SES Consultants and Writers

Susan Custard

Senior Executive Service Advisor
Certified Federal Resume Writer & Coach

Susan Custard brings a unique perspective to her Federal Executive Career Consulting, Coaching and Writing – more than 30 years of experience working across Federal human resources functions. With this experience, Susan applies her in-depth knowledge of various government occupations and positions to develop and execute an effective federal career management strategy. Susan also brings outstanding interview training to clients with expertise in behavioral interview training. Susan has coached and worked with clients in career transition at all levels from entry-level to the C-suite.

Susan specializes in offering customized services to clients that can include consulting, coaching, executive resume development, and interview preparation. Susan’s consulting services include comprehensive federal employment application development, content strategies, content analysis, discussion and brainstorming on leadership examples, competency analysis and decision-making, writing and focusing strategies.

Management-level clients can benefit from Susan’s approach to career coaching, which includes strategic career planning and counseling, focused on a particular area or level. Susan excels in developing effective partnerships to coach clients in creating a personalized career management strategy that will leverage opportunities and experience to an effective and satisfying placement.

Diane Burns

Certified Federal Job Search Trainer & Counselor
Certified Professional Resume Writer & Coach
Certified Leadership & Talent Management Coach
Federal Government Resumes & Applications Procedures Specialist
SES Advisor & Writer
Military Conversion Authority

Diane Hudson Burns is a career management strategist and career coach focusing on job-search-proofing. An international conference speaker and train-the-trainer on career-related topics, Diane specializes in composing quality career change, military transition, private industry and federal resumes from mid-management (GS-12) to Senior Executive Service. She is an expert in writing SES and ECQ packages, coaching clients to define their strengths, “tell their leadership stories” according the ECQ leadership competencies/requirements, and target ROI for employers. She has co-trained SES Development Leadership program candidates at the Naval Ship Yard at Capitol Hill, and Air Force Leadership, with Kathryn.

Diane is an active member of the Board of Directors, Professional Association of Resume Writers/Career Coaches (PARW/CC) and Director of the Certified Professional Career Coach program. As an award winning resume writer, her achievements include “Best Executive Resume” award by PARW/CC. Her resumes, cover letters, and case studies are published in over 45 books and periodicals including chapter author on military to civilian in the Federal Resume Guidebook, Third & Fourth Editions, case study author for Ten Steps to a Federal Job, Second Edition, and multiple case studies author for Creating Your High School Resume, Third Edition.

Diane formerly held a federal job as a Special Agent Investigator for the Department of Defense, and was a Recruiter/Employment Specialist for a major aerospace corporation in Los Angeles, California. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State Polytechnic University and a number of industry credentials: Certified Leadership & Talent Management Coach (CLTMC); Professional Career Coach (CPCC); Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW); Employment Interview Professional (CEIP); Career Management Coach (CCMC); Federal Job Search Trainer & Counselor (FJST); Credentialed Career Master (CCM); Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC). She is an active member of the Career Management Alliance, and serves as an outplacement coach for such organizations as CareerBuilder.

During the past 18 years, Diane navigated four international moves, living abroad for 12 years and in the Washington, CD/Baltimore corridor for five years.

Rich Westfield

Former Federal Senior Executive Service
Certified Federal Resume Writer

Rich Westfield is back at the Resume Place after 5 years in federal Senior Executive Service. In addition to his federal service, Rich was previously a consultant to The Resume Place and writer, assisting in the development of the Federal Resume Guidebook, IT Chapter. Rich currently writes for The Resume Place clients in a variety of fields, with Information Technology as his specialty.

Throughout his career, Rich has reviewed thousands of job applicant resumes and has hired numerous IT professionals at the GS-11 through GS-15 level. Because of his former senior level IT positions and Resume Place consulting experience, Rich offers a very unique set of skills to Resume Place clients. He provides expert level coaching and writing, assuring that the required “specialized experience” is well exhibited in the application materials.

Rich has over 25 years IT experience in the federal government and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Resume Place. Rich is PMP and ITIL V3 Foundations certifications. He has a BS in Industrial Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an MS in Management Information Systems from Bowie State University.