Mandy Fard Website

Mandy Fard

Double-Certified Career Expert

Mandy Fard is a double-certified Career Expert (CPRW and CMRW) and the founder of Market-Connections Professional Resume Writing Services, based in Los Angeles, CA. With over 30 years of professional experience, Mandy has helped thousands of job seekers navigate the complexities of the employment market across every major sector, from entry-level roles to C-suite executive leadership. Her expertise spans all industries, including healthcare, technology, finance, legal, logistics/transportation, and the creative/entertainment fields. She holds a deep mastery of modern recruitment technologies, specifically Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and specializes in crafting high-impact resumes, CVs, and LinkedIn profiles that align with evolving hiring standards. Beyond writing, Mandy provides strategic interview coaching and salary negotiation guidance to help job seekers leverage modern transparency laws and secure their true market value.

Education

  • Seneca Polytechnic, Executive Business Administration

Professional Achievements

  • 5-star reviews on Google, Yelp, and LinkedIn
  • Recipient of Yelp's "People Love Us on Yelp" Award (2016, 2017, and 2018)
  • Nominated for Career Directors International’s TORI (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award for "Best Classic New Graduate Resume" (2021)

Certifications & Organizations

  • Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)
  • Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW)
  • Member, Career Directors International (CDI)
  • Member, Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC)

Favorite Piece of Advice

The most successful job seekers focus on “proof over promises” by using quantifiable data to validate their expertise. When you shift your focus from what you did to what you achieved, you immediately differentiate yourself from the competition.

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Forum Comments (3)

What are some good skills to put on a resume?
There is no a one-size-fits-all answer for this question. The type of skills that a senior executive in the entertainment industry is going to put on their resume is going to be totally different from the list of skills of a mid-career person in credit and collections.

The types of skills on your resume, though, should be the ability to investigate, to interview people, to listen carefully, to communicate well, to understand nuances, and to have very strong language skills.
How to write a killer cover letter
Your cover letter should be extremely focused. First, you need to have an introduction paragraph. "Enclosed is a copy of my resume to be considered for XYZ job. You will note that my background includes years of experience in ____."

Then, in the second paragraph, give a brief explanation of your last one or two jobs. "I'm currently employed at XYZ Company as a credit and collections clerk, and I am responsible for collecting on 50 aged accounts per week, and I collect a million dollars per month. What brought me to this opportunity was my prior success at ABC company, where I was collecting on 40 accounts a week, and I collected $500,000 a month."

Now, in the third paragraph, jump back to the present. "At this point, I'm looking for a position that will draw upon my expertise in this skill, that skill, that skill, that skill. And these are the skills that you're going to have to make sure are aligned with the job you're applying for."

If you're applying for a job where the first requirement is negotiation, you'd say, "I'm looking for a new role where I can draw upon my expertise in negotiation," etc.

In the final paragraph, have a call to action. "Please feel free to contact me at this number," or "I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you for considering my application."

Don't go off on any tangents or bore the reader. Keep it concise and with purpose!
What should I say when asked "what are your salary expectations?"
The latest salary transparency laws, as of October 2022 (at least in 14 states that I'm aware of), require employers to state the salary range in every job advertisement. As of January 2026, under California Labor Code Section 432.3, an employer or recruiter in California cannot ask for your salary history. They can only ask for your salary expectations.

Given these new changes, you may not have to reveal your salary history next time you're at a job interview. If they ask for your salary expectations, you will want to give them a range that's similar to the range that they have listed in the job advertisement. You can go above, but keep that range in mind. Before the interview, you can go to payscale.com and use their salary calculator tool based on the job title and location. This will help you get a clear sense of the value of that role.

If you don't want to give a direct answer, you can ask the recruiter, 'Can you give me a clear list of the exact skills that this job requires?' Then you can do research for similar roles that require those same skills and negotiate on that basis.

Co-authored Articles (7)

How to

Create a Resume in Microsoft Word

Resumes detail a person’s work experience, education, skills and achievements. A good resume that is clear, concise and easy to read is essential when looking for a job. Resumes should be word processed and should be n...

How to

Write a Portfolio Introduction

The introduction to your portfolio is a great way to tell your readers who you are and briefly explain what you'll be talking about. If you're using your portfolio to attract customers, it's important to give a few examp...

How to Find a Work-Life Balance for Better Self-Care

Double-certified career expert Mandy Fard shares advice for balancing your work and lifeWant a fulfilling career and a happy and healthy family life? If you want both, you need to find a balance. This means getting your ...

How to Write a Winning Professional Statement: A Complete Guide

Double-certified career expert Mandy Fard explains how to write an eye-catching opening statementYou’re writing your resume so you can go snag a new job, but what is this “personal profile” you keep seeing everywhe...

How to

Find Your Dream Career

When you were little, people probably asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Maybe you said a doctor, or an astronaut. Maybe you said an actor, or a lawyer, or a police officer. With starry eyes, you dreamed o...

What’s the Meaning of a “Personality Hire?” Plus, How to Become One

The pros and cons of hiring someone based on their personality You may have seen the term “personality hire” on social media, but what exactly does it mean? A “personality hire” is someone who lands a job due to ...

How to Spot and Avoid Ghost Job Postings

Double-certified career expert Mandy Fard explains why some companies post ghost jobs and how to spot themHave you ever applied to a job, waited for weeks for a response, but never heard anything back? You may have appli...