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

KAI: Can you share with us some of your recent career highlights?

Angie: I was brought to Philadelphia in November 2000 by Rosenbluth International (a corporate managed travel company based in Philadelphia) to launch a new business unit, Up|Stream. I was Vice President of Global Operations and Customer Care for the unit, which delivered outsource services to online travel sites such as Hotwire. I was responsible for the leadership of the company's operations, which had 1,200 associates in eight global locations. We had about $45 million in revenue with plans to grow to $200 million, but after September 11, 2001, and the downturn in the economy, there was no way to continue at that pace. I chose to leave the company in March of 2002. Previously, I was at Apple Computer as Vice President of Worldwide Customer Support, and before that I was the Vice President of Direct Banking for the California subsidiary of the fourth-largest bank in the world, Sanwa Bank.

KAI: What happened after you left Rosenbluth International?

Angie: I had a flurry of interviews with three companies, and received an offer from Gateway Computer. Around that time, I met Mitch Wienick from Kelleher Associates, through a neighbor of mine who had worked with him before he went to Kelleher. I really needed someone to talk through the three opportunities and job offer from Gateway, and I went in to meet with him. Ultimately, and with Mitch's advice, I turned down the offer from Gateway, because of the instability of the industry and the company. I was looking for a company that could offer me stability and longevity and was concerned I would find myself in another job search after 12-18 months. We love the area and I wanted to get focused on my job search locally. Mitch helped me focus on my optimum job, and helped me define my resume. I also relied on his networking contacts, because I had traveled so much I never took time to stop and meet people in this region. 

KAI: In what ways did Kelleher Associates help you in your search for your next career opportunity?

Angie: I started in late April of 2002. First of all, Mitch helped me realize my cultural mentality was unique, having spent the majority of my career on the West Coast. Life on the West Coast is different, as is the corporate culture. Mitch walked me through how I presented myself and we agreed I should come across in a more traditional manner. Even the terminology I used, such as the word "awesome", posed potential barriers. We restructured my resume, and retooled my presentation, and at times we disagreed but the process helped me get to middle ground, and the end result speaks for itself. We worked for weeks on my resume and my cover letter, and in the end we had an excellent representation of my values, my experience, and the contributions I offer to a senior executive team. By that point, I had stopped interviewing - I took the summer off, using the time to plan, research, and get organized. 

By the end of July, I had worked with Mitch and the team at Kelleher to identify roughly 100 target companies, and then proceeded with my direct mailing, which resulted in a 52 percent response rate. I'm certain these results were due to my unique approach, which included a customized cover letter with a brochure, rather than the 2-page resume. The mailing consisted of 450 pieces, addressed to the CEO's, COO's, CIO's, and heads of. The responses included everything from form-printed post card acknowledgements to personalized letters from CEOs, and six informational interviews with companies like Wal-Mart and Capital One. Even though I did not find my current position through this mailing, it put me on the radar screen of many companies.

KAI: What were some of the other marketing initiatives you made in your job search?

Angie: I launched a well rounded personal marketing campaign that also included communication to recruiters; lots of networking through organizations such as ExecuNet; reaching out to friends and business colleagues from my past; seeking advice from books such as "Promoting Yourself" by WSJ's Hal Lancaster; and development of a personal website. I've worked with some of the best talent in marketing throughout my career - why not do it for myself? I wanted to do something unique and different to overcome the many barriers I faced, including the significant competition resulting from the worst economic climate in a decade, and the lack of a college degree. I chose to take the additional steps beyond the 2-page resume to differentiate me from thousands of others in the marketplace. 

KAI: How did you find your new job with Fisher Scientific?

Angie: While going through the job search process, I made contact with the search firm that had placed me at Apple Computer back in 1999. In late October, a representative called me from the firm's Boston office with an opportunity at Fisher Scientific, which I proceeded to turn down. However, I was interested in the company and sent an email to the recruiter asking a series of strategic questions regarding their customer service organization, and highlighting the value I could bring to the management team at a higher level. About four or five weeks later, the recruiter called me again and told me the company was not happy with any of their candidates, and wanted to expand the scope of the position creating new possibilities for me. This turned out to be a unique job search strategy that paid off with a position more closely matching my search objective. 

As the Vice President of Customer Service, I'm responsible for three primary centers - Atlanta, Houston, and Chicago -approximately 120 customer on-site locations - and a support staff in Pittsburgh. I also have additional responsibility for driving CRM and contact center initiatives across the company's enterprise to ensure a consistent customer experience across all divisions and channels.

KAI: What did you take away from the experience working with Kelleher Associates?

Angie: The firm, and Mitch Wienick in particular, provides an excellent support mechanism that I plan to utilize in the future. Mitch offered differing opinions, challenged my approach, and provided me with focus, as well as his local contacts. His guidance and experience was invaluable in helping me to achieve the balance and focus required to land a senior executive position in a very tough economy. A wonderful side benefit is knowing that I can pick up the phone and call him to seek executive coaching advice now that I am in my new position.