Maride Dean

I attribute my success to just not giving up. I've gone back and forth through different jobs and kind of waxed and waned in how invested I've been in this business over the years, but I've never let it completely fall to the wayside. I've always at least kept my website active and never turned away people as they trickle in. I've just always kind of kept it in my sights and made sure it didn't become a lost project. That persistence has been really important - even when things got tough or I had to focus on other work, I maintained that commitment to the business and to the people who needed my help.

The best career advice I've ever received is to always set a new goal, always have a new achievement. Whenever you reach whatever goal you're after, set something new. Don't ever settle. I think that's really important because it keeps everything fresh and prevents your work from getting old. There's always something to strive for, always a new challenge to take on, and that mindset has helped me continue growing and evolving in my career.

Don't let the stereotypes be a barrier. It's really easy to have that mindset that you have to conform to a certain role, like you have to be the multitasker or just the organizing, data entry, super-fast typing person that can smile at everybody. But there's a lot more to it than that, and you're allowed to be more than just a placeholder. You can bring your full self and your full capabilities to this work, and you don't have to fit into some narrow definition of what people expect from you.

One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is navigating the evolving landscape of ATS and AI-driven tools. It’s critical to identify and incorporate the right keywords strategically, while avoiding the pitfalls of obvious keyword-stuffing. At the same time, this evolution presents a significant opportunity to leverage new digital tools to better position clients and make support more accessible and impactful.

Transparency is one of the biggest values for me, especially in business. With so many scams and deception out there, I believe in being honest about my pricing and what I can offer. I'm very clear that my services don't guarantee you a job or an interview, but they help position your experience for the jobs you're going to qualify for. I try not to mislead people and make overinflated claims. I don't come out here and tell them that I'm working with hundreds of executives every month - I try to be very straightforward about what I've done and what I can do for them. I think it's very important to set those expectations and be completely honest with people, especially when they're in vulnerable situations and investing their last dollars in their future.