11
Leveraging LinkedIn for Career Success
Bellevue College, 5/11
Social Media & Your Career
Microsoft Diversity Recruiting & Networking Fair, 4/11
Using LinkedIn Like a Pro
Washington Bankers Association, 4/11
Getting Your Resume to the Top of the Stack
UW Professional & Continuing Education, 3/11
A Successful Job Search: It's All About Networking
NPR Story on All Things Considered, 2/11
Job Hunting = Project Management
Project Management Institute, Seattle Chapter, 12/10
The Long-Term Unemployed
NPR's "On Point" with Tom Ashbrook, 11/10
Employers Pickier About Job Applicants' Skills
NPR Story on Morning Edition, 11/10
Should I Stay the Entrepreneurial Course?
Shoreline Community College, 10/10
Ask the Expert: Career Q&A Session
American Institute of Architects, Seattle Chapter, 10/10
Advanced Interview Kung Fu Maneuvers
Job Club Radio, 09/10
The Top 5 LinkedIn Uses for HR Professionals
Society for Human Resource Management, 09/10
The Wonders of LinkedIn
Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), 09/10
Moderator: You 2.0 Personal Branding Event
UW Professional & Continuing Education, 08/10
Ask the Expert: Career Q&A Session
Bellevue College Project HIRE Group, 08/10
Career Intelligence Panelist
The Executive Network of Seattle (TENS), 07/10
Creating Top-of-Mind Networking Awareness
Northwest Girls Coalition, 05/10
Resume Workshop
National Society of Hispanic MBAs, 03/10
Career Questions & Answers
Lake Washington Human Resources Association, 03/10
Managing Your Social Capital
Job Seekers Network, 02/10
Bulding a Rock-Solid Personal Brand
Society of Information Management, 01/10
Ask the Expert: Career Q&A Session
One Connection Away, 01/10
Marketing Yourself Successfully
WA Technology Industry Association, 09/09
Crafting a Great Elevator Pitch
Financial Executives International, 09/09
Stellar Vs. Struggling Job Hunters
Executive Networking Group, 09/09
LinkedIn: An Introduction
Meeting Planners International, 09/09
LinkedIn: Advanced Concepts
Meeting Planners International, 09/09
Panel Discussion: How To Get the Most Out of Job Fairs
National Society of Hispanic MBAs, 09/09
LinkedIn: Advanced Case Studies
The Executive Network of Seattle, 05/09
Top Tips for Uncovering Job Leads
Puget Sound Business Journal, 05/09
How to Write a Great Resume
National Society of Hispanic MBAs, 04/09
Career Q&A with the Experts!
The Seattle Times, 03/09
Job Hunting Using LinkedIn
King5 Morning News Story, 03/09
Job Hunting in a "Down" Economy
Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, 02/09
The Power of Personal Branding
Product Management Consortium, 01/09
Lassoing LinkedIn Presentation
Seattle University, 11/08
The Power of Personal Branding
CFA Society of Seattle, 06/08
Networking for Introverts
Intl. Association of Administrative Professionals, 05/08 Lassoing the LinkedIn.com Website
Association of Women in Communication (AWC), 04/08 Qualifications+Salesmanship=Marketability
Seattle University, Albers Graduate School, 04/08 Wooing Top Talent to Your Organization
Society of Human Resource Management, Snohomish County Chapter, 03/08 The Top 10 Keys to Selling Yourself Effectively
KPLU Graduate Degree Fair, 01/08
"Lassoing LinkedIn" Presentation
Puget Sound Career Development Association, 10/07
"Wooing Top Talent" Seminar Panelist
Northwest Recruiting Association (NWRA), 09/07
Best Job Hunting Practices for Financial Executives
Financial Executives International (FEI), 09/07
Job Hunting: The New Rules of the Game
Intl. Assoc. of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), 09/06
Career Marketing Services: Silver Bullets or Scams?
The Executive Network of Seattle (TENS), 07/06
Resume Roundup Presentation
Serious About Finding Employment Seminar, 07/06
Provisioning Your Career
Wharton Alumni Club of Seattle, 06/06
Self-Marketing 101: The Secrets of Selling Yourself
Kent Chamber of Commerce, 01/06
Guest Speaker: Mid-Career Transition
KUOW Radio, "The Power of Voice" Program, 08/05
Self-Marketing 101: How to Gain Career Visibility
The Ad2Seattle Association, 05/05
Beyond the Basics: Advanced Job Search Principles
Financial Executives International (FEI), 05/05
Resume Strategies for Mature Candidates
Mature Workers Training & Resource Fair, 09/04
Test Your Interviewing IQ
Boeing Shared Services Group, 10/03
Charting Your Next Career Voyage
Intl. Assoc. of Administrative Professionals, 09/03
Job Search Strategies & Tactics
School of Visual Concepts, 07/03
Welcome to the World of Work
Center for Career Alternatives, 07/03
Test Your Resume-Writing IQ
Boeing Shared Services Group, 06/03
Welcome to the 21st Century Job Market
NW Human Resources Mgmt. Association, 06/03
Emerging Trends in Today's Job Market
Washington Society of CPAs, 06/03
Age & Baggage Article Contributor
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/03
So You Want to Find a Job?
American Society of Quality, 04/01
Avoiding Career Pitfalls
Association of Certified Financial Planners, 01/01
New Rules of the Job Game
Inglemoor High School, 07/98
101 Best Resumes Featured Contributor
McGraw-Hill Publishing, 1997
Preparing for the Realities of Today's Job Market
Association of Office Professionals, 03/97
Keys to Job Search Success
Washington Society of CPAs, 11/96
"I have spent thousands of dollars in four years on multiple expert coaches and resume builders - none have exceeded my expectations like Matt Youngquist at Career Horizons. In less than a week, he cut to the core of my needs to execute a polished product and program that allowed me to take the next step on my professional path. Thank you!"
-- Merry Abeel, Financial Services Executive
"Matt: I started last week at (company name withheld) and I am very pleased with what I am seeing so far. I did not realize the impact this move would have on my personal life. I feel a sense of satisfaction and worth that haven't felt in recent years. My new position offers challenges, but your motto that a 'ship is safe in any harbor, but that's not what ships are built for' constantly resonates in my head and gave me the courage to make a change. I cannot express in words my appreciation for your role in helping me find and land this new position. Thank you for being a solid rock I could lean on at a time of great stress and uncertainty!"
-- Marty Sullivan, Accounting Manager
"Matt
delivers the perfect blend of strategic career coaching combined with
hands on practical tools. After our initial meeting, I had a clear
vision of where I was heading with specific targets and an action plan.
As a coach, he was able to provide the push I needed as both a critic
and a supporter. With Matt's guidance, I quickly found more
opportunities. Working with Matt was the best decision I made during my
career search and clearly the best value of all of the other resources
I used. I only wish I had contacted him sooner! I highly recommend Matt
and will continue to work with Matt as a trusted advisor."
-- Kevin Mest, Operations Executive
"I
highly recommend Matt to any professional looking for a job or new
career. I started working with Matt and his company Career Horizons
after being laid off from a job that I had for 15 years. Needless to
say, I was not familiar with the modern day job hunt and started from
ground zero. After developing a great resume, Matt coached me through
the many job search, networking and interviewing tools that he has used
and developed successfully.
What impressed me the most about Matt was his wealth of knowledge and
complete dedication to his clients. He knows what works and helped me
avoid the many pitfalls and time wasting that can occur during the job
search process. We met several times one-on-one and he took the time to
answer my questions by phone and e-mail, even after hours. He would
check in after interviews and send me valuable contact information.
What worked best for me was his honest and cut-to-the-chase assessment
of my strengths and weaknesses. We were able to identify what I needed
to work on and set the wheels in motion quickly. I start my new job
with a great company in October and I couldn't have done it without
Matt. Also, the networking information I gained during this process
will help me a ton in my ongoing career and professional development.
Thanks again Matt!!!!"
-- Brad Swanson, Safety & Health Director
"Matt
completely changed the way I viewed my career search. By the end of our
meeting, I had a different perspective on not only how I was going to
approach each job opportunity, but on how I was going to view myself,
my goals, and my skill-set. He overhauled my resume (which I had paid a
lot of money to have professionally written only one year prior) and
the look and feel of his version was so much better I can't begin to
describe it here.
What I can write about, however, is the difference in response I had to
Matt's version of my resume vs. the 'old' version. Wow. Within two
weeks of my meetings with Matt and my new resume, I had three amazing
interviews, all positions that were ones I could have only dreamed of a
few months ago. I actually had to decide which one to take. I CANNOT
recommend Matt highly enough. I have told several of my professional
network and friends that seeing Matt is absolutely the best time and
money you will ever spend on not just your career, but yourself."
-- Darce Johnson, Outside Sales Executive
"I've
benefited from the support, expertise and many services that Matt
offers during a very trying and tumultuous phase in my life. As an
accomplished businesswoman who had enjoyed a successful career to date,
the idea of needing help in my job search seemed first unnecessary and
then – once reality set in – overwhelming and
daunting. Because of Matt, I got out of the house; built a strong
network of talented professionals and executives; have a number of new,
very dear friends; stayed focused on my short- and long-term
objectives; kept my priorities in check; learned from presenters who
were willing to share their secrets to success and insights on topics I
otherwise wouldn't have pursued; and most importantly, maintained a
healthy emotional state throughout the entire process. As
a client of Matt's, I recommend him highly to friends and colleagues
searching for their next move, as well as for enlightened organizations
that place top priority on treating outgoing employees with respect and
providing them valuable and productive support. To me, Career Horizons
is the clear choice."
-- Meliessa Ogrodowski, Human Resource Manager
"Matt:
I admit it was difficult for me to suck up my pride (after all, I'm a
journalism major!) and come to you for help with my resume, but I'm so
glad I did. After your rewrite of my resume, I received a tremendous
amount of response and went on a number of interviews. As a result, I
was offered a few positions and ended up accepting one. It's a great
position, offering more money than I ever imagined making. I had become
quite down on myself, but realize after your rewrite that I had a lot
to offer and that all I needed was to package myself in a way that
would make me stand out from the crowd. Many, many thanks for all your
help!"
-- Michele Fritz, Executive Assistant
"Given
the current state of our economy, I am seeing a lot of good people
being laid off and people like myself enduring situations that are less
than ideal just to collect a paycheck. If you know someone
who is in this situation, or you are one of them, I can’t say
enough good things about Matt Youngquist of Career Horizons. I was
referred to him by a former coworker a few weeks ago and recently took
advantage of his four-hour job search seminar.
I found Matt to offer more tools and client interaction than a hungry
job seeker can imagine! Within the last 24 months, I have
spent at least $700 on professional resume-writing services, at least
$400 on books, and have been pitched $2,000 to $8,000 worth of services
to help me find the right job. If I had known Matt sooner, I think I
could have saved significant time and money and wouldn’t be
job hunting right now! Matt and Career Horizons offer a menu
of services to choose from that are budget-friendly and yield a high
return. Of course, there are no guarantees that any one man/woman can
just "find" you a job. You need to do the work. But at least you have a
'Mr. Miagi' like person working with you to give you the fundamental
tools needed to work optimistically and smartly towards your career/job
goals!"
-- Rodney Weaver, Sales Executive
"Working
with Matt is a transforming and thought-provoking experience. His kind
and engaging humor, attention to the smallest detail and steering clear
of clichés and false optimism make Matt stand apart from
many career professionals. His regular round-table meetings with
clients, his informative and masterfully delivered webinars and his
blogs filled with pragmatic insights and humor enable his clients to
successfully navigate the challenges of the job search or career
change, while also engaging them in reflections about a much bigger
picture than finding the next job. Working with Matt is one of those
encounters and experiences in life which make you a better professional
… and a better person."
-- Elena Aroustamova, Supply Chain Professional
"I'm
pleased to report that a couple of days ago, I accepted a job at a
highly respected and successful Seattle-based non-profit organization
that I've been pursuing. I started my job hunt four months ago by
meeting with Matt to develop a methodical plan and to update my resume,
concentrating on presenting myself effectively and using buzzwords that
my targeted potential employers' databases would recognize. The resume
revision worked! Shortly after I distributed it, I got a call from a
recruiter who said that my resume that had popped up.
The resulting phone interview
led to a round of in-person interviews. While intrigued by my skills
and experience, they told me I wasn't the right match for that job.
However, they asked if I'd consider a new position that they were in
the process of developing. I applied and was immediately invited in for
a series of more interviews. To help me prepare, Matt gave me his
analysis of the job description and showed me how to maximize my odds
using his 4-step Interview Preparation Matrix. I'm convinced that the
6-8 hours I spent developing this structured preparation format helped
make the interviews much more successful, engaging, and fun.
A couple more weeks passed and I couldn't help but second-guess a few
of my interview answers. I was tempted to email them unsolicited
clarifications, but I kept calm and focused. I held off. Finally, I got
the job offer for this position, which seems custom-designed for me.
All of this patience, persistence, and preparation paid off, as did
creating and following a strategically targeted, methodical plan. Matt,
I really appreciate the exceptionally useful tools and guidance you
provided throughout my job hunt that helped me sell myself and get my
dream job!"
-- Doug Petrie, Non-Profit Professional
"Good
news! Last week I accepted a job offer (I actually got two offers in
one day) and even negotiated a delayed start date so I can enjoy the
rest of the summer off. I wanted to thank you for your efforts on my
behalf these past several months. The information I got from Career
Horizons greatly helped me put together my resume and fine-tune my
interview skills. You do a wonderful job helping out unemployed people
and I would recommend you to anyone I know who needs these kinds of
services. "
-- Maxine Nagel, Accounting Professional
"Matt
is that unique combination of calmness and clarity that everyone needs
at a time of upheaval and change. I was fortunate enough to find myself
as a client of Career Horizons when I went through such a transition
recently. Matt’s personable and approachable nature, along
with his clear communication style helps a person really connect with
his message – that, regardless of your situation, you are a
person deserving of respect and consideration in the job-hunting
process. He reminds you that the job hunt is as much about
relationships, than it is about anything else. It’s in those
lessons, along with his knowledge and skill, which makes this
relationship one of the most valuable you, will have. I, for one,
consider myself a Career Horizons client for life and give Matt my
highest recommendation. I consider Matt a 'trusted advisor'. "
-- Gary Barber, Architectural Project Manager
"I
am very appreciative of the work that you do and how professional your
seminars, meetings, and materials are. After 15 years with a single
company, your help in guiding me through the modern job hunting jungle
has been invaluable. I found great value in both your Job Hunting PhD
workshop and Job Search PhD Spreadsheet, as well as your networking
events. After such a long tenure with my prior company, I was rusty on
the nuances of running a modern job search. The information that I
received from your workshop and the spreadsheet helped me run an
efficient job hunting campaign, present myself and answer interview
questions with confidence, and close the deal with future employer.
Going forward, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your services to anyone
or any company."
-- T.J. Hogan, Finance & Accounting Executive
"Matt
Younqquist’s Job Search PhD seminar is one of the best, if
not the best, seminar I’ve ever attended. While
many seminars have nuggets of wisdom scattered throughout the
presentation, Matt’s experience has shown him the key areas
to focus on that will maximize the use of one’s time.
During the six hour seminar, Matt made great use of the available time
by focusing on both the preparation process as well as the search
itself. Most of the information was new to me and it is
apparent that focusing on what he teaches will certainly make my job
search effort more productive. And the accompanying seminar
workbook is a valuable resource that will be a highly useful reference
in assisting in my search. The content of many previous
seminars that I’ve attended takes an approach of covering
material on a broad, generalized basis. This has often left
me wondering if the instructor has made the best use of the available
time. Not so with Matt’s seminar. Matt has
optimized his material to drill down on specific topics and aspects
that he believes will provide the best efficacy for the search effort.
His approach makes great use of the seminar time, ensuring
participants walk away with applicable information.
If you are looking to approach
your job search by 'working smarter, not harder', then Matt’s
seminar and material will prove to be an invaluable resource."
-- Michael McIntyre, Software Development Director
"Due
to the sudden demise of a 100-year-old financial institution, I found
myself facing only my second job transition in 35 years. As a
'seasoned' senior manager, I was offered outplacement counseling
through another career services firm, DBM. However, it turned
to be my modest investment in Matt Younqquist’s Job Search
PhD Program that made a world of difference and led to a successful
transition. The four intensive hours of training he provided was packed
with practical advice, a method of organization, and state-of-the-art
internet searching techniques. And that was only the beginning. The
Career Horizons web site is packed with resources including hundreds of
sample resumes, cover letters, and job search links. Matt’s
blog is a source of expert insider knowledge and inspiration.
Matt’s passion and tough love kept me focused. He gave me the
confidence to persevere through the toughest of career challenges - the
job of getting a job. Matt’s networking events and seminars
provided real-world practice, expert advice, and encouragement. But, be
forewarned, Matt is a tough coach that expects the highest level of
personal performance in order to ultimately post a win. Matt is not
offering any Pollyanna parachutes. But he will push you through the
door and you will be incredibly well-prepared for the ride of your
life. And eventually, the right landing. Thanks Matt!"
-- Craig Norris, Small Business Owner
"Matt
was introduced to me immediately after a layoff. I was
surprised how much has changed in the job search world since I last
searched. Matt’s knowledge of critical job search
resources and how to use them was impressive. Matt quickly
laid out a very clear plan of action and turned my lengthy jumbled
resume into an awesome 2 page attention grabber. His webinars
and monthly meetings are very good educational and networking outlets.
During one of Matt’s monthly meetings, I met people
and heard new information that sparked a chain reaction that lead me
into a new career. If it was not for Matt, I don’t
think I would be where I am today. Thanks Matt!"
-- Donnie Belk, Small Business Owner
"I’ve
known Matt Youngquist for eight years and have worked with him in
several capacities. I regularly recommend him without
hesitation for employers facing an outplacement situation or for
individuals going through a career transition or job search.
Matt is simply the BEST career coach and professional
employment counsel in the Pacific Northwest."
-- Dave Sharp, Marketing & Advertising Executive
"Matt, you are by far one of the best career consultants in the market
today. And, I don’t say that lightly. You
understand the world of work and how to build a career. While there are
many career coaches and executive search professionals who dispense
advice on how to find a job, network or build professional skills, you
offer your customers a unique and skillful approach to career
management. Each service you provide –
whether it’s your educational workshops, one-on-one career
services, or networking venues – all represent outstanding
levels of quality and value.
You truly operate with integrity and with your clients’ best
interest in mind. I appreciated how your customized services
addressed my specific needs. Your approach is comprehensive
and holistic, while yet very practical and effective.
Furthermore, your career management tools are an efficient
way for me to stay on top of managing my career over the long-term."
-- Andrea Spudich, Management Consultant
"After several trips to Chicago and Seattle over the past few months, I
was recently offered a Director of Corporate Development position with
[a major company] in Seattle. I want to therefore thank you
for your guidance, advice, and honest assessment of my career progress
and ambitions. While fate may have played a small role in the
right opportunity becoming available at the right time, I honestly
don't think I would have attacked it with the same confidence had I not
taken part in your program. If I ever need, or know of
someone that can benefit from your services, I will certainly recommend
you and your organization! Thank you for all your help."
-- Curt Ohland, Director of Corporate Development
"I wanted to say thank you for all your help during my recent career
search. Your assistance was instrumental in getting me on the
right track. As you know, I spent an entire year searching on
my own, working very hard, without any real solid results.
About 10 weeks after 'graduating' from your Job Search PhD program I
had a great new job -- and it was in the place that my wife and I have
been working on moving to for almost 2 years! A pessimist
would say that it was just chance and I finally got lucky.
Being an optimist, however, I would say that your professional
assistance really made a difference in providing me the tools to take
luck out of the equation."
-- Andy Henderson, Senior Program Manager
"I cannot thank you enough for being such an incredible resource,
coach, and all-around good guy. Your knowledge of the field
is second to none and you are willing to give your best to each
client. Even when your client (me) sent four emails in one
day, which must be a record, you responded thoughtfully to each
one. Even at 10pm! As a former basketball coach,
myself, I can really appreciate how you "coached me up" and encouraged
me to be the best I could be. That's what a good coach does
and I am extremely grateful. I would encourage anyone, in any
situation, to use this service. The entire process is
professional, productive, and positive."
-- Larry Judd, Campus Recruiting Specialist
"I would like to thank you for the time and work you put into my custom
job search. You are extremely professional and very
personable. You helped me figure out what I really want to do
and to take this opportunity to finally do it! What
you put together, the customized spreadsheets, workbook, and the amount
of time you spend with your clients (both face-to-face and the prep
work before and after the initial meeting), is awesome. You
definitely don't charge enough and I appreciate the fact that you did
not try to take me to the cleaners. I almost forked over the
same amount of money to another local company just to get a
resume after a 45-minute 'interview'
session. Thank you again for your time and I have already
raved about you to my former colleagues!"
-- Shane Valentine, Operations Manager
"Your ability to take my eclectic sales, marketing, and retail
background and coach me on how to position it into positive strengths
related to a public sector position was amazing. By focusing
on strengths and skills instead of 'jobs' I was able to break into an
entirely new career area and ace out the candidates who had the public
sector experience I did not have! Your written materials on interview
process and your interview coaching were invaluable. In
addition, you were responsive and available on a moment's
notice. I'm so grateful for your help and guidance and am
excited to begin my new career with the City of Bellevue."
-- Julie Ellenhorn, Community Outreach Coordinator
"Deciding to engage Matt Youngquist at Career Horizons was one of the
best decisions I’ve ever made in my career. He has
developed a job search and career advancement system that is both
practical and inspiring at the same time. With
Matt’s encouragement and advice, I was able to land a much
better job than the one I lost in 5 short months. He helped
me to set my sights correctly and to develop the tools to reach my
objective. And it was interesting and fun along the way!
Matt provides structure to the process and possesses a depth of
knowledge about job searching that has no equal. He
understands how to effectively blend technology and personal networking
to optimize your job opportunities. I learned a great deal
about myself and how to manage my career effectively by working with
Matt. His reputation in the Puget Sound business community is
excellent, his writing is insightful and succinct, and his advice was
on target every time. Matt is a pleasure to deal with:
organized, thoughtful, prompt and responsive. I would
therefore recommend Matt and Career Horizons to anyone interested in
finding a new position or anyone who wants to get serious about their
career."
-- Jon Deex, President & CEO
"I can’t say this more adamantly: Matt Youngquist’s
knowledge, expertise and willingness to go the extra mile for his
clients are perhaps THE reasons I’m employed today.
I initially hired another Outplacement firm when I was laid off from my
job, and found the experience to be completely disappointing and a
colossal waste of time. A relative was then kind enough to
recommend Matt to me, and I can’t tell you what a difference
he made—not only with his knowledge of the job market in
Seattle, but also with his spot-on advice and availability in answering
my questions (my emails and phone calls were returned immediately,
something my close friends can’t even manage). He
is truly without peer in this industry and you’d do well to
contact him if you’re ever in the need of wise
counsel—it really is the best money you’ll ever
spend!"
-- Kira Knight, Human Resources Manager
"Matt is a master career coach. He is always current with
effective tools and resources for a successful career transition.
He helped me identify my unique strengths and he challenged
me in ways which helped me gain the role I desired. He is
quite simply the best professional career guru one could ask
for!”
-- Greg Scully, Business Development Executive
“Do yourself a favor and save a few months of time in your
job search by hiring Matt, President and Founder of Career Horizons.
Had I hired him early in my job search I believe I would have
found a job much faster. After I started working with Matt I
had a job in less than a month -- and I attribute it directly to Matt's
techniques."
-- Rob Daniel, Sales Management Executive
"I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated your help with my
recent job search. I thought I might come to you in March
2008, after having been out of work for six months, but then I thought
'pay him now or pay him later.' As it turned out, it was the
best money I ever spent. I was surprised at how much the
search process has changed in the last 10 years. You opened
my eyes and gave me the tools I needed."
-- David Lightfoot, Chief Financial Officer
"A quick note to let you know I've accepted an offer! While
this is initially more of a lateral move, as a local company much
closer to home it affords much more upward mobility, an earnings
increase opportunity, and also cuts my commute in half. Plus,
it gets me experience in a much more dynamic and marketable
industry. I'm really excited. The resume
refinements and the game plan you built for me gave me the confidence
and direction I needed to really tackle the job market effectively and
efficiently. I'm certain this cut months off my
search. Thank you again for your help and I would absolutely
recommend you and work with you again."
-- Karl Johnson, Manager, Inside Sales
"Thank you for putting 'wings' on my job search. I cannot
thank you enough for your wisdom, encouragement, honest evaluation, and
process. The marketplace has changed radically since I was
last job searching and it appears to be changing faster with each
passing year. You are on the pulse of that change and bring a
contemporary and relevant approach to the job search process.
I have learned and grown a lot and will work to employ these learnings
the rest of my career and beyond. Thank you for helping me
develop the plan and for encouraging me to initiate and sustain the
effort. I will look for opportunities to recommend you to
anyone I come in contact with who is job searching, without hesitation."
-- Eric Critchlow, VP of Sales
"Matt really helped me to focus the first time I worked with him, both
in terms of managing a difficult 'political' challenge in my work
environment and in setting a tighter direction for my career.
A year later, when I was ready to make a move and had interviews with
multiple companies, he provided with some very sound, practical advice
and interview coaching. I landed the job and had multiple
offers to boot -- without spending a ton of money or wasting a bunch of
time on things I already knew how to do. Matt gave me just
the direction and coaching I needed to succeed. Thanks Matt!"
-- Jeff Jarrard, Business Intelligence Manager
“Eight
years of being a stay-at-home mom. English as a second
language. Never worked in the US nor attended school
here. Low interest in getting back into my old profession but
not sure where to really fit in today's workplace, either.
Sound hopeless? Like somebody doomed to a life revolving only
around the kids? I used to think so, too, but a friend
recommended Career Horizons and Matt became so much more than a mere
career coach: he offered guidance, inspiration, and hope. I
signed a contract with a great company yesterday -- Matt, you went
above and beyond and words fail me to thank you for all you did!"
-- Edda Kuhlmann, Cash Management Specialist
“Matt provided me with outstanding perspective as I moved
between senior management roles. His creative approach
provided just the insight I needed (internally and externally) to
effectively manage the job search process. The time spent was very
valuable to me, both in terms of the self-evaluation process and the
unique job search tools that were provided, and I will continue to
recommend the services of Career Horizons without hesitation!"
-- Jon Wagoner, Senior Financial Executive
"As a 'newbie' to Seattle arriving without a network and with the
objective of making a career shift, I knew full well that I had my
hands full. Yet I had enough sense to retain the expertise
and resources of Matt as well as employ the techniques of his Job
Search PhD program, which really made the difference for me this time
around. This was my second attempt to transition into a new
career -- the first time was after finishing graduate school five years
ago and I only wish I had had these 'tools' in my kit back then!"
-- Dave Cecil, Hospitality Industry Executive
"Matt, you provide an invaluable service and continuously gave me
excellent guidance in advising me in the job search process.
This was the first time I needed to look for a job in 16 years and I
was initially overconfident and did not think I needed any career
assistance. A former colleague and friend
recommended that I see you, however, and thankfully
I listened to him. The initial consultation was very
helpful in getting me organized and setting up a valid plan for my job
search. I was even more impressed how you were always
available for consultation and advice during the 4-5 months of my job
search. Your sage advice and practical tips helped me through some
difficult situations. I knew you not only had my best interests in
mind, but also had a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with
complex issues. Thanks again and I will always be a
enthusiastic reference for your services. The value of the
services that you provide far exceeds the fee that you charge."
-- Alan Koslow, Vice President & General Counsel
"Matt, You are the real deal! I am extremely fortunate to have been
introduced to you and Career Horizons to assist me through this
process. You skillfully bring all of the key components of a career
transition and provide the complete set of tools including knowledge of
the local market, its trends, and expertise regarding the resources
available. More importantly you bring the intangibles to the equation.
You challenge your clients to align their goals and objectives with
their messaging, branding, and overall strategy. You ask the tough
questions that force candidates to address inconsistencies that might
otherwise be hidden roadblocks through this process, then you blend it
all together with a personal style that combines both coach and
counselor. Without reservations, I would recommend that anyone facing a
career transition should make their first call to Matt Youngquist and
Career Horizons."
-- Rich Noffsinger, SVP of Sales & Marketing
"After 15 months of stay-at-home parenting/soul
searching/mid-life-crisis-averting, followed by 4 months of more
serious job searching, I have accepted the position of Director of
Customer Solutions with a terrific software organization here in
Bellevue. This is a exciting opportunity for me to combine my software
development management and technology sales background in a new
direction. I'm looking forward to learning new things and working with
a tight-knit team of professionals. Again, Matt, I cannot
thank you enough for your valuable coaching and your ability to see
critical things based upon your enormous experience in this process. I
would recommend your services to anyone and will do so on a frequent
basis!"
-- Mark Griffin, Technology Sales Executive
“Matt, I cannot thank you enough for the guidance,
encouragement, thoughtful ideas, and structure you offered to me during
the job search process. I readily admit that I am not skilled
as a job seeker. Your tools were a big help."
-- Bill Butler, VP & General Counsel
“Matt, I met another business contact of yours at a Northwest
Entrepreneurs Network event last night and we had extensive discussions
related to your business strategy. We both agreed that you
need to charge more for your superior services. Please let us
know when this policy change will be implemented! (grin)"
-- Michael Pinkowski, Internet Company Executive
“Matt: Now that I have successfully landed a great position I
would like to take a moment to thank you for all of your support and
your incredible professionalism in aiding me in my job search. I was
immediately impressed with your materials describing your services, but
that was really the tip of the iceberg in terms of what you offer.
You just don’t miss a beat. You offer such a wide array of
support from the written materials, your newsletter, the job listings,
the group meetings, not to mention your knowledge of the Internet job
search arena. As great as all of these tools are, however, your real
value is in your thoughtful coaching and depth of experience. I
couldn’t have asked for a more supportive coach in my corner
-- not to mention the fact that you are the networking king!
I have already recommended you and your services to many people and
some are already benefiting from working with you. I would be more than
happy to heartily recommend you to anyone who is looking for their next
job, wants to fine-tune their career planning efforts, or wants to
discover a new career path. Thank you again for giving me the
confidence and tools to conduct my job search and for helping me find
the right fit!"
-- Kelly Stone, Outdoor Gear Product Line Manager
"They offered me the job! I start on
August 21st and will be going to Wisconsin three times over
the first three months to become certified in the EMR
Epic software at the vendor training in Madison. I'm
very excited about this opportunity, the salary turned out to be a nice
raise from my last position, and the benefits are
fantastic. I can't wait to get started
and want to thank you for all your encouragement and guidance
through this process. I really needed someone else to believe
in me first, and to build my confidence, so thanks
for helping me see the “vision” and understand that
I did have choices. This ship sets sail next week, and I'll
let you know how it's going. Thanks again!"
-- Val Callahan, Health Care Technology Analyst
“I just want to reiterate my appreciation for the tremendous
value I received in our session and I look forward to working together
as my job search unfolds. I cannot remember a time when I
received more value for my investment. I learned so much in
my first appointment. Professionally, I received invaluable
information, resources, and guidance -- and personally, I received
much-needed reassurance and insight. The job search process
can be extremely daunting even for the most confident of individuals,
but I left our sessions smarter, reenergized, and enthusiastic.
Now THAT'S value!"
-- Riene Niemcziek, Financial Management Executive
“Thank you very, VERY much for our session. Wow!
I was overwhelmed and excited by the information, the
campaign, and the general "kick-in-the-pants" to get things launched in
Seattle. I truly feel fortunate to have been referred to you.
The ideas and strategies look great, and while I may bug you from time
to time as I start my new routine, once I get the idea of things they
will start to roll on their own, as you said. Thanks so much again,
Matt, for your professional approach to all this -- and your pleasant
personal side makes this all the more motivating!"
-- Robert Sanzalone, Technology Evangelist
“As a woman in my mid-twenties, I came to Matt during a
successful, but frustrating advertising sales career. My goal
was to get to the root of my passions and career aspirations and,
ultimately, to decide if I should stay in sales or focus more on my
journalism background. The Career Horizons assessment process
-- along with Matt’s ability to ask questions that make you
define the “grey areas" of your career -- allowed me to
facilitate change and better my future. Matt brings about
your confidence, helps you discover your strengths, and reinstates your
belief in yourself. Talking to Matt taught me to ask better
questions during the interviewing process and figure out exactly what I
wanted from an employer. Career Horizons is a life-changing
organization and an outstanding place to go when considering a career
change."
-- Daniel Jodts, Account Executive
"After months of hearing ‘wow, you have an impressive
background but you’re not quite the perfect fit we were
hoping for’ I'm happy to say that I’ve been in a
great new job for a week now -- and was just sitting here thinking
about how lucky I am to have found this opportunity! So how
did I turn things around and find the right company for me?
I became a client of Career Horizons. While my overall
search process was pretty good from the start, the difference was the
resources that Matt had for me. He presented me with a list
of all the Washington companies in my industry, and upon clicking
through this resource, I was able to identify a highly suitable
employer I had totally missed in my previous efforts. When I
contacted the CEO, they didn’t have an immediate job opening
available, but upon seeing how great a fit I was they created a new
position around my capabilities. I would never have found this company
without Matt’s assistance and expertise. Thanks
Matt!"
-- Paul Zoba, VP of Business Development
“Career Horizons’ Matt Youngquist is an excellent
coach with the ability to help his clients focus thinking toward
positive actions. When I met Matt, I was really discouraged,
especially since I was over 60 and wondering what I would do after many
months of unsuccessful searching. Because of Matt’s
patience, coaching and gentle probing, I was able to assess what it was
I would do, not if I should do something. It became apparent
to me that I really enjoyed my field of work and was not yet ready for
a rocker on the porch. I was inspired to keep my brain cells working by
taking a course to prepare me to re-certify as a senior human resources
professional. Taking the test and passing it with flying
colors restored my confidence in myself. Having the
certification and the confidence I felt were important factors in
landing the job I have now. A job, that was referred to me by
Matt!"
-- Mary-Ann Gutierrez, Human Resources Manager
“I just joined (company name withheld) as Vice President of
Sales. It's a great company with 20 employees, a solid stable
of clients, and young enough to need lots of help on getting to market,
FAST! I am very excited. The position starts as a three-month
consulting engagement and rolls to FTE should all parties be
significantly impressed. So far, so good. I really
appreciate your guidance, Matt, and know I am now employed due to your
counsel!"
-- Sean Paddock, Sales Management Executive
“Matt, I want to take a moment to tell you what a great
service you provide for those of us in transition. It can be
kind of isolating to move to a new town and start over, especially
after being deeply networked in a place you lived for 11 years.
Your service is unique in my experience and you can consider
me to be a strong reference any time."
-- Bob Burger, Operations Management Executive
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you did for me last
year. It was thanks to your training, time, and encouragement
that made my new job possible."
-- L. Mahoney, Spanish Language Translator
"I can't thank you enough for the advice and coaching you provided to
help me through the job search process. You took the
time to really understand my circumstances and geared the program
around my needs, focusing on the areas where I needed the most
help. Much has changed since the last time I looked for a new
position and your suggestions and approach were right on the
mark. I felt in control of the process. I certainly
will make referrals whenever I can. I also learned a valuable
lesson about the strength in building and maintaining a network of
contacts. I intend to continue to build that network and
nurture it for the future"
-- Patrick McKinnon, Retail Operations Mgmt. Executive
“Matt, by the way, the recruiter that contacted me about the
(company name withheld) opportunity complimented me on my
resume. She said she sees a lot of resumes and mine is very
strong and well-presented. Of course, I said,
“That’s so nice of you to say that. I’ll
pass on your compliment to the career coach who wrote it!"
-- Brett Clay, Technology Sales & Marketing Executive
“I had a meeting with Matt yesterday. I will keep
this short by saying I should have met him two months ago when I became
serious about my next career move. Matt’s expertise
is in helping people navigate today’s executive job market
and he gives free agents a clear, strategic plan to follow when job
searching. Career Horizons fees are very reasonable and worth
every penny."
-- Clark Westmoreland, Operations Mgmt. Executive
"The value provided to me by Career Horizons was worth the investment
and more. Matt is passionate about helping people and you can
see that as soon as you spend time working with him. Once you
start the process, you realize that it is more than about getting your
resume updated or getting prepared for an interview. Matt
pushes you to think about what’s important to you and helps
guide you towards your ideal career goals. You will have
received your money's worth even if you walk away with an updated
resume and some new interviewing techniques -- but as soon as you start
working with Matt, you’ll find that he has so much to offer
and you see his true passion to help people!"
-- Ash Hans, Technical Program Manager
“When I first came to Career Horizons, the in-depth knowledge
that Matt had was incredible. He hit my issues right on the
nose. The tests I went through were also very
enlightening. I did not realize what was truly important to
me in a career until I saw it in black and white. In
addition, Matt has tons of resources available that specifically
matched my interests. I wasn’t sure if I was going
to continue down my same career path or branch off and have my own
business, so Matt put me in touch with a business broker to get those
questions answered.
I feel like Matt was there only for me. He answered every
question I had and I could tell that his depth of knowledge on career
and job search success was never-ending. He has a strong
handle on what is happening out there in the workplace, and whether you
spend one session with Matt or continue with him until you find your
dream career, you will not be disappointed. It was worth every penny
and more!"
-- Maureen Nixon, Software Consultant
“I found Matt after weeks of researching professionals who
offer career guidance. Matt is clearly the most competent I
have ever met. The methods and tools he provides uniquely
structure one’s career advancement efforts."
-- Rosalind Marinou, Management Consultant
“I have known Matt for several years now and have worked with
him in several capacities. First, having hired him to provide
outplacement support to a departing employee, Matt provided practical
and meaningful support and quickly customized a career transition plan
to meet this individual's needs. As a result, it opened up a
solid and satisfying career path for the person in question.
In addition, when I was later in a job search, myself, Matt
was very helpful in assessing and refining my marketing plan.
More importantly, he stayed in touch on a regular basis and
demonstrated to me that he really cares about following through on his
commitment to help people reach their career goals."
-- Gene Gerrard, Human Resources Executive
“In the past couple of days I was offered a new
job. I negotiated the salary and today I accepted the
position. Without reading your book, I might not have been as
aggressive in my negotiations and I definitely wouldn't have received
the salary and benefits I was looking for. I am now the
Quality Assurance Manager at (company name withheld) and the job is
just perfect for me. Anyway, thank you for all your help.
I will be recommending your services to anyone who asks me
how I got this job. "
-- Bryan Fry, Quality Assurance Manager
“Matt has been a tremendous resource in my successful job
search. Of particular value were the workshops he hosted that
concentrated on important aspects of the search process, e.g.
networking introductions, creating a self-marketing plan, creating
high-impact resumes, interview preparation, and many more. In
addition to the group activities, however, Matt was always readily
accessible to provide ideas that were tailored to the
person’s strengths and unique needs.
Matt has the ability to stir emotions and engage an audience as
effectively as working with him personally. I regard Matt as
a skilled professional with executive presence. I intend on
maintaining an on-going relationship with Matt and regard him as a
valuable member of my network of important contacts. "
-- Kent Byers, Supply Chain & Logistics Mgmt. Executive
“Matt is unique in the job search coaching domain.
He takes a holistic approach for which he has developed
comprehensive, effective tools. These empower a serious
job-hunter to manage all aspects of the hunt -- physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual. Matt is an awesome resource!"
-- Alex Blackwell, Financial Management Executive
“Six months ago we found ourselves in a very difficult and
unusual position – we were faced with the enormous challenge
of finding new jobs. We questioned where do we start the job
search process; were our resumes well-written; what kinds of job were
we searching for; how does the present job market operate; how should
we answer interview questions; how do we market ourselves to set us
apart from other candidates?
Fortunately, we did not have to face this formidable career transition
process alone. Matt Youngquist of Career Horizons helped us
immensely with his outplacement services and we shall be forever
grateful for his invaluable input, career coaching and counseling, and
very comprehensive training materials. After working with
through the customized program he designed for us, we learned how to
take personal responsibility in our career paths.
Matt’s positive manner and approach made it easier
in dealing with the job hunting and employment transition. No question
went unanswered.
Matt has a unique gift of turning a negative into a positive, provides
amazing support, and has a great talent for writing and editing.
These contributions helped changed our fears into hopes,
wishes, and goals, and instilled in us a greater sense of confidence.
We have happily acquired new jobs, look forward to new
opportunities in the future, and feel a deep gratitude to Matt for his
professionalism, friendship, and remarkable expertise."
-- Michael Osburn, Architect
-- Emily Osburn, Executive Administrator |
Matt Youngquist, President 