A-Plus Career and Resume is on the cutting-edge of Career Coaching and Resume development techniques and trends. We are committed to individual, personalized service. Your career documents are crafted especially for your needs, not a cookie-cutter template with a questionnaire, but through an in-depth interview process. All coaching sessions are tailored to your specific needs, whether career exploration and transition, interviewing, career management, or business coaching.
Whether face-to-face, phone or video, our Kansas City based firm is dedicated to providing you with the best career, business and resume services available.
Karen Silins is President and Owner of A-Plus Career and Resume, LLC, and dedicated to individualized, tailored services, and providing a realistic approach to the clients’ goals through a variety of career coaching competencies or in career document preparation. Karen’s desire for continuing education, and active status in resume and career industry organizations are well represented by her multiple certifications, memberships, and variety of professional credits, including membership in the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council.
“When making their choice for a career coach, business coach or resume writer, I believe people will gravitate towards those who continue to excel within their profession. If I expect clients to trust my advice, then I need to continually educate myself in all facets of this business, and maintain presence in the forefront of my industry.”
Karen believes that the greatest reward she receives from her work is “helping clients frustrated and disheartened in today’s highly technical and overly difficult job search or in the throes of career transition, to realize their professional goals and dreams,” and that “developing the client relationship, is all-important to obtain the necessary information for a successful resume or coaching experience.” Karen originally pursued a career path in opera performance, vocal education, and choral directing but experienced her own career transition into Human Resources, eventually finding true vocational fulfillment in resume development and career coaching. Presently, though she first envisioned performing on the world stage, Karen now serves as director, and facilitates her clients’ next career act!
RECENT HONORS
- Selected to provide online seminars by Johnson County Library during COVID outbreak to assist those struggling in job search. Seminars will permanently archived for viewing on https://www.jocolibrary.org/ and all programs with archive link will be listed under my Events page.
- 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 Authority rankings, varying monthly in the categories of Employment, Human Resources, Career, Microblogging, Social Media, and Recruitment-Agilience Index: Agilience Authority Index https://agilience.com/KarenSilins
- March 2019 Interview on KCUR (local NPR Affiliate) for Steve Kraske’s Up to Date show on Finding a Second Career (Karen’s interview starts at 27:45): https://www.kcur.org/post/seg-1-kansas-city-mayoral-candidate-quinton-lucas-seg-2-finding-second-career#stream/0
- Awarded 2019 Kansas City Small Business Award – Career Counseling Classification, and Best Business Services
- 2019, mulitple KMBZ morning show, short format interviews on job search (veteran specific), career management, and dealing with downsizing, position elimination or dismissal.
- Featured in National Resume Writers Association (NRWA) “Ask the Expert” forum, 09/10/18
- 2018 and 2017 Talent Management Expert Post for MarTechExec
- Named Top 38 Career Experts to Follow in 2018 on Twitter: https://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/erins-musings/top-career-experts-to-follow-in-2018
- Awarded 2017 The Kansas City Small Business Award – Career Counseling Classification
- 2017 Career Coaching & Interview Expert Posts for Off the Clock Resumes Blog
- Selected for membership in Forbes Coaches Council, November 2016
- Awarded 2016 The Kansas City Small Business Awards – Career Counseling Classification
- Awarded 2016 Best Businesses – Best of Kansas City: Career Counseling
- 2016 Hiring Expert – Guest Blogger for Udacity.com
- Awarded 2015 Best Businesses – Best of Kansas City: Career Counseling
CERTIFICATIONS
- Certified Advanced Resume Writer – Career Directors International
- Certified Career Management Coach – Career Coach Academy
- Certified Electronic Career Coach – Career Directors International
- Certified Employment Interview Professional – Professional Association of Resume Writers
- Certified Career Transition and Assessments Coach – CareerIntel
- Certified CareerIntel Affiliate – CareerIntel
- 360º Reach Personal Brand Assessment Certification
- Certified Print Coach – Hertz-Reeder Print Strategies, LLC/The Paul Hertz Group, Inc
- Certified Master Resume Specialist – Association of Online Resume & Career Professionals
TWITTER EXPERTS LIST
Named to over 300 Experts Lists on Twitter in last eight years, including:
- Hannah Morgan’s Career Sherpa Top 200 Career Experts List
- American Association of University Women (AAUW) – Job and Career Advice Experts List
- Promo Placement Recruiting – Top Job Geniuses List (Career experts, resume tips and job search advice!)
- Skillset.com – HR Tech List of Leaders and Companies in innovative HR and new ways to hire
- Skillset.com – HR Professionals List – leaders and companies in hiring, career development and next level HR tech.
- JobCluster – Female Career Experts List
- McGraw-Hill Careers – Career Advisor List
- Career Savvy – Great Career Advice List – (excellent career tips and advice)
- CPS HR Consulting – National HR Pros List
- Career Fuel – Career Coaches – Professionals in Career Coaching and Career Development
- RandstadUSA – Level10-HRWizards List
- Heather Coleman Voss – Women’s Leaders List
- Heather Coleman Voss – Innovative Leadership List
- Heather Coleman Voss – Career Jedi’s List
- 2016 Consultants to Watch List on Twitter, by The Real Marsha Wright and PromoNation.co
- Gayle Howards – Resume Pros/Coaches
- John Sumser – Smart Folks People List
MEMBERSHIPS
- Member of Forbes Coaches Council
- Member of National Resume Writers’ Association
- Member of National Career Development Association
- Member of National Association of Workforce Development Professionals
- Member of HR.com
- Community Member of Human Capital Institute
- Member of International Membership of Professional Advisors, Coaches and Trainers
- Member of American Management Association
- Member of Internet Marketing Association
- Member of 24-7Coaching.com
- Member of The People Development Network (and contributor of blog articles)
- Member of the The Coach Exchange
ADDITIONAL CREDITS
- 20+ Years Experience in Resume Development, Career Coaching and Small Business Coaching.
- Appearances on local television networks for career and resume advice, including KCTV5 Morning Show (featured speaker), KMBC Morning Show (featured speaker), KSHB-TV (featured speaker), KMBZ (featured speaker), and WDAF for afternoon and evening news segments. 2009 – Present
- Link to New Landings Job Chat-How a Portfolio Can Benefit Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyQuJzEL1Xg
- Link to New Landings Job Chat-Collect, Select & Design Your Portfolio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XUteO6IgDE
- Link to New Landings Job Chat-Utilization of Your Portfolio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2IWBnrrCIQ
- KSHB TV Interview (2013): Overqualified Millennials Unhappy in the Real World
- Link to Independence Examiner-Top 5 Tips for Online Job Hunters: http://www.examiner.net/article/20130216/NEWS/302169957
- Published in Print and Internet media including: LinkedIn Pulse, CareerBuilder.com, The Kansas City Star, Career Carnival/Career Sherpa/Elephants at Work, Lawrence Journal-World, and The Examiner.
- Speaker for local Corporations, Libraries, Organizations, and Charities, including the upcoming American Volleyball Coaches Association Conference in December 2017, and Mid-Continent Public Libraries, Baker University, National APICS Supply Chain and Operations Conference-Kansas City, New Landings Speakers Series, Enterprise Center of Johnson County, The Urban League-KC, Northtowne Arts Coalition, The Junior League of Kansas City, Kansas City Chapter of NACM-CFDD, Crossroads Career Network, Lenexa Job Club, North Kansas City Job Club, Hope Center-Operation Breakthrough, and Johnson County Public Library.
- Author and Presenter of six-week, 12-session program – Marketing You: Equipping You for Today’s Job Search.
- Author and Presenter of six-week, 12-session program – Your Business Plan: The Entrepreneurs Compass.
- Participated in research preparation for Career Thought Leaders Job Seeker Success Survey Research Project, 2012.
- Featured in Martin Yate’s Knock-Em-Dead book series for resume writing and career coaching.
- President and Executive Board Member, Association of Online Resume & Career Professionals
- National Career Fairs, KansasCityHires.com and OverlandParkHires.com Resume and Coaching Expert, 2009 – 2013
- Appearance on New Landings Job Chat, three-interview segments – Blueprint for Success-Career Portfolio Development
- Author – Breakthrough/Killer Resume Creator, 2007
- Author – Breakthrough Cover Letter Creator, 2006
- Author – Breakthrough/Killer Resume Generator, 2007
- Author – Breakthrough Cover Letter Generator, 2006
- CDI-PRWRA Mentorship Support-Program Mentor, 2003 – Present
- CDI-PRWRA Region 7 Representative, 2002 – 2005
- 2003 Membership Chairperson, Kansas City Chapter – ACPI
- Career Masters Institute Member Advisory Committee (2003 – 2008)
- NRWA Resume Writers’ Toolbox Contributor
- Winner of 2002/2003 TORI Award
- Nominated for 2003/2004 TORI Award
- Nominated for 3-2002/2003 TORI Awards
- 2000 PRWRA Best Cover Letter Award, International Competition, 3rd Place
- International Coach for “Get Hired Now” Program (2002 – 2009)
- Published in multiple “Knock ’em Dead” Resume and Cover Letter books
- Published in “America’s Top Resumes for America’s Top Jobs”
- Published in “Best College Resumes-Jump Start Your Career”
- Volunteer: www.volunteersforcareers.org
CHARTER & FOUNDING MEMBERSHIPS
- Charter Member of Career Director’s International / Professional Resume Writing and Research Association
- Founding Member of Association of Online Career & Resume Professionals
- Founding Member of International Association of Coaches
- Charter Member of Career Management Alliance / Career Masters Institute