Testimonials

What Clients are Saying


Linda, you, as you well know, are whip smart and charming enough to have done anything you wanted and for top dollar. Whereas you are one in ten million, how lucky many of us are that you chose to apply your gifts to getting us back on our feet, and so often at a more upright posture than we had ever enjoyed standing. Further, not only do you spruce up careers, in doing so you help keep families together. I encourage you to indulge in pride over that.

DS

IT Magician


Dear Linda:

Please find this letter to document my personal recommendation for you, your process and your company.

As I transitioned from corporate America and into a start-up entrepreneurial environment you were the port in the storm that helped me organize, and make some big decisions. On top of the value I derived from all of your sessions – your organization, attention to detail and firm but fun direction makes working with you great!

The networking sessions, introductions, and coaching all helped put my emotion on the shelf and get to work in concrete steps that move things forward to a positive outcome.

As I look back on that transition one year ago, really the first in my career of 20 years to make such a dramatic change, I now feel that I am prepared to weather future changes as the economy continues to evolve. This new confidence is thanks to the process and steps you coached me through.

I highly recommend Linda as a coach and confidant. She is a great listener, and now a great friend. If you are looking for a plan and a coach to grow through a career change, Linda can help you!

Sincerely,

DW, VP, Sales and Marketing

New York


Dear Linda,

First, let me begin by saying thank you.  Not only did you prove to be an invaluable Career Coach, but you were also a mentor, friend and confidant during what was a very difficult period in my professional life.  After having spent almost 25 years in the workforce I had finally “made it”.  I had a great job and was making good money in an interesting industry.  Between industry regulation, a difficult financial environment and the sale of a company I found myself out of work for the first time in my life.   I felt the way I’m sure a lot of your clients feel, “how could this have happened to me”.

Well, all I needed to do was put together a resume and go out and find a job the way I did it nearly15 years ago; and I was going to do it on my own.  How was someone who didn’t know me going to be able to help me market myself better than I could do it on my own?

I couldn’t have been more wrong!  Linda has a program that works, but it’s not because she knows the correct steps to take in a job search.  Linda’s program works because of Linda!  She pours all of her energy, focus and attention into you.  While I knew she had other clients, I felt as though I was the only one, or at least her most important one.  I think she was as happy as I was when I finally landed a full-time position.

Believe me, I too wrestled with trying to justify the cost of the program with no steady income.  It wasn’t easy, but I’m so glad I decided that my career was worth it.  There is no magic bullet out there; looking for a job is hard work at a very stressful time in your life, but having Linda as a Career Coach kept the process focused and positive.  She was well prepared for our meetings, had a specific agenda and made each session time well spent.  My one big regret was that I spent the first six months thinking I could do it myself.

I was finally convinced to make the move and sign up after I attended several of her executive networking meetings.  She is extremely professional and genuinely cares about her networking contacts.   Don’t believe me? check out one of her meetings for yourself.  If that doesn’t convince you and you still need a reference, please call me so you can hear the enthusiasm and excitement in my voice as I give her my highest recommendation.

Sincerely,
MJD
Senior Vice President and CFO

CT


Dear Linda,

I wanted to extend my sincerest “Thanks” for all your help, guidance, and expertise in driving me to execute a successful career search. There is a saying that there is strength in numbers and working with you I felt like I had an armada of personal cheerleaders and business mentors behind me, and walking along side of me – and you were all of them wrapped into one!

Regardless of my past achievements or previous experiences nothing really had prepared me professionally or mentally for the career search I needed to undertake. A career search is really many parts – it’s tactical, it’s emotional, it’s focused, and it’s personal. You addressed all of those things with such a positive, engaging, and skillful manner that I knew very quickly that success was all but guaranteed – as you strive for that yourself and in turn push your clients to achieve it. Your process and diligence for facilitating a successful search was brilliant! We went down a set path together, yet one that you were flexible with and catered to me specifically, and the results were quantifiable each step of the way.

As our time together went on aside from setting my career strategy you also became a “shoulder to lean on”, and because of that I didn’t just view myself as “another client”, but as an individual who you had a vested interest in. In the end looking over the two opportunities I had, your knowledge and expertise on how to handle the Q&A and comparisons of the two was fantastic and really helped me single out what opportunity I felt was best. Taking on the role of  Partner in a small digital marketing business has been very fulfilling to-date.

I cannot thank you enough for your time, dedication, and energy during my search. You certainly were my partner in this and someone I will always be thankful to have met and to have collaborated with.

Best Regards,

RF, Partner

CT


Dear Linda,
Standing at an important crossroads in life can be as daunting and confusing as it is exciting and motivating.  Defining goals, developing clear objectives, and adhering to a system for achieving results is absolutely crucial.

That is why I am so thoroughly pleased to have engaged you… to help me deliver on the next big thing in my career.

You listened to me.  You empowered me to shape my direction.  You helped me create and execute my own personal marketing campaign.

One of the aspects of my experience… that I found so compelling was the system… to achieve the campaign goals.  It is a clear, step-by-step process that instills discipline and measurable success at every threshold.

Today, I have a thriving company with more business than I know what to do with.  Most importantly, I have a concise view of my career and how it connects to the other valued aspects of my life.  What (you have) given me is a holistic way of managing my life at the strategic and tactical levels.

Thank you, from your client for life.
Sincerely yours, Chris C.
President and Chief Marketing Officer, Florida


Dear Linda,
This is a heartfelt thanks and my expression of gratitude for the outstanding guidance, support and encouragement from you.

During our (time) together you took me from a state of disillusion and, I’ll admit it, some despair, to a point where I felt confident and purposeful in my search.

Your methodology is the best.  I cannot recommend it more highly to those, like me, who feel that we’ve tried everything possible to get a foothold in the ugly process of finding a new position at the appropriate level.

To anyone who has been there, it is a grinding forced march on a path full of potholes, false trails and need I say charlatans and thieves.

Your methodology of course takes discipline and faith.  As you often reminded me, each step has a purpose.

But there came a point when I realized that what you were doing was not repackaging the resume or teaching me which tie to wear.

What you did was tease out the best in me, and you not only unearthed those qualities that can make me an asset to any organization, but that you put them to work.

Success. What a feeling!  Today will be a good day. Today I start at my new position as VP External Relations.

Thank you, again.  Please ask everyone who is considering your coaching to call me.

Michael G.
VP External Relations, Communications, Westport, CT


Dear Linda,
This is just a note to thank you for all the support and assistance you offered to assist me in my job search.  Through your counsel, support, urging and process I was able to conduct a successful job campaign and gain an excellent job.  I have always subscribed to the theory that, “If you are a self-starter, your boss doesn’t need to be a crank.”  But you took that to a new level and turbo-charged the whole process.  Thanks.

I signed up without much confidence that the end result would be positive—particularly in the difficult, down-market climate that existed.   In addition, the problem was compounded by the fact that my birth date occurred about the time people first came out of caves!  But, you kept my eyes on the prize and refused to let me spiral in with self-doubt and negative thinking.  So, the end result—a good job — far exceeded my initial expectations.

I like the job.  The company is fast paced and very youthful.  My presence in the employee mix upped the average age by about five years. I am spending my time currently, trying to learn about the business.  Once that is under my belt, I am placed to make significant contributions in terms of establishing a planning process, managing thrusts into new environments, and setting a framework for continued leadership growth rates.

Thank you again for all the help and support you offered.  I certainly COULD NOT have done it without you.

Sincerely, Martin M


After a long career as a senior IT executive I found myself out of work.  I was a CIO with an MBA and experience running many large projects so I attacked the job market as my next project.  I spent a year trying to land a new position to no avail.  I realized I needed more help, researched many companies and decided that (My Executive Career Coach), and the methodologies that it employs, was the right company to work with me.

Linda Van Valkenburgh was… my career counselor and I hit it off with her right away.  She masterfully combined the methodologies… developed with an uncanny ability to engage, mentor and motivate.  She was able to keep me upbeat and motivated through some hard times and successfully guided me to a new position at Tiffany & Co.

I am very thankful to Linda… for keeping me focused and believing in myself.  I was unsuccessful at landing a job before the economic crash.  Linda… was able to guide me to employment during these stressful times.

My only regret is that I didn’t hire Linda… sooner.

John B. – IT Sr. Executive, New York


Dear Linda,
Thank you… for all your wonderful work and effort on initiating, planning, and executing a career marketing campaign tailored to fit my goals.

I came… with doubts on the benefits of having a career marketing coach and what you… could do to add value.  My doubts were erased by having you work to put together a well formed plan that incorporated my skill set, career history and achievements with my objectives and goals for the future.  What was even more impressive was the time and effort that you put forward in keeping me focused and motivated to execute my career campaign.  It was truly invaluable to have you… there with me in every step of the process.  The guidance and advice allowed me to handle any situation with confidence.  I was always fully prepared to deal with the situation, whether it was making my introduction, conducting an interview or negotiating an offer.

Although I have successfully landed… I know that I can count on you… to be there for me as I advance my through my career.

Best Regards and Thanks
Chester W. – Manager, Global Real Estate Security Operations, New Jersey


Dear Linda,
It is with great excitement and gratitude that I write this letter to you.  My transition time has finally arrived, and true to your word, it is absolutely the best fit position I could have found.  Being guided by my career objective was well worth the wait because this organization is everything I was looking for:  established, profitable company, cutting edge technology, solid pipeline and 5 – 10 year plan for growth….the fact that my territory is NYC is the icing on the cake!

I found myself at a turning point in my life:  20+ years of successful sales experience, yet I was floundering and unsure of how to proceed with finding a new career.

From the start of my campaign you stressed the importance of (the) proven process: to identify specific strengths/abilities and how to fashion them into fresh, new objectives and goals to guide my search.  The greatest value of your proven process is that it is logical and effective: a defined structure which is then customized and tailored to each individual resulting in the maximum benefit for the candidate.

I have begun my new career as a Medication Management Systems Specialist, a senior level sales position with responsibility for selling various types of infusion pumps and safety software to hospitals for use in providing optimal patient care in ICUs, pain management, cancer treatment and anesthesia.

Linda, your guidance was always clear and focused; your consistent, positive reinforcement of my value proposition kept my confidence high and motivated me to move forward; and your encouragement truly made the process most enjoyable.  Your superb coaching has been a valuable life experience that will be with me always…..as will our friendship!

I highly recommend you for anyone who wants to succeed!

Warmest Regards, Lorraine L.
Medication Management Systems Specialist, New York


Dear Linda,
I cannot thank you enough for your dedication and support in assisting me with my transition following 20 years of active duty service in the United States Navy.   Being able to locate my first place of employment after only two months of our campaign, is a true testament to the (coaching) services.

As a Government Account Manager in Newburgh, N.Y.,  I am very excited about my future.  As a note, I look forward to working with you again in the near future as I approach my future “Goals” and “Aspirations”.

You have been an excellent coach during the entire process and I look forward to utilizing your services in the near future as I climb the ladder of success.

“Bravo Zulu on a job extremely well done!”

Sincerely, CB, LCDR, USN (Ret)
Vice President, Human Relief Organization


Dear Prospect, You are probably wondering if (this) is right for you. Am I right?

Well let me tell you my story.  Not that long ago I really didn’t like my job. I used to hate to get up in the morning and go to work.  I was not getting any satisfaction from my work, my HR career was on hold,  my job responsibilities had changed, I didn’t see any results or outcome of my 8 to 10 hour days at work. It was impossible to balance my family life with my work schedule – I was not happy (sound familiar?)

I knew I needed to make a change! But I didn’t know where to start or what to do first. I started questioning what I really want to do, what would I be good at. Did I want to stay in my current field which was HR?

I called many placement, recruiting, staffing agencies in hope that they would help me find the right job.  After many hours of “introductory meetings” and many promises I had not heard back from most of them and the ones I heard from offered available jobs regardless of my abilities, preferences or even location.  I knew I need to do more! Not just to find a job and get a paycheck but to discover my strengths, weaknesses, my true potential and the PERFECT JOB.

I made the call the very next day and spoke to Linda and I knew that I made the right decision.  After my first meeting with Linda I was so excited and motivated, I knew my life was going to change.  I could not wait to tell my husband who signed up the following week. I could see the results immediately!  The hours spent on homework and assignments were well worth the results.

Thanks to Linda I found my strengths and weaknesses and I learned to make the best of them.   Each session with Linda was a new discovery, new life lesson, new opportunity to better myself and get that much closer to the perfect job. Linda is a great coach, mentor and friend.   She helped me believe in myself, she kept me motivated and on track.

Thanks to Linda I found the PERFECT job as a Human Resource Generalist.  I found the flexibility that I was looking for, I found the satisfaction that I was missing in my previous job, I work with great people and I am a part of a company that allows employees to grow with an extensive training program.

I am sure that I would not be here if it was not for Linda – her expertise, guidance, patience and understanding.  (It) has changed my life and I am so glad that I made the call!

So what are you waiting for?  You have nothing to lose but everything to gain!

RS, HR Generalist
Stamford, CT


Dear Linda,
I want to take a moment to thank you.  Admittedly, I was skeptical of the value of the investment in your counseling services prior to signing on as a client.  Having spent more than 25 years as a professional in my field, and having successfully interviewed throughout the northeast and risen to a nice six figure income as an executive.

What I soon realized after sitting with you for several sessions, and doing my “homework”, is that the program is more about an investment in myself than an exercise in job hunting.  Being able to succinctly quantify my career experience and matching that against my personal goals taught me more about what kind of a position I should be seeking than I could have imagined.  More important than the resume writing tools that one can find on the internet, you provided me with critical skills to help me evaluate my written and oral presentations enabling me to polish those skills beyond what I had always thought were “pretty good” and successful.  I achieved a new self confidence that I didn’t even know I was missing. 

The end result was successfully finding a new professional position that I might not have even considered prior to my involvement with you.  And most importantly, this new position addresses many of my most critical priorities that you helped me more clearly understand.  To put it another way, at this point in my career, the “happiness quotient” is more important than just the figures on the paycheck. 

… you did keep me on my toes in doing my homework as if I was paying tuition for a university course.  But the combination of the program and your professional approach did magic for me.  I am truly a fan and only wish I had taken advantage of a program like yours years ago.

Thank you for helping me learn more about myself thus enabling me to get the “right” job…not just a job.

Sincerely, Steve W.
Director of Development, Trumbull, CT


Working with Linda made an amazing difference in my ability to transition to a new job in a very tight job market. Linda helped me identify my strengths in a tangible way so that I could relate them to the needs of potential employers. The two key differences between working with Linda and going it alone are that in working with Linda you develop and execute a strategy plan and you uncover skills sets that you were not consciously aware of- thus building confidence.

While working with Linda, I received a job offer to work with an organization that I had long wanted to work with. Less than a year later, my boss is discussing a promotion with me.

CK, Esq.

Law Project, NYC Area


Linda is a totally credible and knowledge resource when it comes to job search and closing the deal with a new employer.  She is totally client focused and helps you create the tools to handle your current, and more importantly, future job search.    Linda also provides a sea of calm and reason in what can be a very difficult period in an executive’s life.

MC, CFO


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