Fighting the Furlough and Finding Success
Like many stories these days, this one also starts with, “Because of COVID.” In early 2020, Jamie was furloughed from her Software Developer job in the travel industry. She had been with the same company for 14 years and like many of us, she thought she would be back to work in no time. No time turned into over a year of being out of work. While Jamie remained hopeful that her employer would bring her back, she didn’t just sit at home and “hope.” She volunteered almost every day at the Devos COVID-19 Vaccine clinic, volunteered at the election polls, and kept training for her endurance races that continued to get canceled.
I started my Career Coaching Program with Jamie late in May of 2021. We met to discuss her background, experience, strengths, what she had been up to for the past year.
What we did to impact Jamie’s job search and increase her chances of success:
· The CliftonStrengths Assessment helped Jamie build a professional brand that she could turn into a compelling elevator pitch.
· We optimized her resume, expanding on what she does by working in some language to describe the why and how she gets things done.
· I conducted a mock interview with Jamie to prepare her for various types of interview questions that employers ask and how to answer them effectively.
In June, I went on vacation for a week and came back to an email from Jamie that she had four interviews with three different companies while I was gone. That activity culminated in a job offer that she accepted. While money was never a driving factor for Jamie, she did receive an increase in her salary and works for a company with a flexible working culture.
“I truly believe that the resume changes and the interview practice helped because I have never in my career seeing this much movement on the job front.”
No Career Coach can guarantee you the same kind of success, but we can offer the expertise to increase your chances of landing a great job after being furloughed or laid off. We have included a few recommendations below.
Get involved. Volunteering the way Jamie did keeps the law of inertia working in your favor and it increases those “feel good” endorphins knowing you are making an impact in your community. It’s also a great way to expand your network. You never know when you might meet someone who is hiring for the type of job you are looking for. If that wasn’t enough, it shows a potential employer that you are motivated to work.
Jamie directing traffic at the Devos Place COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
Engage with a Career Coach. A professional Career Coach will meet you where you are and can support your unique circumstances.
· Are you just starting your job search? We can help you develop a strategy.
· Have you been looking for a job for what seems like forever? We can identify mistakes and get you back on the right course.
· Do you need a resume? We can write it.
· You have a stellar resume, but you are bombing interviews? Let us help you practice.
· Does negotiating a salary make your palms sweat? We can boost your negotiation skills and provide salary data to support those conversations.
“I really felt that our work on my interview skills was the key to landing a new job. I felt very confident in the interview process thanks to our session practicing potential questions. Shaina was also very personable and easy to talk to. She made hard tasks like self-assessments feel easier.”
Need some help? Contact us today