Meet the Team
Dr. Carla Rutley
Career Coach & Founder
Dr. Carla Rutley is a five-time entrepreneur with three decades in business operations and marketing who turns complex career puzzles into simple, actionable plans. She blends executive-level savvy with a teacher’s clarity from 18+ years as an adjunct professor and instructional designer, so you get proven tools—not platitudes.
Her expert positioning: spotting your hidden wins, translating them into crisp language, and giving you small weekly moves that compound into big results. Clients love her direct-but-kind coaching style, the way she asks the one question that unlocks your story, and her knack for making hard things feel doable.
Work with Carla and you’ll feel seen, move with confidence, and leave every session knowing exactly what to do next.
Steve M., CPRW
Lead Resume Strategist
Steve McGarrett, CPRW, is an executive resume strategist and career branding expert with 9 years of proven success helping professionals at every career stage, from emerging talent to senior executives, navigate transitions and achieve meaningful advancement across 60+ industries. He has partnered with thousands of clients worldwide to craft high-impact resumes, board bios, and LinkedIn profiles that open doors to new opportunities within Fortune 100 corporations, global enterprises, and high-growth ventures.
Drawing on a deep understanding of market dynamics and hiring behavior, Steve combines precision, storytelling expertise, and strategic brand insight to create content that elevates visibility, sharpens positioning, and drives results across every career path, including early careers, mid-level growth, executive advancement, career changes, workforce reentry, consulting pursuits, and board service.
Pam Schoessling
M.A. Ed.
Pam is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of extensive business and entrepreneurship experience along with higher education and professional coaching experience. She is a champion for helping people connect to themselves and others as they discover how to bring their authentic selves to their career journey. With a passion for empowering people, her work expands the vision for what’s possible through purpose-inspired career design.
Deeatra Kajfosz
Customer Success Director
Deeatra Kajfosz serves as CareerVantage Connections’ Customer Success Director, leading the initial consultation for professionals who are ready for a stronger, more strategic career search. In every first conversation, Deeatra listens for what matters most, career history, strengths, roadblocks, and goals. She then translates those insights into a clear recommendation for the best next step. She’s a connector, and clients leave with real clarity and momentum.
With more than three decades in leadership, client relations, and business ownership, she’s known for connecting quickly, asking the right questions, and matching people to the services that will move them forward with confidence. She partners closely with Dr. Carla Rutley to ensure clients receive coaching-first strategy, personal branding direction, and interview/offer support, along with résumé, LinkedIn, and other written tools delivered by the broader team.
Deeatra also brings a mission-driven lens from her nonprofit leadership as Founder and Executive Director of an award winning non-profit dedicated to reducing the number of people affected by suicide ideation, attempt, and loss. She combines empathy, accountability, and follow-through so each client feels supported—and equipped—to take action.