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September
2004
When
Mike Ratchford was considering a career
transition, he turned to Kelleher Associates
Inc.’s team of experts. Ed Kelleher, Al
Kramer, and Mitch Wienick, worked with Mike in
developing a search strategy tailored to his
strengths and career goals. Armed with this
strategy, a strong resume and prepped to handle
job interviews, Mike found a position with
company consistently ranked among the “100
Best Companies to Work For” with an office 30
minutes from his home.
How did you get introduced to Kelleher
Associates?
My wife went through a career transition in
2000. During this time, she interviewed a number
of career transition agencies and she and I were
both very impressed with Kelleher. She ended up
receiving a job offer and did not need
Kelleher’s services, but she remembered Ed
Kelleher’s caring manner and integrity. When
the need came up for me to be thinking about
career transitions, Kelleher was the only place
I considered.
Why did you engage Kelleher Associates
services?
I was fortunate enough to have had two great
careers, one in government and the other in the
electric utility industry. In the electric
utility industry I held a leadership position
heading up corporate communications and
government relations. My company was acquired by
another utility and I was offered a position
with the newly formed company that required a
regular commute to Washington, D.C. After almost
a year of commuting I decided that it was time
to catch my breath and test the market.
I engaged Kelleher Associates because I was
impressed with their strategic and tailored
approach to their clients, the attention to
detail and the way they really cared about their
clients. I felt that Kelleher Associates had my
best interests in mind at every step in the
process.
What was the benefit of their services during
your transition?
There were many benefits to their services.
First, their understanding of the marketplace
and their strategic approach in developing a
tailored search process provides their clients
with a significant competitive advantage.
Second, the implementation of the strategy is
flawless. The cover letters, resumes, the
preparations for interviews are all first rate.
Third, making a transition is a difficult
process and everyone at Kelleher was very caring
and encouraging. Finally, the association with
other Kelleher clients was a morale boost. They
too were first rate and sharing leads and
experiences with them was a great experience.
What did you find most valuable about the
process?
I most valued the individualized attention and
knowing that the strategy was tailored to my
strengths and goals. Ed took the time to get to
know me as a person. He always was accessible,
had great advice and was fun to work with
throughout the process.
What was the successful outcome?
The outcome for me was a great job with a great
company, a job that provides opportunities to
apply my skills and learn new things and a
company that is consistently listed among “the
best companies to work for.” Beyond this, I
learned things during the search process such as
empathy, networking and presentation skills that
help me in my new position.
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