My number-one goal is to help students and college graduates find work they love—no matter what their age. Sometimes I achieve this goal by working with colleges and universities to enhance the career services they offer; other times, I work on the individual level, for example, preparing the professionals of the future to achieve career success even in a down economy.

After more than 25 years in the human resources and careers fields, and professional experience at four universities, I started Curran Career Consulting in 2008. An entrepreneur at heart, I have always looked for innovative ways to enhance opportunities for my clients, and I have a deep commitment to employing effective career systems and strategies on a national and international level.

The career strategies I recommend are heavily influenced by my extensive experience as career director at Duke University and Brown University, combined with my expertise in organizational development and employment. In 1996, I gained lifetime certification as a senior practitioner in human resources (SPHR)—the highest professional qualification in the field.

I have a particular affinity for those who study the liberal arts, given my undergraduate degree in Russian and Persian from Durham University in England. Although I also have a graduate degree in education from the University of London, it is the skills gained through my liberal arts degree that have most influenced my life and my approach. In 2006, having discovered no texts illustrating how liberal arts grads found work they loved, I coauthored Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads: Finding a Path to Your Perfect Career (Ten Speed Press).

Over the past decade, I have gained a national reputation for being at the forefront of the college careers field, presenting seminars and publishing articles on a wide variety of career-related issues. Frequently quoted in the media on issues relating to college students and graduates, I have also authored a column Curran on Careers for Business Week.

Highlights of professional distinctions and publications:

• Senior Practitioner in Human Resources (SPHR)
• BA, Durham University, Durham, England
• PGCE (Post-Graduate Certificate in Education), University of London, London, England
• Coauthor, Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads: Finding a Path to Your Perfect Career (Ten Speed Press).

Contact Information:

• Email:
• Phone: 919-599-6207
• Curran Career Consulting: www.curranoncareers.com
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/curranoncareers
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sheilacurran
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