Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Lyman.
Hi Erin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Before I had my four children, I worked for a Fortune 500 company doing HR and then managing dental offices. Once my first child was born, I taught at Marquette University as an adjunct professor. Years later, and three more children/two moves, it was important to me to keep my foot in the door while raising my children. I noticed a big need–resume writing. Having worked in HR and management, this was a skill that came very naturally to me. Five years later, my business has evolved into not only working with career pivoters on their resumes but also working with rising high school seniors on their college application essays (coaching and editing).
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the biggest challenges have come with starting a business from scratch. I’ve learned how to be a website developer, marketer, social media manager, accountant, and much more. I have also experienced that when I’m learning a new element of technology (whether it’s creating an online course or learning the ropes of email marketing), it is bound to take much longer than I’m expecting.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work with two different types of clients. I work with people changing careers, providing career coaching and resume/cover letter writing. I also provide interview prep. In addition, I work with rising high school seniors. I provide coaching and essay editing as well as interview prep. Both of these needs have become quite elevated in the wake of the pandemic. A lot of my career-pivoting clients have realized that they don’t want to continue doing the same thing day after day. They are ready for something new and rewarding. And in terms of college applications–more than 80% of colleges are now test (SAT) optional. That means that the college essay is much more heavily-weighted in the application process. Parents used to hire someone for test-prep, now they are hiring me to coach their child on how to write the college essays. Working with both career-pivoters and college-bound students is incredibly rewarding as I see a great transformation as I work with them. And getting the “I got the job!” or “I got into my dream school!” emails makes it that much better. What sets me apart from others is my innate ability to connect with people on a personal level as well as many years in HR and management. I provide one-on-one, personalized coaching. You can’t get that from a Google template or software.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
My business continues to grow, and I expect it will follow that trend as the job market and employment landscape continues to shift as well as people’s perspective on work also changes. The college admissions process is already extremely competitive, and I suspect it will remain that way. Therefore, the college essay will continue to be an integral part in the application process.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ErinLyman.com
- Instagram: @ErinLymanCo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsbestedits
