A Nice Surprise

This morning I heard back from someone I'd been interviewing with a month or so ago. I had gotten SO close to an offer, at least that's what they'd led me to believe, but then had to put it on hold due to a hiring freeze. I did not doubt this as he had gained my trust by this point, and I did, in fact see that they were letting people go in the news. This prompted me to send him an email. The email served 2 purposes:

1. Let him know that I cared about his team and job security
2. Put my name back in his head just in case he had forgotten about me temporarily

I sent this email about 2 weeks ago, and after several days of no response, got concerned that he was either let go or was in some way annoyed by my email. I got over it, but was a bit let down as this would be a GREAT opportunity.

This morning I saw a response in my Inbox, which surprised me in a good way. He gave me very encouraging news about the group he was trying to hire me into, and told me that he was optimistic about the prospects of getting me on board over the next few months. So, while certainly not a commitment, it was encouraging and made me feel good. I like that.

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Some Levity

Aiming too low

I received a response from an application this morning, which was encouraging in that it wasn't an outright rejection. Ahh, simple pleasures. The problem is that the recruiter immediately called out the fact that I seemed overqualified and asked if I would be open to a salary & bonus that is almost 50% lower than what I make now. Ugh. Tough one. The job description sounds pretty good, the company is growing, and it would allow me to move into a more online-focused position, which are all good. What's not that great is that it's still a psuedo financial services role, but with a stronger online marketing focus. Tough one. Given the market, I'm inclined to pursue a meeting, but at what point do you hold out for something better? If I had a better gauge of what the market would look like in 3 months, I would be able to make a more informed decision, but now I feel as if I'm stumbling in the dark.

Thanks for the feedback!

A quick thanks to those who have taken the time to comment on my posts. They're much appreciated and helpful. I'll work them into future posts as much as possible!

Sniper or Shotgun?

Should I specialize or generalize in my search? This is a question I've asked myself many times. I keep coming back to a similar dilemma. Recruiters and employers are always searching for someone who has done exactly what the position requires. How many of us looking for career moves search for a job that's almost identical to the ones they've had? I would bet not many. How do we convince our target audience that we're worth taking a risk? How can we sell relevant experience that may not jump out as relevant to the prospective employer? I have come up with a few ideas in this area:

1. Referrals - applying blindly for a position almost never works, especially if you are not a PERFECT fit. Find someone who knows someone at the target company. LinkedIn is great for this.
2. Develop customized versions of your resume / CV for different employers - yes, your experience is the same regardless of how you spin it, but positioning can make a HUGE difference. Try modifying the summary statement for different readers as this is what's going to convince them to read the rest.
3. Informational meetings - see if someone in your network knows someone in the industry or company you're looking at and ask for 1/2 hour of their time.
   

This is a challenging process, but there are ways to make it manageable. Keep moving forward...

Staying Motivated

I've always been told that it's easier to find a new job if you already have one, and while I do believe in this theory, I haven't ever been able to test it, as the only other time I was unemployed, I was still getting paid as part of a severance package.

So, what does that mean to my current search? I'm finding it difficult some days to maintain the motivation I need to drive me forward. I do have a job now, so I should consider myself lucky, and I do. There are plenty of talented and motivated people out there without work. They are probably much more motivated than I am, which is a problem, because there will come a time in the not-so-distant future when I will no longer be employed and I'll say to myself, "why did you wait until now to really put the search into high gear?" I guess it's a good thing that I'm acknowledging this now, but what's more important is that I take action.

So, be happy you've got a paycheck and can pay the rent, but don't be complacent about it. Act now, work hard, reach out, scour, think, plan, build a career searching machine.

Rejection!

Oh, what an evil word. Maybe I shouldn't use it then. How then, should I describe a denial to move past a referral stage. A close friend suggested I take a look at the job postings of their current employer, which I did eagerly. There are companies hiring out there, believe it or not, but they don't necessarily need what you have. Anyway, I came upon a position that sounded interesting, and one that I could work. Maybe that should have been an indicator that it wasn't exactly right, but how many are? I'll give it a shot, I told myself. What have I got to lose?

So, I sent him the link to the posting, and he quickly put in an internal referral and applied to the job for me. I didn't know he was going to do this so quickly, as I might have tailored my resume a bit more, but oh well. He claimed he gave me a glowing review, so who knows.

A day later I received a brief email from a recruiter there saying thanks, but you're not what we want, so no interview. Wow. Just like that. They haven't even given me a chance to sell myself. That's how it is these days with so much qualified talent. You sometimes have just one shot to get that next meeting, so make it count.

I should also say, that I've recovered, both emotionally and mentally, from the rejection, and learned that I probably wouldn't have been a great fit in their organization anyway.

My Wish List

Here is a list of qualities and attributes I would like to have in my next job:

1) I want to make a difference in something that helps people better there lives

2) I want to work in a growing company willing to take risks

3) I want to be surrounded by passionate people who take their work seriously but also know how to balance and have fun

4) I want to spend a portion of my work day developing ideas for new ways to do things

5) I want to be able to measure my performance against clear goals

I realize this is self-serving, but I think it's a good checklist for me to use, and perhaps a helpful exercise for anyone looking to jump into something new.

Some Helpful Resources

Over the course of the last year or two, I've come across several resources that have helped me in my exploration of new opportunities. I will update this post over time as I continue to find new ones, but for now, here is my directory:

1. TheLadders.com - this is a career search oriented site that is specialized by field, so there is a marketing specific Ladders that I've been using for some time now. You can either pay a fee for full access or use the free version which provides limited functionality for job search and applications, but access to articles. The content on the Ladders is kept fresh and relevant, and is well indexed and categorized.
   
2. LinkedIn.com - Most people are already hooked in here, which make it that much more effective; network, search listings, re-connect with former colleagues, classmates, and business acquaintances for professional purposes. Overall, a great resource for professional productivity.
3. Your Next Job - a book sponsored by Yahoo Hot Jobs that provides some helpful advice for career changes and moves.
4. About.com: Career Planning - well categorized blog-type info source that spans multiple topics from career planning, transitions, self-assessments, interviewing, resumes, etc.
   

Take Stock

In order to move forward, I think you need to take a look at where you've been, and that means reflecting on your past experience: likes, dislikes, pros, cons, learning, achievements, milestones. While a resume may formalize these to a degree, it doesn't capture the emotional context of your experience and past, which is critical when choosing a new path.

I have found it helpful to to deconstruct your previous jobs/roles/projects into meaningful components that can be valued both by you, and by prospective employers, should you decide to play them up. I don't necessarily think you need to start framing them for any type of employer specifically at this point, and who is to say you even want to work for anyone in the future. This exercise just helps you assess the things you've done, and assign certain values and benefits to them. Additionally, you can determine which experiences were the most rewarding/fulfilling as there may be common themes here which can help you focus on your next opportunity.

Disclaimor: I am not a career counselor, as anyone could have guessed by now, but these things seem to make sense to me.

Now what?

I find myself at turning point in my life, where I'm faced with unprecedented circumstances and lots of uncertainty. I need to find a new job, actually more like a new career. My company was gobbled up in the space of a few hours, and the acquirer will eventually be shedding all redundant talent.

All of my experience has been in financial services, an industry in turmoil, undergoing rapid consolidation and downsizing. This is OK though, as I want nothing more than to do something new, completely outside of banking, finance, credit, or anything that whiffs of moving money around. So, I ask myself, now what?

How do I transform myself? How do I transfer my skills to another industry or business model? What resources should I use? Who can help me through these uncharted waters?

I am going to dedicate this space to art of career transformations.