Webinars
Career Case Studies
Some examples of how our clients were able to
turn things around
A different marketing stratagy jump starts Dave's job search
Dave, a veteran sales and marketing executive, was tired of the turbulence
in the beverage industry, and sought work elsewhere. He approached us
after months of a frustrating and unproductive search. Despite 15 years of
success, he reported that he couldn’t get people to talk to him. He said
they weren’t interested in meeting with someone from the “liquor”
business. He was very discouraged.
We did radical surgery on his communications about himself to appeal to
people outside his industry. This included his resume, verbal
communications, and a SPECIAL REPORT (an innovative marketing tool
developed in our practice) that showcased his knowledge and success in
sales and marketing. He reported that when he used the special report,
“lots of people wanted to talk to me.”
Dave chose sales in an industry where he could build a book of business
and have it last for years, and we helped him negotiate a good base in a
largely commission position.
If your job search is going nowhere fast, try our low-cost, 90-minute
Career Action Plan meeting. Sometimes, it’s all people need, and they’re
on their way. Call today: 847-673-0339—or send me an email at
Steve@FcsCareerServices.com.
More Case Studies
Many people have only a vague idea of their career
future...
Jane had been out of the job market for over a decade, raising her family.
Although she had been very actively volunteering for years, she lacked
confidence in her abilities, clarity about how to translate her work into
a paid position, where to seek work, and contemporary job search skills.
Together, we examined her considerable accomplishments in her volunteer
activities. These included the meticulous organization of fundraising
events at her kids’ school and a leadership role in her church’s Peace and
Justice Committee. There, she’d organized and participated in many causes,
including an advocacy effort to prevent the deportation of an immigrant
teenager at her child’s school. She’d also helped “Lost Boys” from Sudan,
who had never used a phone, bus, or an elevator, to adjust to life in
America.
Through our work, she gained confidence in her capabilities, and learned
the art of systematic networking. Then we closely guided her as she
explored various nonprofit possibilities. As we guided her exploration,
she became clear about the kind of leadership role she wanted. I predicted
that when she determined what she wanted, the job would find her. Sure
enough, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the poor called her
pastor looking for candidates for an Assistant Director position, and he
recommended Jane. She was hired by a talented Executive Director who is
mentoring her in nonprofit management.
Sometimes, people need to return to their "roots" in
their careers
Bob’s self esteem had hit rock bottom when his wife sent him to see us. He
was a CPA who spent a number of years in government before getting fired
due to a drinking problem. Since then, he’d spent several years bouncing
around in short-term jobs and projects with consulting firms. After the
latest layoff, he’d been looking for work for several months. He had a
terrible resume and was unable to articulate much of anything in career
accomplishments.
We helped Bob rediscover his rich and accomplished past. Years ago, he’d
been a subject matter expert with the government, sought out by people
from across the country. As we developed his presentation, he began to
speak with his old confidence, and his charming, offbeat sense of humor
returned.
It soon became evident that his government work was far more satisfying
than anything he’d done in the private sector, so we suggested that he
apply with his former employer. At first, he hesitated, dreading
confronting his past, but he knew we were right. Soon, he took action and
was called in to interview. We coached him on the question he most feared:
“Why did you leave the agency years ago?” We told him to tell the truth
powerfully. Looking the employer in the eye, he said, “When I was younger,
I had a bit of a drinking problem, and got fired. But I’ve been clean and
sober for the last 9 years.”
The boss smiled, and said, “I don’t have a problem with
that.”
Bob got the job, and later wrote to us: “I feel like I died and went to
heaven.”
Sometimes, it's time to make a drastic career change...
Rebecca was referred by her fiancé. She was an extremely bright woman who
had just moved to Chicago. Besides being unfamiliar with the area, Rebecca
had an interesting quandary: she had been an attorney and a pastry chef,
but said, “I don’t want to practice law, and I don’t want to cook, but I
do love food. What can I do?”
Over the course of our work, we suggested a number of options and guided
her exploration as she researched and explored them. These included the
marketing of foods and wines, restaurant consulting, and more. After
talking to people in the field, she rejected some options and found that
she wouldn’t be competitive in others. Ultimately, she landed a job that
brought all her background together in a way that really worked for her:
Executive Director of a food-oriented nonprofit company.
These days, a lot of people are feeling beaten up and discouraged-we help
them get back on track
Mary, a successful sales rep who had earned six figures, had been let go
when the economy crashed. She approached us nearly two years later when
she was struggling to survive, working in a manager training program at a
grocery store chain. She tried hard to conceal how she hated working
there, hoping she wouldn’t get fired. She had lost contact with people in
her field, become isolated, and was so discouraged she doubted there was a
way out. She had forgotten who she was.
We helped her to review her past and rebuild her self confidence so that
she could make a compelling self-presentation. As we worked, she regained
the exuberance that had made her so successful. We strategized about
reestablishing contacts with people in her field and building new ones,
and showed her how to use her sharp prospecting skills in the job search.
Within just a few weeks, she reported that she was getting a lot of
interviews. We helped her to explain the last couple years so it didn’t
torpedo her interviews.
Through a referral we gave her, she learned of a sales role with a
consulting company. She approached them and convinced them that she was
right for the job. Four months after commencing work with us, she was
hired into a career position making more money than ever.
My current job: "Should I stay or should I go?"
Andrea was an up-and-comer in a major insurance company. With five years
on the job, she was flying high and loving her job. Her boss valued her
highly, and gave her the toughest projects, and Sharon handled them.
All was well—until the day that someone obtained a memo from HR with all
the salaries of the people in her department. She noticed that a man who
had started recently was making $10,000 more than she was. He had less
experience, wasn’t nearly as talented, and wasn’t even approaching her
workload, yet he was making $10,000 more.
Andrea was furious, and said she lost all motivation for the job that day.
She thought about quitting, but instead, she talked to us. We advised her
not to quit, but to use her current position as a springboard.
We encouraged her to keep up her work performance, as it wouldn’t serve
her to get fired. Then, we discussed strategies to network outside her
company at conferences, in her professional association, and more. We
developed a compelling presentation so that the networking would pay off.
Within a short time, Andrea found an employer that appreciated her and
paid her what she was worth.
