Quick Job Search for Two Proactive Seekers

by O'Farrell | Jun 26, 2013 | Featured, I Got a Job!

David Byers

Wow, what a week! Highs and lows. Quick job search for two proactive job seekers – less than 60 days each.

Also spoke to several people this week who are completely dead in the water; people who’ve been doing everything thing wrong for months and didn’t even know it. One person in particular is very competent at what he does, and totally incompetent as a job seeker. He wasn’t even aware of this and it has cost him more than a year’s worth of income. If he follows my advice and uses the résumé and LinkedIn profile we created during our meeting on Monday, he will get his mojo back and will be interviewing again very soon.

Just traded emails with someone who’s invested a lot of time and a little bit of money to no avail; he’s languishing in his search. Another person told me he’s applying to 300+ jobs per week; I replied that he’s doing one every eight minutes if we assume a 40-hour week. Another person found a friend who’d do her résumé for free. Earlier today I worked with a client whose résumé wasn’t done for free; the fee was paid by her former employer. I would have never known – it was created by a firm who gets mentioned in the Wall Street Journal frequently.

Free or fee-based, there are a lot of “career coaches” out there who simply don’t know what they are doing and it’s the job seekers who are paying the terrible price for this shoddy work and bad advice. It breaks my heart to see people deep into their job search and drowning in debt when they could have taken some simple steps right after they were laid off to to shorten their search, earn more money, and get better results.

On the other hand, I worked with a client on Monday who had one recruiter after another inviting him to connect with him on LinkedIn – seven that I know about, and one interviewed him before the sun set that day. When I got to work on Tuesday, one of the first emails I read was from a client who just landed a great job at The Home Depot; she starts next Monday. She got the offer 54 days after we worked together as coach and client. Kim is my second client this year to land a job at THD – a company that receives over a million résumés per month at their headquarters.

I just hung up the phone with a client who accepted a job today. I kicked his butt during a meeting on 25 April. This led to strategy session for an upcoming interview on 22 May – they are doing background checks on that job right now. The offer today was with another company. Two offers within two weeks, and by the way, he’s been out of the traditional workforce for almost two years. With good training and God’s grace, that didn’t matter.

Friends, watch out for wolves in sheep’s clothing. Watch out for your own passiveness. Watch out people who have good intentions and no training or experience in job search coaching. Be alert, your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for job seekers to devour – see 1 Peter 5:8. Don’t let him get you. We believe in a God that no matter how desperate the situation, there is a way out. There are brighter days ahead. Oftentimes, God is waiting on us to take that decisive first step.

Do something bold today. Step out in faith.

Here’s another letter from Tuesday. Another client who was proactive. Another client who landed a job in less than 60 days.

Very proud of Kim, Woody and Dave; congratulations to all three!

– Dave O’Farrell

– – – – –

Quick Job Search

Bob and Dave,

I’m going to be concluding my consulting assignment in Chicago on Wednesday, I’m sorry I’m not going to be available for “Transitioning to Your New Job” on June 26 and once again I’m going to miss JobSeekers this Friday because I’ll be flying back from Chicago. I’m sorry I’ve missed so much, I was interviewing the past two Fridays and traveling from my consulting assignment the previous Friday.

I have accepted the position of VP R&D at Acuity Lighting in Conyers beginning July 8. My search was from May 4 until today, June 25 (53 days) and during that time I’ve had a consulting contract for four weeks. Most important in my search was being led by the Lord, preparing my résumé and LinkedIn profile (thanks Dave O’Farrell), using LinkedIn for research, and following the leadership of my executive coach. Other keys were: careful preparation of exit statements, compilation of RATS stories within the behavioral interview matrix, and several years of study of Lean product development and manufacturing.

I only interviewed for two positions, both VP level at lighting companies. One company turned me down but allowed me a practice interview and Acuity gave me an offer one day after my interview.

One thing is clear: the success of this job search was a “God thing.”

– Dave Byers

Networking and Branding Are Keys to Landing Job

by O'Farrell | May 8, 2013 | Featured, I Got a Job!

Michael Osburn

This awesome news came in a few weeks ago and I’m just now getting a chance to publish it. Networking and branding were keys to landing the job. Michael wrote to me recently and said, “The job is going great. I am very happy with my decision. Every day I am thankful and blessed; I feel like I am in the right place.”

Michael, I a very proud of you!

– Dave

– – – – –

Hi Dave,

Great news! I’ve accepted the “Project Management” position with Foley Products. We had a three-hour interview session yesterday and they extended me a verbal offer. I called Bob yesterday afternoon and negotiated the final offer and that was enough to make the deal. I finished the background check and drug screen this morning. I start work on Monday @ 8:00 AM!!!

I am very pleased with this round of job searching and I would like to thank you for all the support and encouragement – not to mention the skills that you have taught me. I do know that I will never take for granted the power of networking and the importance of constant campaign strategy and brand development. I will be better prepared if there comes a time for change again.

All of this has culminated through my faith in God and has truly restored my soul and revealed to me the true power of prayer. I will share my knowledge and my testament with whomever will listen to honor God, yourself, and all those that tried to lend a hand.

Thank you for believing in me,

Michael Osburn

Invaluable Job Search Tools

by O'Farrell | Apr 24, 2013 | Featured, I Got a Job!

Praise the Lord, people are landing good jobs. Here’s a story from one of the 15 people I mentioned in a post last week. I hope you will read this and be encouraged. Friends, there is always hope, no matter how poorly things are going at the moment. And Nancy, I am very proud of you! – Dave

– – – – –

Good morning Dave,

It’s confirmed, as of an hour ago, I am newly employed!!! I accepted an offer with SYNNEX as their Senior HR Business Partner. I start April 29th.

I cannot thank you enough for all of your support. The job search tools and the thought process that you taught me in searching for employment have been invaluable. I will now continue to use them in my recruitment process internally within organizations. Your continued follow-up calls, emails, encouragement – and at times a good kick in the butt or pep talk – really kept me focused and positive, when falling into a depressed and unproductive state could have been so easy.

I have a new understanding and a great appreciation for outplacement assistance. I will now encourage companies that I work for to offer it more often, and direct people that I know searching for employment to seek out a reputable source.

Thank you is such a small token of my gratitude but it is enormously heart felt!

Sincerely,

Nancy Towsley

15 Clients Land Jobs in Two Weeks

by O'Farrell | Apr 18, 2013 | Featured, I Got a Job!

James Statzer

Wow, what an awesome two weeks. Seven O’Farrell clients land jobs last week and eight so far this week. Congratulations to Mike, Russ, Lecia, Nancy, Donald, Tim, Randy, Kyle, Kesha, Barbara, Shelly, Jackie, John, Debra and James. Praise God that I get to do what I do and to see God’s hand at work in the lives and careers of so many people.

Here’s a story from a client of mine from 2010 who has been managing his career pretty well since then. James just landed a great job where his first assignment is in Baton Rouge. Turns out I’ve been working with a delightful client in Baton Rouge just this past week. Small world.

James I look forward to seeing you at JobSeekers very soon, but this time as a member of the Ship’s Crew. Blessings on you and your family!

– Dave

– – – – –

Dave,

Perhaps a little different than how you often hear that phrase; but, you did ask for feedback after our phone conversation a few weeks ago and I wanted to let you know that things worked out very well… again! I am now Senior Consultant for Cymetrix Corporation on location at a client site in Baton Rouge, just about three weeks since our last discussion. Since we first worked together in 2010, I have worked my way to effectively doubling my salary from the job that I left that year!

Even during the first few days in this position, I can say I love this company, my new team of colleagues, and the work assigned to me. It is not a stretch to say that this is what God has been working on all this time in order to place me (and my family) in His will and design for my career.

Thank you, Dave, for your role in this journey that He has me traveling on. The training, advice, and encouragement you offered me in this process – in 2010 and a few weeks ago – is priceless!

One other benefit in this position is that I expect to be traveling Monday through Thursday for projects with Friday’s free to give back some of my time and experience as a member of the Ship’s Crew at JobSeekers of PTC. If I have enough energy left after this first week, I will try to drop in this Friday morning; but, I wanted to go ahead and let you know now of this result.

God’s blessings to you and all in your ministry!

James Statzer