Testimonials

“I met Ellen Steverson in 2017 when the College of Charleston hired her to provide resume and LinkedIn training to the MBA cohort.  I consulted with Ellen to provide resume writing and coaching, including the important networking event elevator pitch since I was an entrepreneur, executive, and an engineer now earning my MBA I needed to be able to communicate my career background concisely. 

During my 25+ career, I used several resume writers.  No one ever came close to the quality and overall performance of Ellen Steverson.  She has mastered the balance of understanding one’s career history and desired trajectory then rolling all of this up into an eye-catching concise resume that tells a story employers want to read. 

While working with recruiters, everyone has commented on the high quality resume I present.  More importantly, the entire set of services Ellen has provided me over the years from resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, interview coaching, career coaching, to salary negotiations, has generated results for me every time.  

Today’s recruiters are overwhelmed by the volume of job seekers.  Getting the resume to stand out with the right content and presentation is paramount, followed by focused and readiness for the interview.  Ellen coached with me on more than 100 questions spanning the gamut of behavioral and experiential areas, including the tough questions. I found myself fully prepared for every opportunity of the process – from networking, to multiple phone screenings, and in-person, as well as all-day interviews.

I recommend Ellen Steverson’s resume writing and coaching services to anyone looking to advance their career, actively pursuing employment, or looking to elevate their online and in-person professional networking presence.”

“I just wanted to express my gratitude and commend you for the amazing work you did in helping me with my career search.

Your professional advice and expertise were extremely insightful and very helpful in establishing my brand. You made me see who I am professionally as opposed to what I do, and then you were able to capture that on my resume so I can present it to future employers and be able to speak to it.

The professional services you provide go far beyond “resume writing” and providing a cover letter. This was not a fee for services but rather an investment in myself — that all professionals need to make at least once. Your coaching and advice were invaluable. 

Please feel free to use me as a reference as I would be glad to attest to the top-notch professional services you provide.“

“I am very excited about this new opportunity! The feedback I received on my resume was fantastic, and I want to thank you for all of your help. I will definitely recommend you to anyone I know.“

“I hope this finds you well.  I wanted to let you know I found a new job and started yesterday.  I am working remote so I have the option to move anywhere I wish.  It is an opportunity of a lifetime.  It’s a big jump in title and great chance to make more money and progress professionally. Thank you so much for your sage advice through this process.  Also, you saved me from making a mistake by getting my another Master’s degree full-time.  

I am now VP of Business Development.  

Thank you for the part you played in helping me to realize my professional goals and assisting me with getting out of a rather toxic work environment.”

“Ellen is fantastic at what she does.  She is thorough and to the point!  No sugar coating, which I loved! 

When I first started with Ellen, I was looking to change careers. She prepared me that a drastic career change could take at least 6 months search due to the rural area I lived in and because I was changing jobs. I was prepared to do whatever it takes to land a new job, so we moved on with resume, cover letter, and coaching services.

She took all of my information, put it on paper and WOW, I couldn’t believe it was me on that resume.  I was so impressed with her work.  The way she took my 25-year career in multiple industries and aligned them for my next role was amazing. I was amazed at the way she built up my confidence and I landed interviews.

Within my first month, I landed interviews and went on an interview for a position I was over qualified for, but with Ellen’s guidance entered the interview prepared and with a few strategies. I left with an offer in hand, not for the original job but for a management position with a much higher salary. I ACCEPTED! 

I wanted to change my career after 25 years and I truly believe that I couldn’t have done it without her!

That happened in 2013, and since then I have hired Ellen to help me with handling employee conflicts, asking for a raise, and updating my resume so I am prepared during my performance reviews.

I consider Ellen my career partner, go-to person—now and in the future!”

“I honestly thought my resume was awesome! You have a way of wording things that I never would’ve thought of and I’m a writer. I love the way it reads. You did an awesome job and love the way it is! No edits needed!”

“Ellen takes the time to learn what you excel in and translates that information into a keyword-rich resume that demonstrates how you are qualified for a position. During her resume process, she coaches and consults with you to ensure it is an accurate reflection of your skills. 

After working with Ellen, I had multiple job interviews within weeks of sending out my resumes in a very competitive market. I know that Ellen’s keen eye and ability to make my skills come to life on paper, along with her coaching, is why I landed a great dream job!”

“Ellen was amazing to work with and helped me set realistic steps to achieve my goals. She taught me valuable interview skills and wrote my resume, which helped me land a job in my field. I am very pleased with her services and would recommend them to any college grad entering the job market. Thanks Ellen!

Thank you for all your help over the past few weeks, I really appreciate it and I couldn’t have gotten this great new job without your help 🙂 I am super grateful and I hope your business continues to grow so I can come back for updates!!”

“I am so glad we hired you to coach our son and write his career documents. I thought you’d like to hear his direct quote this week: “Ellen is fantastic. That woman is a godsend. I love her northern/NY-edge.” Thank you for getting him moving forward after graduation. He loves his new job!”

“Part of the MBA Career/Professional Development plan is to partner with career-focused professionals to enhance our MBA students’ academic learning experiences. We brought in Ellen Steverson to conduct a presentation on LinkedIn. Her LinkedIn 30-Day Challenge presentation was informative, engaging, and she received high marks on the evaluations with comments like these:

• “I think this is a great resource for students, and l liked the challenge to help motivate me.”
• “Good presentation, informative, and great things you can do to improve your LI profile.”
• “I didn’t know that much about LinkedIn and I think she (Ellen) gave great tips and reviewed things I previously didn’t understand about LI, but now I do.”

We are looking forward to working with her again in on resumes!”

“Ellen Steverson with StartingBlock Career Services came highly recommended to us during a period of reorganization. We contracted with Ms. Steverson to come in and conduct workshops on resume writing, interviewing, and job search strategies. We received positive feedback from all participants and they all accepted new jobs shortly afterwards. We are pleased we were able to offer her services during our period of transition.”

“Thank you, Ellen! I am so glad I hired you to write my job posting and want you to know your single posting out performed my previous 5 ads by 10-fold! We are in the interview process and I can tell you , several prospects look promising so your posting even attracted better qualified prospects. Thank you Ellen for the huge boost in prospects!!!! Happy to give you a BIG SHOUT OUT as one of my strategic business partners.”