We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashle Journet a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashle , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I wouldn’t change anything about my journey to starting my business. I believe that everything happens in God’s timing.

I launched my business, The Candidate Advocate Resume Writing Services, LLC, in March 2023. Prior to this, I had been writing resumes for over 10 years for friends, family, and colleagues for FREE99 and had 6 years of combined Human Resources and Talent Acquisition experience. In the months leading up to my business launch, I was also planning my exit from my corporate HR job; I officially resigned in April 2023 to focus on God, myself, my family, and my new business.

I don’t think I would have been ready had I started my business earlier. I wasn’t in the right headspace to become a workrepreneur. Transitioning to working from home in 2021, after years of being in an office, was an adjustment. My roles as a full-cycle recruiter and an HR Generalist were very demanding, and I didn’t have the time to work a 9-5 and start a business.

Everything worked out as it was supposed to at the right time. I took 4.5 months off after resigning from my HR job in April 2023, and now I work for an amazing company that offers a healthy work-life balance with a four-day work week. This schedule allows me more time to manage my business efficiently.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Beyond being the SheEO of The Candidate Advocate Resume Writing Services, LLC, I’m a corporate recruiter, a devoted wife, a proud mama bear to middle school-aged twin boys, and a woman anchored in faith.

I’ve always had a passion for helping others and writing. I began writing resumes in my early 20s; it was more like a hobby for me. Friends, family, and colleagues would come to me for resume assistance. At that point, I would have never guessed that I would later start a successful resume writing business and have a successful career in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition.

My career has significantly sharpened my resume writing skills because, as a recruiter, a key aspect of my role is reviewing resumes. I can quickly identify strengths and weaknesses in a resume within two minutes of reading it.

My services include resume audits, resume renovations, and LinkedIn optimization.

I’m extremely passionate about helping my clients to realize and articulate their skills and expertise on their resumes.

Often, it’s easier for us to recognize the value in others than in ourselves. I am passionate about guiding my clients to discover and embrace their own unique strengths, helping them to realize and confidently articulate what they bring to the table.

I’m also passionate about working with middle and high school students, guiding them to recognize their value early on, and assisting them in highlighting their achievements and writing resumes. It’s never too early start learning about the significance of having a good resume.

What I’m most proud of is the fact that God has given me the gift to inspire, motivate, and educate others. When my clients work with me, they receive exceptional service and walk away feeling empowered to navigate this crazy job market with confidence. I love seeing my clients win; many have secured job offers with substantial increases. However, some clients are still on their job search journey.

I always emphasize this: hiring a resume writer does not guarantee a job interview or offer; we do not have control over the job market.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2006, while my classmates were celebrating their high school graduation, I found myself watching from the sidelines. Having failed 9th grade and struggled to make up credits, it was a challenging time for me. Eventually, I earned my GED in November 2007, but my journey didn’t get easier. I felt lost; I enrolled in community college, cosmetology school, and a trade school for medical billing and quit each program.

In 2012, I gave birth to twin boys, and it’s like a switch went off; I knew I had to get my life together. By 2014, I was back in college, balancing college with parenting, and I relocated to North Carolina in 2015 with my husband and our boys. During community college, I brought my then 3-year-old sons to tutoring with me once a week to help me overcome my struggles in math, finally earning my A.A. degree in 2017.

I then went on to graduate with a B.S. in 2021 while also working a full-time job in HR. For the past seven years, I’ve built a successful career in HR and a thriving resume-writing business, helping others navigate their own career paths with confidence.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

To be honest, I was really never a huge fan of social media during my adult life. I had Facebook and even MySpace back in high school, and I briefly used Facebook in my early 20s.

During college in 2019, my professor gave us a LinkedIn profile assignment, and I was trying to figure out how to get out of the assignment because I didn’t want to be online, but that didn’t work. So, I created a profile and then removed all of my info once he graded the assignment.

About a year later, I started using LinkedIn to post job openings for my employer, but I didn’t actively network or post often for the next couple of years. I had about 2k – 3k followers at this point.

In 2023, I began posting about my career in HR, resume tips, motivational posts, and life in general. People started liking my posts and following me, and I’ve received DMs from people saying that my posts have motivated them and helped them, and from there, my following has increased to a little over 11k followers.

My strategy has always been to be open and transparent. I never aimed to grow a large following; I simply share what’s on my mind. I believe that authenticity is what resonates most with people.

My advice to those starting to build their social media presence is this: You have knowledge and life experiences that can help someone else. Share your story and expertise authentically. Don’t focus solely on gaining followers; instead, focus on providing value.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.candidateadvocate.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candidateadvocate/

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