Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Penta.
Hi Anna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
So, I graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communication Studies, where I focused on graphic design, public speaking, interviewing skills, social norms, intercultural and organizational communication. It was a really general degree, but ultimately, I wanted to work in PR or marketing and basically be the next Samantha from Sex and the City.
After a marketing internship at Cleveland Scene Magazine, I ended up getting my first job in advertising where I was laid off, along with 20 others after 60 months. I was devastated and determined to find a more safe career. I eventually went onto working in payroll and eventually technical recruiting, all while writing resumes for my family and friends throughout the years. I loved helping people get that first interview and thought recruiting was my calling until we started hiring graduates from Tech Elevator, a computer programming bootcamp that originated in Cleveland. I ended up meeting and hiring a bunch of folks like me – folks that were looking for a career that they could be passionate about that would encompass their analytical and creative skills.
Eventually, I ended up taking a sabbatical, attending the BootCamp and then returning to my previous tech company to work as a junior cloud developer. During my time at Tech Elevator, I reviewed many resumes, practiced mock interviewing, and even practiced salary negotiation with fellow colleagues. I almost become a little obsessed with helping people get a job in their new industries because I knew they were in the same boat as me – you just quit working for three months to start a new career. It was a very scary place to be.
Four years later, that obsession has stuck with me and has expanded from the software development space to many other industries – education, healthcare, marketing, manufacturing – the list goes on. Since, I have started Refine Career Services (was Interviewing with Anna), hired a document writer, and have been helping clients all over the country. We focus on resume/cover letter/LinkedIn creation or updates, mock interviewing, interview prep, salary/promotion negotiation, and general job search coaching.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
So, there have been many ups and downs in the last two years. I have started my business with a few services, stopped taking clients, rebranded, added new services, and even outsourced some of the workload.
I started out as Interviewing with Anna and found that it was too challenging to have a full-time job plus a side hustle that consisted of very tedious work such as creating resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. After about 6 months I went from creating several documents a month to maybe one document every few months. I was turning people away because I was completely burnt out and could not handle the workload on my own.
This past year, I worked with my husband, a fellow entrepreneur, to recreate my business plan and realized that I needed to get all of the processes I was doing out of my head and into some documentation, then I needed to hire some freelancers to pick-up some of that workload. So, in January of this year, I rebranded to Refine Career Services, got my LLC, created a new website, added new services, hired a document writer for certain services, outsourced social media, and really started marketing the services that I am passionate about – negotiation, interviewing, and job search coaching.
We’ve been impressed with Refine Career Services, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I work with everyone, but something I am extremely passionate about is helping marginalized groups get better-paying jobs where they are passionate about the work they are doing. That is so important! We do this by focusing on the basics – resume/cover letter/LinkedIn creation or updates, mock interviewing, interview prep, salary/promotion negotiation, and general job search coaching. Not only do we provide tangible services, but we also provide a lot of great skills, tips, and job postings on our social media.
We are all about closing pay gaps, ending casual sexism, and just doing everything we can to help people acquire the role of their dreams.
We are different than other companies that do this because we take the time to learn about YOU and what YOU do and what YOU want. Our process is very data-focused and we use all of these points to do our own research on how to make you standout to future employers. This can consist of where to search and how to apply for a job, making a resume Applicant Tracking System friendly, or even making sure your outfit or body language is appropriate for a virtual interview.
We are an investment for your future and will take the time to make sure we give you a custom solution. We are constantly researching best practices and latest trends. Many other places have antiquated practices that really aren’t specific to that person.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Honesty. I am a straight shooter and I tell people like it is. I also ask for the same in return from my clients.
A lot of the time I have to ask people hard questions about them as a person or about why they might be having trouble finding a job. Sometimes I have to let people know during a mock interview that maybe their answer or tone were not appropriate for some reason. It’s uncomfortable for me and definitely takes clients out of their comfort zone but so far, I have had really great feedback. A lot of people have never been given feedback like this and it has helped them improve their interpersonal skills tremendously.
On the contrary, I have had to get feedback from clients about maybe not liking the wording of something on their resume or maybe not agreeing with why I chose to critique something. This is something that keeps me on my toes and drives me to stay up-to-date with trends so that I can state my case. I truly enjoy the conversation and feedback because it helps me to be the best that I can be.
Pricing:
- Professional Resume $150
- Entry-Level Resume/Cover Letter $100
- LinkedIn $50
- Mock Interviewing $100-$200
- Other services listed on website
Contact Info:
- Email: refinecareerservices@gmail.com
- Website: www.refinecareer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refine_career/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refinecareer
