We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Barnard recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kimberly , thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?
I recently overheard a discussion among friends about the purpose and direction of secondary education in the US, and the gist of it was that, perhaps we should focus, or allow students in high school to focus on an area of interest they have, and not bother with literature or focused sciences like physics or chemistry. Will students need to know or understand chemical reactions or memorize Shakespeare? The answer is no, they don’t need to recall Shakespeare twenty years later, and I personally couldn’t tell you anything about chemical compounds or the Table of Elements, but in learning those things, we develop the ability to think critically and communicate.
I believe very strongly that the ability to communicate starts with reading. I remember the first word I read on my own in first grade: apple. I saw it and read it and knew what it said and that feeling inside of me, when I did–that’s a core memory for me. Since then, reading has shaped so much of my life and career, that I can only contribute my ability to communicate to reading. Once we can read, and comprehend; we can begin to write and communicate our thoughts, feelings, and knowledge outwards. That feels super powerful. Reading is like a vacuum for our minds, we can suck in so much information and it whirs around in our brains and settles in different places, and we never have to dump the bag out! Understanding what we read, discussing it, interpreting it, thinking about it–these are all ways to begin to communicate clearly what we know.
I still love reading–I have less time for it now, but I firmly believe that reading a lot led me to writing a lot–and as with any skill, the practice of that became easier, more clear, and more effective over time.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’ve been writing resumes professionally for more than 10 years, but it was in the last year that I decided I needed to showcase and portray my business in a more professional manner. I started to observe other women in the same stage of life, home with their young children, juggling a lot of roles, contributing to their families, and what they were doing to impact people around them or to create community. I feel very lucky to have found community with other moms in my neighborhood, in my church, and in my former industry. I was getting great feedback about my business and the resumes and business services I was providing, but I wasn’t really telling anyone about it–it was also something that I said I “did on the side” or was an afterthought. I became friends with a mom in my neighborhood who is a website designer, and really, on a whim, I reached out to her and told her my ideas to scale my business and make it “real.” She was so incredibly encouraging, very real about what I needed to do, and essentially mentored me through the process of making my business what it is now. She helped me to completely rebrand and rename my business, build and publish a website, and completely legitimized what I’d been doing for more than a decade. It was surreal to hop on LinkedIn and announce my new website–and even more amazing when I see people tagging me online and recommending me to their friends, clients, and family.
That being said, my new business name is Leading Edge Resumes & Career Services. It’s a nod to my aviation background, but also how I want clients to feel about my product (client resumes, cover letters, and career services)–that their resume is the first point of contact a potential employer sees of them. This first point of contact should wholly represent who they are in their professional capacity. I want the resume to showcase their skills, abilities, and qualifications. Essentially, the rebranding of my company meant that I was finally showcasing the skills, abilities, and qualifications I incorporated into my work over the last decade. My new website is https://www.leadingedgeresume.com.
I really enjoy getting to know my clients during the process of creating and updating their resumes and I now offer a variety of different packages and pricing, in order to offer really personalized service and walk alongside them during the job search process.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
This is a great question!
The most important quality in my work is to never take criticism personally. As a resume writer, I spend a lot of time crafting language for a resume. And then I send a draft off to a client and ask them for feedback, in some ways it is similar to the “workshopping” sessions from college creative writing classes. I learned then to never take the feedback personally. I still hold that belief. Essentially, I am writing about someone else’s experience, and then asking them to tell me what they think about how I described their life and work. It isn’t really my story, so I do not attach any emotion to it. This has made my work easier for me, I fully expect some criticism and actually seek it out! I want their resume to represent them in the best possible way–and I need their feedback to make that happen.
Another quality is being service oriented, or I prefer the term “servant-hearted” actually. The connotation of being a “servant” isn’t highly prized in our society, but one of the definitions of servant is a “devoted and helpful follower or supporter.” I believe that having the heart for service, finding ways to help others, being devoted to supporting and uplifting my clients through my work is one of the most important qualities I can possess as a business owner and service provider. It displays my passion for what I do, my commitment to my profession, and my desire to work for my clients, not just working for the fee I’m paid. With my background in student services/higher education and as a corporate flight attendant, my work was full of opportunities to provide excellent customer service and I truly believe that a passion for that comes from being willing to do almost anything to support and help your clients.
Thirdly, I believe that knowing your own strengths and weaknesses, what you are good at and where you fall short–that level of self-awareness is really a key quality that leads to success in any career. When we have a really clear understanding of which part of our jobs or duties are difficult for us, and how we can improve, it becomes so much easier to ask for help, or recommend another colleague for the position, or even begin to move on from a role that doesn’t fit quite right. In my own business, I have resisted the temptation to offer services that involve design, like personal branding or business card design, because I know it is not my strength. I feel comfortable referring clients in search of those services to other contacts and colleagues, knowing the result will be better than what I could provide.
I think the best way to develop each of these qualities is really to find something you like to do, do it well and with purpose, and stick to it. When you find the next “thing” or “task” that interests you, pursue that, perfect it, and share it with passion.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is a person with passion for their job search. In the current job market, it takes tenacity of spirit and willingness to work hard to land your ideal job. I work with clients in multiple industries, but I do focus my work on corporate aviation, and it’s a very niche market in some ways. It’s a large market, but at the same time, it is very interconnected. As my clients break into this field, I notice that they are super-focused, putting in the effort and the time to networking, connecting with others on LinkedIn and other job forums, researching employers and flight departments, and continually thinking outside of the box to get their resumes in front of employers. I feel really lucky to work with people that are so laser-focused on achieving their career goals. It motivates me to put the best possible product, the best resume, in their hands.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leadingedgeresume.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadingedgeresume
Image Credits
All photography by Kate Mundo.
