About Pinnacle Career Resources

Enhancing Lives: A Passion & A Mission

Pinnacle Career Resources Inc. is a woman-owned business that provides career management services to individuals and organizations. Founded in 1999, Pinnacle has designed highly acclaimed career management programs for diverse populations for community colleges, non-profit agencies and the government and has helped hundreds of people attain their career goals.

Pinnacle's mission is to enhance the lives of others while building strong communities.

Maria Smith

Co-Founder

Life Strategist, Career Coach and Trainer

Anyone who has had the good fortune to unravel a work/life problem with Maria can tell you about her unique ability to provide all the warmth, balance, and sound thinking required. Throughout her corporate and academic career, she has surveyed and explored the dimensions of career and life satisfaction and has developed her own specialty assisting clients with dilemmas that occur in the intersection of work and life.

Maria has been at the 'crossroads' many times herself and has come to view  the experience as a necessary part of the journey toward maturity and knowing and living our passions. Maria's most recent stop at the crossroads lead to the study of NLP, (Neural Linguistic Programming) to gain further clarity in her own career path. From this venture, she has incorporated into her coaching powerful ways to help clients change 'limiting beliefs' that govern behaviors and open up ways to improve their lives and situations.

As a Life and Career Management Coach, Maria is committed to helping individuals gain clarity about their future vision, and to help them take action to realize that vision. Her patient, well-studied approach moves clients from thought provoking activities to action . The essence of coaching is to assist the individual to unearth 'answers' that reside within, and Maria's coaching expertise has successfully assisted many individuals to find their answers and to follow their built-in career compass.

Maria specializes in Career Searching & Self Discovery. She enjoys working with people who are '( stuck) at a crossroads searching for their unique path . This includes a wide range of individuals from young professionals at the 'what am I really interested in doing' stage and women re-entering the workforce to baby boomers that are closing one door and poised to open another.

For the last 15 years, Maria has designed, developed, and implemented career development, career management, and job search training programs for colleges, non-profit agencies and the government. Coupled with 10 years of experience in the corporate world, Maria is uniquely positioned to help individuals realize that they are the deciding force in determining their future.

Maria is a certified NLP Coach, NLP Institute of California , and possess a BBA in Industrial Psychology, from Bernard Baruch College CUNY. She is a Certified Job and Career Transition Coach, and is qualified to administer the Myers Brigg Type Indicator.

Maria can be reached at (410) 799-1097 ext 301 or msmith@PinnacleCareerResources.com

Cindy Virtue

Office Coordinator and Certified Career Coach

Cindy's administrative expertise keeps our office running smoothly.  Her high energy level and commitment to our customers has been a key to our success.  As a Mom who returned to work after taking time to raise her children, she knows first hand the challenges of getting back into the job market, and is adept at helping our clients get the services they need.

Cindy has just completed her certification as a Career Coach and specialized training in the job search process. Feel free to call her to find out more about our programs or services, or to get ideas on how to jump-start your job search!  Cindy can be reached at (410) 799-1097 ext 300 or cvirtue@PinnacleCareerResources.com

Claudia Barnes

Career Management, small business development, and work-life balance Coach

Claudia has this innate ability to energize anyone she meets -- even over the phone or in e-mails. Don't mistake her for a Pollyanna though. She calls them like she sees them. You'll get honest straightforward response that leaves you believing you can do anything.

Claudia specializes in career management, small business development, and work-life balance. She supports our clients and organizations through individual and group coaching and teleclass design and delivery. As a career coach in private practice, Claudia has guided many professionals through career transition and advancement. Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious and will inspire and encourage you as you discover, articulate, and achieve your career goals. Her background and experience in sales and marketing is useful in the job search in creating and building a brand identity to communicate to possible employers. Her focus, dedication, and care of clients support you in developing a strategy and goals, in being accountable to the process, and landing the job. She loves working with career-minded women re-entering the workforce or transitioning into more flexible career positions, individuals interested in growing their small business, individuals looking for their “career calling”, and businesses seeking to develop their employees potential.

Claudia spent more than 15 years in corporate America in Sales, Sales Management, and training and development roles. Claudia is a graduate of Coach U, is currently working on her graduate degree in counseling, and has a Bachelor's degree in Business. Her affiliations include Career Masters Institute, International Coach Federation (ICF), Coach University, American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), and Christian Coaches Network (CCN). She is the founder of Career & Balance, a career coach and business development service that provides a holistic approach when making career decisions.

Pinnacle also has a staff of experienced resume writers and trainers available

8180 Lark Bown Road, Suite 301, Elkridge, MD 21075 (410) 799-1097 e-mail: info@PinnacleCareerResources.com

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