I have known Sharmila for four years and got to know her while a graduate student at Presidio Graduate School (PGS). She was always a friendly face I would see during our residencies. She was very involved in our PGS community and was incredibly committed to the success of the students. I had the pleasure of getting to know her more when a student in her course and seeking advice/mentorship when she took on the role of Director of Student Services.
The "secret sauce" of Sharmila is her genuine interest in each person and the intention she brings to get to know you. Her ability to tune into a person's skills, personality, and their "secret sauce" is truly a gift. She is able to give critical feedback in a straightforward way that is constructive and can be easily applied. She is not afraid to challenge you.
I hired Sharmila after I learned she was offering professional development services which included resume, cover letters, and interview prep. I had been applying to jobs for several months and I was not getting any calls back. In addition, I had received feedback from former supervisors that my resume was not representing my skills and talents well.
Sharmila's services are very structured and practical. I learned a lot during this process - tips, strategies, and what to be aware of when looking for positions. It is a very hands-on and engaging process. For example, when looking for potential position one should thoroughly review if one's skills align with the skills the role is asking for. It is something simple but it can be easily overlooked. You need to go line by line and determine if you can honestly do 80% of the duties/responsibilities/skills the role is requiring. If not, it is not worth applying. Sharmila gives you an exercise to determine this which was very visual and worth doing. It was helpful to go line by line (at least for me) and take that time to determine if this job was actually a good opportunity.
Sharmila also knows best practices and expectations of what employers are looking for in a resume and cover letters. The most practical but valuable feedback she offered was that resume's format needed to change and the order things should be. I was seriously struggling with the relevant experience section of my resume. I could not quite articulate all my experience the way it should express. However, she knew what I was capable of through my previous work. She had seen me in action in school and so she knew I could x,y, and z. She really took that time to help get that out me and to articulate that experience in my own words. Once I was able to express my experience she was able to edit and polish it. She continued to challenge me and think about the skills that I did in fact have. These efforts on her part really helped to make my resume stand out.
Sharmila also offered me guidance on the flow and purpose of my cover letters. I think I was going down a rabbit hole of telling a story of me doing x,y, and z but not highlighting the IMPACT and OUTCOMES I made or had influence over. She kept working with me until I finally got it. After that deep work, I was extremely satisfied with my cover letter and it represented me.
Lastly, Sharmila was able to take the time to work with me on my interview skills and strategies. She providing a framework and pushed me to develop 5 or 6 narratives about my strengths that I could easily and comfortably say during interviews. She encouraged me to know these stories in my sleep - so it could be delivered easily and naturally.
If you are seeking quality professional development services for your next opportunity, Sharmila is the person to hire! Her services are worth every penny. read more