It Only Takes ONE

The Landing is a series of articles chronicling job seekers who have successfully secured a new position in these recessionary times.  You can definitely learn from these real world examples and can gain inspiration from their stories.

If you would like to share your story please let us know.

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ML: What is your name, title and company?

CK: Cheryle Kerksieck, Pacific Coast Supply, Human Resources Manager

ML: How long were you actively looking for a job?  What year?

CK: February – June 2011, about 5 months.

ML: What challenges were you up against (well compensated, long tenure at prior company, gaps in employment, transferring to new industry, etc)?

CK: The biggest challenges was locating a challenging position in Northern California.  There are few quality positions available and there are a lot of great talent in human resources applying for the same jobs.  Another challenge, I had frequent movement from one job to another in the past four years.  Most employers understood my reasons for moving upward and into a more strategic role. It was important for me to be confident and positive when I answered the question why I left one employer and went to another.

ML: Tell us the story of how you landed your new job.

CK: I was referred to the company through a mutual friend. I was actively interviewing with several companies and was not even sure I wanted to pursue the position with Pacific Coast because it is tied to the construction industry. I met with several leaders in the organization and was very impressed with their forward thinking and commitment to developing talent. I had several job offers and I decided on Pacific Coast because of its dedication to human capital initiatives.

ML: What job search techniques were most helpful?

CK: Networking was critical in my search. I met a lot of wonderful people in the human resources community who referred me to employers that are hiring.  I was diligent in searching for positions in marketplaces where I was possibly willing to relocate and networking with human resource professionals in those marketplaces.  I made of lists of the positions I applied for and created ticklers to follow-up with employers. I found the most efficient job search engine to be Indeed.com because they aggregate postings from all the other job search engines.  I found it important to create efficiencies in my job search so I could quickly identify the positions that were a good match for me.

ML: (If you were unemployed for a stretch of time) How did you handle the emotional aspects of unemployment?

CK: It was important for me to remain positive and engaged in the human resources community.  I remained active in the human resources community, by attending local seminars and webinars.  I, also, caught up on reading professional journals, and joined a local human resources networking group where we share best practices.  My mental well-being is closely tied to my physical health, and I took advantage of the time off to decrease my body fat through exercise and improving my diet.  Finally, I made a point to talk to my family on how they were coping with my loss of employment and affirming for them that this was temporary.  Always taking time to smile and laugh.

ML: A lot of people talk about networking as an integral part of a job search.  Was it beneficial to you?

CK: It was through social networking that I was hired with Pacific Coast. I can’t emphasize how important it is to remain in contact with colleagues and friends, even if it is a quick email to say hello and wishing them well.  People remember the little notes/phone calls/text messages, and it makes a lasting impression.  I did not understand the power of networking until now.  I was so impressed with how complete strangers gave me their time to help me connect with a employer. 

ML: Did you use any social media components (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc) to aid in your search?  If so, which ones and were they useful?

CK: I am an avid user of social networking sites. I took advantage of LinkedIn’s job seeker membership to give me access to people I might not have otherwise met.  I set goals to connect with a certain number of people each week and to increase my connections by a specific percentage each week. These targets were essential at my connecting, ultimately, with the person who referred me to Pacific Coast.  TweetMyJobs and searching for a job using Twitter is in its infancy and I found it helpful to tweet me positions quickly in a particular marketplace.

ML: What advice would you give to someone who is reading this who is currently involved in a job search?

CK: Don’t look back. Look forward and take advantage of the opportunity being presented to evaluate your personal and professional values.  Align these values with a company that will take advantage of YOU. If you have time to look for a position that will take advantage of your strengths, than take the time. Critically interview potential employers and ask questions that will help you understand that culture of the organization. One question I asked all employers was, “What motives people intrinsically to stay with company x.”  Take time to reflect on each interview and how you could have better prepared. Take the time to listen to employers to understand their business needs and how the position fits into the overall organization. Use this information to tailor your responses. Finally, be yourself.

ML: There several morals of Cheryle’s story.  One of them is certainly the use of networking.  Another moral is the need to adopt and maintain a positive attitude.  In my speeches, I constantly remind the audience that recruiters and hiring managers can sniff desperation a million miles away.  Be the light that attracts the bugs, don’t be the bug that is attracted to the light!

Cheryle emphasizes the need to stay in front of your connections.  One way to do this is via a networking newsletter.  This is a critical step to ensure your network remembers you!

Here are some additional resources on networking:

The Secret to Networking?  It May Surprise You.

Staying Networked When You Land a New Position

Job Search Stalled? Increase Your “Impressions” With A Networking Journal

Networking, Networking, Networking

Remember, It Only Takes One!

 

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About the Author

Matthew Levy is a well-rounded HR professional, career coach, keynote speaker and author with fifteen years of broad experience in both specialist (e.g., recruiting) and generalist (e.g., HR business partner) roles at blue-chip companies, including Merck, Amgen and Johnson & Johnson.

Matt is founder and President of a career coaching practice, Corner Office Career Coaching.  Matt works one-on-one with professionals, executives and students providing them with customized solutions to their career challenges.  As a 20-year corporate HR professional with a large network who has also successfully conducted his own effective, cutting-edge job search, he is well qualified to help others reach their career goals.  His job seeker blog has received 30,000 visitors and his articles have been run by nationally recognized job search and career management websites and guides.  He also regularly gives speeches on career management and job search.

Matt works full time as a Senior HR Generalist for Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development. Prior to J&J, Matt relocated his family to Southern California to take a position with Amgen, the world’s largest biotechnology company, where he led the talent acquisition function for Amgen’s commercial operations and corporate staff groups.  Before Amgen, Matt spent several years at Merck, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.  There, Matt held a variety of positions in both recruiting and generalist capacities.

Matt graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Business Management from Ithaca College.  He is an actively engaged member of several professional organizations including the Philadelphia HR Planning Society where he is on the Board of Directors and the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executives Group.

Matt lives in Doylestown, PA with his wife, daughter and son.  He jogs through the Bucks County countryside to stay fit.