Sharon founded Career Professionals of Canada in 2004 and, with the founding members, set the cornerstones for quality service, highest ethical standards, and provision of expert advice. As CPC’s executive director, she ensures that the mandate of this national organization - enabling Canadians to achieve career, business, and organizational development goals - is upheld with integrity.
Sharon is a board member of the Canadian Career Development Foundation (CCDF), comprised of leaders in the career development field and individuals with specialized expertise from across Canada. As a steering committee leader within the Canadian Council of Career Development Associations (CCCDA) she also oversees the development of standards, ethics, integrity, and certifications across Canada. Her previous international experience includes board director for the US-based Career Management Alliance. As part of the leadership team, her role as International Career Services Master was to ensure that the organization maintained a global outlook and developed programs that supported practitioners worldwide.
An industry pioneer, Sharon has authored the first fully Canadian content book series on resume writing - Best Canadian Resumes and Best Canadian Cover Letters. The Best Canadian Series has become a one-of-a-kind resource for practitioners across Canada. The textbooks, complete with sample resumes and cover letters, are used nationwide to train and support resume writers, career coaches, and job seekers. Additionally, Sharon has been featured as an expert in leading Canadian media including Report on Business Television, the Globe and Mail, and the Toronto Star.
“Sharon Graham’s catalytic involvement with Career Professionals of Canada is proving to be a revolutionary force in the Canadian career services industry. Driven by her devotion to excellence in the field, Sharon has shown extraordinary leadership by providing structure, cohesiveness and high standards of education to her membership.”
Higher Bracket, Anthony Kaul
Sharon is a recipient of the esteemed Stu Conger Award for Leadership in Career Counselling and Career Development in Canada. This prestigious title is Canada’s premier honour presented annually by the Canadian Career Development Foundation. Leadership represents that rare combination of vision, dedication, commitment, ability to mobilize others, and willingness to work hard, and the Stu Conger Award is given to individuals who exemplify those characteristics. Sharon’s professional contributions, ongoing leadership, and body of work in the field are a testament to these qualities.
Career Management Alliance, the world’s leading professional association dedicated to linking all divisions within the careers industry, awarded Sharon the Bridge Award. Sharon was recognized for the significant difference she has made to the field for connecting professionals from a wide variety of sectors within the careers industry, including government, academia, the corporate sector, nonprofits, and the entrepreneurial world. Acting as a “bridge” – offering practitioners opportunities to network and learn from one other as well as the chance to form long-lasting friendships – Sharon was honoured with this award, which exemplifies the generosity of spirit and commitment to one another as professionals and valued colleagues.
In 2006, Sharon was awarded an exclusive Leadership Recognition Award by her peers in recognition for her work in instituting leading-edge resources, a supportive communication vehicle, and exceptional mentoring and support to Canadian career practitioners.
“With a vision for excellence and innovation, Sharon Graham launched Career Professionals of Canada to fill a void and reach many Canadian career practitioners who did not have an association that catered to their professional development. They turned to US-based associations for legitimacy in the work that they do. Sharon thought the time had come to create an association with a focus that was uniquely Canadian. This bold step resulted in Sharon receiving a Leadership Recognition Award from her colleagues.”
Daisy Wright, The Wright Career Solution
Sharon is the force behind CPC’s Canadian Awards of Excellence Program, ensuring that peers in the careers industry recognize those who demonstrate the levels to which she aspires.
For CPC, Sharon has also championed the creation of a formal Professional Certification Program to ensure the stature and credibility of career professionals.
The designations that Sharon possesses further reinforce her credibility and expansive knowledge base:
- Master Certified Resume Strategist (MCRS)
- Master Certified Interview Strategist (MCIS)
- Master Certified Career Strategist (MCCS)
- Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)
- Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP)
As owner and operator of Graham Management Group, Canada's leading resume writing and career management firm for six-figure professionals, she is frequently sought for her expertise in positioning her clients to meet the future head on. Sharon handpicked a consulting team of professionals also known for excelling in their craft. All possess current industry certifications and have been featured in foremost Canadian media as experts in their fields. Sharon matches these specialists very carefully to the needs of her customers.
Devoted to helping her clients achieve their goals by offering highly personalized solutions, Sharon provides comprehensive, hands-on assistance tailored to each individual’s needs. Through GMG, she produces strategic targeted documents, which also display her creative custom design savvy. Nothing stays static, as Sharon is constantly developing and expanding service offerings. Her clients know that the packages she delivers feature the most current strategies and positioning to leverage their strengths, accomplishments, and unique selling points.
The leadership excellence and counsel that Sharon provides instil utmost confidence. She has acquired a reputation in Canada and beyond that is reflective of her knowledge, integrity, dedication to client requirements, superior service, and outstanding product delivery. It is no surprise that her business is largely a referral-based network of delighted clientele.
A devoted volunteer and advocate of human and animal rights, Sharon seeks to make a positive difference in every life she touches.
Sharon knows that her clients' success is her success!
“I have found Sharon Graham's comments and assistance extremely valuable as a resource for the career advice stories I write for The Globe and Mail. She is also tireless in organizing experts and lobbying for high professional standards for career counselling in Canada.”
Wallace Immen, The Globe and Mail
