Career Advising to Prepare You for the Next Level
leveraging Expertise
Whether it is to get your first job or advance your career, we focus on assisting clients develop the necessary tools for success.
Depend on our demonstrated track record
Level Up Your Career
Our career advising services can assist you at any stage of your career path. Individuals looking to advance in their careers, develop as leaders, or improve their job performance can benefit from personalized advising. Portage International Education Services & Advising provides customized sessions that include analysis of your status quo, defining your goals, and devising practical strategies while ensuring your work with us remains confidential.
Our Clients
We serve everyone from first time job seekers to seasoned professionals. Our clients include people in higher education, international education, finance, tech, retail, engineering, education, and more.
Our Expertise
ATS Resumes
Cover Letters
Interview Prep
Networking
Leadership Development
Coaching
Real World Time Management
Peer to Leader Trajectory
Career Transitions
Leadership Development
Navigating Workplace Politics
And More!
Solutions Customized for You
Expert Advice
You will personally work one-on-one with Sarah Malcolm, who has two decades of experience in management from middle management to executive leadership. Throughout her career she has mentored and advised numerous professionals at all career stages. She is known for championing young professionals and has worked extensively with diverse and multinational professionals at all stages of their careers. Having chaired and coordinated searches for all levels of employees, she brings a depth of experience and a unique perspective to the search and hiring process. About Sarah →
Affordable & Accessible
Simple Pricing
As a premier career advising service, we focus on serving individuals at all stages of their career. Your first 30-minute Discovery Call is always free.
New Professionals
0-3 years professional experience
$50
per hour
✓
Unlimited quick question texts & emails
✓
Networking introductions when possible & appropriate
✓
10% discount on workshops & consulting services
✓
On-going support
Emerging Leaders
Established professionals
$100
per hour
✓
Unlimited quick question texts & emails
✓
Networking introductions when possible & appropriate
✓
10% discount on workshops & consulting services
✓
On-going support
Established Leaders
Directors & Above
$150
per hour
✓
Unlimited quick question texts & emails
✓
Networking introductions when possible & appropriate
✓
10% discount on workshops & consulting services
✓
On-going support
Resume & Cover Letter Templates
$TBD
per package
Expert ready to use templates
first time clients
Resume Review
$250*
*$125 for New Professionals
What’s Included:
Resume templates
30 minute resume goal setting and clarification call
Expert edits and suggestions to your draft
30 minute resume finalization session
10% Discount towards your first full session
30-Minute Career Q&A
$25-75*
per session
Explore one or two career questions
Receive career advising action plan
*Based on tiered professional category
Free Discovery Call
We always start with a free 30-minute discovery call. This helps us assess whether our services are right for you and if we are a good fit for working together. You are under no obligation and you will never receive a sales pitch.
No Expensive Packages
Many career advisors offer package models ranging anywhere from $600-$4000 and after realizing that most clients only need between 3-5 sessions, we decided it was more economical for our clients to pay per session. You pay for what you need, it is that simple.
Affordable & Accessible
We remember that when we needed career advising the most, we could least afford it. For this reason, our tiered pricing model allows anyone to access services regardless of where they are in their career. Know someone who can’t afford our services? Ask us about our Starving Student Services.
No Pressure, Ever
You’ll never get a stream of marketing emails from us, we don’t flood your inbox everyday, and you can stop working with us at any time. We have found that word of mouth is the best advertising we can get. Happy clients refer future happy clients to us.
praise for our services
Client Testimonials
Supportive Influence
Sarah has been a very supportive influence in my transition back to the U.S. after a career abroad. . . . She is empathetic, timely, supportive, creative and resourceful. I highly recommend her and would gladly continue working with her in the future.
International NGO Leader
Ohio
Excellent Leader
Sarah is an excellent leader with a passion to motivate others. Her extensive experiences in international education, strategic planning, and women in leadership have made successful impacts all around the globe. I personally learned a lot from her, and she has more to share with colleagues across the world!
Higher Education Administrator
Wisconsin
Breadth and Depth
The breadth and depth of Sarah’s international education knowledge is substantial. She is a tremendous resource in our field.
Director, International Education
Ohio
Found My Dream Job
Working with Sarah has been such a great experience! She’s so positive and encouraging—it’s impossible not to feel more confident after talking with her. Through our conversations, she helped me see strengths in my work and résumé that I hadn’t even noticed before. Thanks to her advice and connections, I found my dream job. I’m so thankful for her support and can’t recommend her enough!
Director, International Education
Tennessee
Constant Encouragement
I am truly amazed by Sarah’s dedication to international education. If you are uncertain about how to start a career in this field, I recommend speaking with her. From the moment we met and discussed my career goals, she has guided and helped me tremendously. She knows the field inside and out and is eager to share her expertise. She can and will guide you through writing compelling resumes and cover letters. She understands what employers and hiring managers expect and will share effective interviewing techniques. More importantly, she will direct you to trusted resources for finding employment in this field. I am grateful for her constant encouragement and belief in my potential.
New Graduate, International Education
Nebraska
What Everyone Needs to Make it to the Next Step
I know the interview preparation that Sarah gave me is the reason I was able to be hired for this pivotal next step in my career. . . She coached me as if her career depended on it and for this I am forever grateful. Words cannot express the difference she made in my life and I cannot thank her enough for all she invested in coaching me so I can be hired for my dream job. Sarah is what everyone needs to make it to the next step or transition in their career.
International Education Leader
Ohio
Visionary Leadership
Sarah’s visionary leadership was evident in her ability to inspire others with a clear path, fostering collaboration and building bridges through effective communication.
Marketing Professional
Ohio
Highly Recommend
Spending time conversing with Sarah via phone and Teams was extremely valuable to me as a woman of color seeking a leadership position. She has a way of explaining the job search process that empowers us to take a deeper look at our accomplishments, new career possibilities, and those personal differentiators that can make us stand out on our resume, cover letter, and interview process. Her passion for the international education field and her personal/professional philosophy of giving back to the international education community are reflected in the mentorship she provides. Her approachable personality makes embarking on a career search less intimidating/overwhelming. I highly recommend Sarah to anyone seeking mentorship to pursue leadership roles within the international education field in higher education.
International Educator
Ohio
FAQs for Our Career Advising Services
What kind of clients do you serve?
We serve individuals at all stages of their careers. Our clients include people in higher education, international education, engineering, finance, tech, non-profits, education, and more.
My career isn’t international, can you still help?
I am proud of my long, internationally focused career and always excited to assist others working towards similar goals. However, our clients come from wide-ranging careers and our services are adaptable and customized to the individual needs of the clients.
Will you write my resume for me?
Our resume process is a collaborative effort. We will help you discover how to put your best foot forward and guide you every step of the way. This is how we keep our rates affordable and accessible to a wide range of clients.
Tell me about your referral program.
Refer a client to us and receive 10% off your next session. Your friend receives 10% off their first session too!
Do you offer gift certificates?
Gift certificates are a great idea for new graduates and anyone in need of a career jump start. Reach out to us and we can share the next steps for purchase.
Can you help me prep for an interview?
Interview prep is our specialty! We will provide you with sample interview questions customized for your career path and help you build your confidence for interview day.
Can you guarantee I’ll get a job?
Our goal is to do our best to prepare you for the current job market. We do that by uncovering and focusing on the strengths that build your confidence. The job market is ever changing and there are many unknown factors that go into employers’ hiring decisions, so no, we cannot guarantee you’ll get hired. However, you will feel more confident and prepared after our sessions.
Can you guarantee that my resume will will make it through the ATS readers?
Any career advisor claiming to know the “secret” to unlocking ATS readers or who guarantees your resume will “pass” is misleading you. No one can guarantee this. There are literally hundreds of different ATS readers out there and they are all configured differently according to the employer’s specifications. While there is no way to crack this code, we continually stay up-to-date on resume best practices and pass those tips on to our clients regularly.
How is the payment process handled?
To secure your appointment, payment must be received 48 hours in advance. We currently use Square for processing our payments and we accept Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay, and Cash App.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice are nonrefundable. Purchases of individual sessions and 3 and 5 session packages are nonrefundable. We recommend purchasing individual sessions is you are unsure how many sessions you may need.
Do you still have questions?
Not sure where to begin? Let’s have a discussion.
Special Note: we do not market to potential clients, nor do we sell their contact information. When you complete our contact form, we will simply contact you to set up a discovery call. There will never be any pressure at any time to use our services, nor will we fill up your inbox with marketing emails.
