Watch Now “Our Daily Show Interview! Aptitude Advancement: Helping You Help Yourself!” HIGHLAND – Whether you’re a high schooler or an executive, Aptitude Advancement has the tools you need to be successful in your search for a college or career. The consulting group offers college admissions consultations and career development help, from proofreading resumes to rebranding LinkedIn pages. Consultants Kyleigh and Dakota explained that they are eager to help people no matter where they are on their career pathway. “I’m working with high schoolers all the way up to executives and helping them redefine their career path,” Kyleigh said. “Definitely, the sky is the limit on what I can do and how I can help.” Kyleigh works with people who are looking to advance their careers. She sits down with new clients to talk about their goals and their resumes, and then she helps them decide which package works best for them. She offers a variety of services depending on the individual’s needs and where they’re at in their career. “Somebody might just need a resume proofread, something as simple as that. But then another individual is seeking mentorship and interview coaching and the ins and outs of catering their resume to tailor to the exact job they’re applying for,” she explained. “We tailor the needs of the package to the individual.” Dakota works closely with high schoolers who are starting the college admissions process. The most popular package he offers includes application help from Aug. 1, when applications open, until May 1, commonly known as National College Decision Day. He explained that he will work with students to decide which schools to apply to, support them as they write their essays, and help them make the decision that’s best for them. He noted that he works with a lot of students who want to go to elite institutions, and the process is more selective than ever before. Dakota and Kyleigh aim to make their clients’ resumes and applications stand out. “We’re in a time where more people are going to college than ever,” he said. “People may think, ‘Oh, my parents went to college, I don’t need a college admissions counselor or resume coach.’ Well, things have changed. This isn’t 1995. Harvard isn’t admitting 12–15% of people; they’re admitting 1–2%. So that’s the difference. We have to make your application as strong as possible.” Both Kyleigh and Dakota started consulting because of their own experiences with college and the job market. Kyleigh felt unsupported when she graduated college, and she wants to provide that career support to other people. As a first-generation college student, Dakota remembers how difficult the application process was. He wants to help people through this time. “There are a lot of people like myself,” Dakota explained. “My parents didn’t go to college, so I was doing this process on my own, taking advantage of the resources my high school had, which were very limited, and then taking advantage of the resources I could find online. So I thought, ‘I’m going to take this knowledge and really finetune it so I can help people do this process better than I did.’” The result was Aptitude Advancement. Kyleigh and Dakota encourage people to follow their official Aptitude Advancement Facebook page for more information about their services and packages, and they hope to connect with more job-seekers and hopeful college students in the future.
