From time to time we interview a client or former client about his or her career transition and their experience with Kelleher Associates. 

KAI: Tell me a little bit about your career history. 

DiBetta: About 22 years ago I found my way into the sales side of the cable television business. I worked in sales management in various capacities, eventually working my way up to the executive management level by the mid-80s. 

1989 I left the company I was with to form my own firm -- Pinnacle Cable Services -- and ran that for just under 10 years before selling it in mid-1999. I joined the management team of the acquiring firm, starting out on the operations side of the new business. Effectively running my old company within the context of the new organization, I continued to grow the business. After eighteen months in operations, I moved into a marketing and business development role on the corporate side. Although the acquiring company ultimately filed for bankruptcy, I survived and my contract was picked up when the new company came in to purchase the remaining assets.

I was re-slotted back into an operations role as a division Vice President. I was in that role for approximately 14 months when the company decided to downsize, ultimately reducing a layer of management, my position included. 

KAI: When did you start working with Kelleher?

DiBetta: In mid May of 2003 I found myself involuntarily without employment for the first time in my life. I had a lot of experience presenting companies and other people for jobs, but I really didn't have experience presenting myself. I hadn't even had a working resume in more than 20 years. 

An associate from Kelleher was on premise the day I was dismissed and after speaking with him I recognized that Kelleher's resources might be an appropriate fit for my needs. Turning down the severance package offered by my company because the terms were too restrictive, I engaged Kelleher Associates with my own funds to work with me to reposition myself in the business market and essentially build my resume from scratch.

KAI: What challenges did you face in creating a resume from scratch? 

DiBetta: I thought, being a relatively confident individual, that developing an effective resume wouldn't be a big deal. I had substantial marketing experience and knew how to position a company in the best light, so positioning myself wouldn't be too hard. It was far more difficult than I ever would have imagined. 

Since I hadn't crafted a resume in more than 20 years, my greatest challenges were pinpointing where my resume should begin and, from that point, mapping out my career highlights. For almost 25 years, my performance spoke for itself. There were many accomplishments, but prioritizing them and presenting them in a way that provided insight into the person behind the accomplishments, was an incredibly challenging task.

I started out with a mission of writing a first-rate resume and realized very quickly that I wasn't up to the task. Fortunately for me, that wasn't the direction I was given by KAI. I was told to simply map out three things: the problems and challenges I faced throughout my career history, the courses of action I took to address these challenges, and the outcomes and results of the actions I took. 

Then Mitch Wienick of Kelleher stepped in and made a huge difference. By giving me a method to rebuild my experience in an organized, professional manner, he helped me to look at my resume from a different angle. Working through my challenges, actions and results, I had a better sense of my strengths and management style. It was at this point that I noticed a pattern in how I addressed challenge. Mitch probed even deeper, drilling down past the facts to the personal successes. 

KAI: What strategy did you use to broaden your search beyond cable fulfillment and support services?

DiBetta: After leaving my last position, I called everyone I knew. I exhausted my current network and reintroduced myself to old contacts. Thanks to Kelleher's help, I had a complete, effective resume to work with, which significantly bolstered my confidence. 

My best strategy was restructuring my search criteria. Originally I gravitated toward positions I held previously, areas I was familiar with, and general management operations. After restructuring my process I focused on my strengths first and then on what I was looking for from a geographical and professional standpoint. I matched my strengths to the positions available. 

Organization and a greater awareness of my strengths and priorities were the keys to expanding my search to include positions beyond cable fulfillment and support services. 

KAI: How did you reposition yourself to qualify for a VP Customer Service role at General Fiber?

DiBetta: It was less a question of repositioning and more a matter of asserting myself with the confidence that comes from understanding your own strengths and priorities. It was also the act of networking and revitalizing relationships I had acquired over the course of my career history. I had a strong sense of my accomplishments and knew that I needed only one yes to be successful. The COO at General Fiber was an executive I knew years ago, someone I had worked with previously. Immediately after leaving my last company, I attempted to contact him, but to no avail. He was no longer with the company I knew and I couldn't find him. But I didn't stop there. I continued to reach out and while in conversation with another acquaintance, I found the link I needed. It turned out my friend was now with General Fiber. I contacted him, we discussed the "rapidly growing company" he was working for and my career since we'd last talked. We found a match. After the initial call I made, the questions became more directed and the purpose was more specific. 

This rekindled relationship, in conjunction with an effective resume and confidence in my management strengths, enabled me to effectively position myself for the VP Customer Service role. 

KAI: What were the key benefits you derived from working with Kelleher?

DiBetta: First and foremost, Kelleher organized the process for me. They gave me a roadmap right from the beginning that was easy to follow. More importantly, they took the trip with me -- walking me through the steps. With Kelleher, I knew that I could get a second opinion on an interview strategy or tactic, or review a resume line item. It was crucial for me to have a plan, an organized process in place. Kelleher set that up for me, with my best interest in mind. 

The Kelleher service is very personal. It's all about "me," which is of the utmost importance when trying to reestablish yourself in the marketplace. It wasn't about Kelleher placing a client. It was about Bob DiBetta, his needs and his strengths. They focused on moving me out of my current situation, into my next position. Kelleher understood me. They did an exceptional job of providing a rational appraisal of my opportunities and instilling confidence when I needed it most.

KAI: Would you recommend Kelleher's services to others?

DiBetta: Absolutely, yes. I cannot say enough good things about them. If you're looking for a smart team with personalized service, Kelleher is the best fit. Their personal commitment to their clients was evident throughout the entire process, in every action and every interaction.