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

TB: I have an extensive sales background in both the healthcare and communications industries. After graduating from Penn State University with a BS in Health and Human Development I owned a vitamin distributorship. Following that I joined AT&T. I was in its corporate sales division focusing on corporate account relationships building. I worked at AT&T until its spin off of Lucent Technologies. I went back to Penn State to get my MBA and then re-entered the healthcare industry as a Marketing Director for a start-up organization. I eventually went back to work at Lucent Technologies where I was the National Marketing Director for Expanets, a division of Lucent Technologies. I was responsible for developing and implementing the strategic and tactical marketing plan for that company until I joined Fed Ex Freight. 

KA: Why did you decide to start looking for your next position while you were still working for your last company?

TB: The communications industry was in a major upheaval. The company I was with was for sale, and that prompted me to make a decision to move on. I made the decision for myself. I knew I did not want to be an executive in transition. I wanted to be in front of what I saw coming. As the business was sold, there were lots of changes in the management, and I decided to make a move. 

KA: How did Kelleher’s coaching and counseling help during the early part of your search phase?

TB: During the early part of my career search phase, the most important thing Kelleher did for me was to facilitate sessions where I could sit back and assess what I had done, what I enjoyed doing, and where my strengths were. I walked away from Kelleher with the understanding that I needed to look at the bigger picture. People tend to get so mired down in day-to-day minutia and don’t stop to assess the entire situation. Mitch Wienick did an outstanding job helping me step back from the day-to-day view and to assess where I saw myself going overall and what I needed to do to get myself to that position. He helped me put my plan together. 

KA: Why did you decide to position yourself for a Vice President role in interviews with recruiters and potential employers, given that you were in a Director position at Expanets?

TB: I felt I was ready from a career perspective to step up to this role. I was at this level professionally and experience-wise, it just didn’t come with the proper title. Mitch really took this opportunity to counsel me and coach me, pointing out that even though I was not technically a vice president, I had the responsibilities of one and was doing them very well. For Mitch to say I was capable of this move truly justified my decision. I knew that I just needed to find a company who could allow me to do these things. Mitch and the team at Kelleher supported me in this approach. Through his guidance, and the networking sessions, I was exposed to other people in a similar position and knew this was a move I could make. 

KA: Why did you turn down your first offer and continue your career search process? 

TB: This was a very tough decision for me. I had to make a judgment call and turn down a really nice opportunity. I really felt that I was being rushed into making a choice that I wasn’t ready, or comfortable, to make. I was coming into this situation on the back end of the interview process. The company was smaller and privately held, and I knew I wanted to be in a larger organization. This opportunity was just not going to afford me to make the upward career mobility I wanted in the long run. Although it was a great organization, it was a non-profit and I knew, at this point in my career, that I wanted to be in a for-profit organization. I also wanted to be in a situation where there was more diversity. I just knew it was not the right move for me. 

KA: How did you feel when you made that decision? How did you feel in retrospect?

TB: At the time, I knew it was a nice offer and a nice opportunity, but I wasn’t 100% sure of it. I worked through the decision with Mitch, using him as a sounding board and counselor and we discussed it at length. We both agreed that it just didn’t fit within the goals I had set for myself. It took discipline to really break down my goals, look into the position, and feel comfortable and confident with my decision. Looking back on it I know I made a good choice and it was the right decision for me. Even though it was an attractive offer, it was a positive move for me to say no thank you. 

KA: You decided to make a career move during in a very tight job market. What were some of the more difficult barriers you encountered? How did you overcome them?

TB: In the beginning, the barriers I faced were completely related to time management. I was struggling with a stressful and demanding workload. At the same time I was trying to carve out enough time and energy to effectively job search, analyze options and do my career homework. Making a commitment to conduct a thorough and conscientious career search is very time consuming. I found that my greatest challenge was managing my own time. To counter this, I really disciplined myself. I set a specific number of hours to research or send resumes or network. This discipline pushed me past my barriers. Networking helped me in that I was able to meet with other people going through the same process. I really developed a support group. 

Goal setting was also very important for me, on every level. It was another way for me to attack my barriers. I set daily goals for myself whether it was a certain number of phone calls to make or a certain number of networking events to attend. There is always going to be a time when you don’t feel like putting in the effort, but you must push through to be successful. It was the goal setting that helped me get to the next level and achieve my end result. 

KA: What were the key services and benefits you received from Kelleher during your search?

TB: Kelleher put me on the right track for successful interviewing. They gave me an opportunity to sit down and express myself, realize my goals, and plot out my method for achieving them. Mitch definitely helped me define my thoughts and his coaching was a huge success for me. Knowing that he supported my decisions made them clear in my own mind. Going through the interview process with the team at Kelleher was essential. It was the little things we worked through that made the difference when I was interviewing for jobs. It was the role playing exercises and the preparation tactics that put me at ease. When you feel well prepared for an interview, it shows, and any edge you can get in a tight job market is a competitive edge. There are lots of qualified people looking for jobs on the executive level and strategic preparation can really put you ahead of the pack. 

KA: Would you recommend Kelleher’s services to others?

TB: Absolutely. I’m their biggest fan. One of the main reasons I chose to work with Kelleher, instead of others, was because they had a personal approach to their process. Mitch and the rest of the team went above and beyond what I had expected of them. In a tight job market, a good resume is one tool to help get your foot in the door, but it’s not the only thing. You really need to hone your skills and highlight your experience, no matter what your level or position. They were not a factory pushing people through, churning out resumes, it was more than that. You need to be driven and prepared, and Kelleher gave me that edge.