Randy’s Choices Get Him a Rockin’ New Job

You can do what you want to do.  You can be what you want to be. ~R. David Thomas

     It was delightful to watch! During the course of his job search, my friend Randy went from frustrated to hopeful to confident celebration within weeks!  He choices were inspiring.  Even when disappointed and frustrated, he took action that led to his desired goal. He got his rockin’ new job!

     Shortly after Randy and I revamped his resume (see my Inspiration “Randy’s Rockin’ New Resume,”) I got a phone call from my former boss, Lydia.  She asked whether I knew of anyone to fill a health and safety role at the power plant where she worked.  It was a “no brainer” to mention Randy.  I was happy to recommend him and I knew his qualifications. She was excited and looked forward to meeting him. It is always satisfying to help friends – in this case, two!

     Randy was beyond thrilled when I told him the news. I told him all I learned from Lydia in terms of the scope of the job, the challenges he would face, as well as the specifics they were looking for in their ideal candidate.  He immediately sent over his new resume and followed up with a phone call to Lydia.  After a brief review of his resume while they chatted, Lydia invited him to lunch that week. Finally – Randy had an interview!

     Randy and I got together the day before to role-play a mock interview.  This was opportunity to fine tune his presentation and his claim he was the right person for the position.  The more we worked together, the stronger and more confident Randy became at presenting his credentials.  He was relieved and excited to go to an interview after weeks with no bites at all. 

     Within three short weeks, not only had Randy met Lydia at the lunch meeting, he had breakfast with the Power Plant staff, made a visit to the Plant, and got a job offer. This job was just what he was looking for – he could use his health and safety background and travel less. Better still – this job was unadvertised, so he had no competition.

     So what did Randy do that got him this rocking new job?  He made wise choices. 

It is always your next move. ~Napoleon Hill

Let’s consider the following:

• He reached out for help when he realized his search wasn’t working. He could have given up, but he chose to seek advice.
• He reached out to someone who could help him. It is one thing to complain, it is another to seek helpful counsel.  Randy knew I was experienced at getting hired and that I was someone who could do more than listen.
• He networked.  Randy was a busy father, but knew how to best utilize his contact – me! He knew I participated in many organizations and am well connected.  I was happy to pass along leads because that feels great.
• He demonstrated that he was qualified for a health and safety role.  This allowed me to confidently present his background and stand behind my recommendation.
• He was open to a look at his resume, making changes and accepting feedback. He was eager to try something new on his job seeking approach.
• He was appreciative!  It is always fun to help people who are genuinely thankful.

     Searching for a new job can be a trying experience.  What is important to learn from Randy’s story is that he had many choices to make along the way.  Making wise choices contributed to his success!  At every turn, he kept going, in spite of his frustration and disappointment.  And it paid off. 

     I wish you all the best in making your own job search choices!

Have a great week!