Ben spent the last 15 years in hospitality. He was a strong General Manager who knew how to increase business and manage large teams.
In his current role, Ben knew his career had peaked.
“I’m at the top. There’s nowhere for me to go, but out” he told me.
The idea of staying put was anything but appealing to him. He was a go-getter from the very beginning of his career. Surely there was someone out there who needed what he had to offer – but who?
Ben knew he had skills to offer other industries but wasn’t sure how to package them or promote himself without leaving the impression he was “just a restaurant manager.”
He called me looking to figure out how to transfer his skills into other industries.
He was unsure about what to do next.
What Ben needed was a focus.
When we spoke, I asked
“Who is doing cool work or working on cool projects you’d like to be a part of?”
“There are a couple of interesting initiatives in my province that I’d like to learn more about…” he answered.
“Super. Let’s start there.”
Ben went from feeling unsure, confused, even a bit scared to having a plan and knowing exactly what steps he needed to take to be successful in his job search.
His initial steps included:
🔑 Devising a list of companies/projects worth exploring.
🔑 Approaching his job search as an explorer/researcher vs. a job seeker who logged onto job boards “just to see what’s out there.”
🔑 Building a solid business case that identified what Ben could do for these companies (based on the research he conducted in steps one and two).
Ben left our call with a plan; feeling confident about what he needed to do next. This simple conversation saved him frustration, stress, worry, time, money and effort trying to figure it all out on his own.
When it comes to your career development and your quest for that next job, what are some things you might do to make your job search much more effective before you begin?
Related Categories: Client Story, Job Search, Labour Market Information
About The Author
Maureen McCann is an award-winning career coach, master resume writer, and master certified interview, employment, and career strategist whose clients include C-level executives, managers, and professionals in all industries including the Canadian banking, oil and gas, healthcare, IT, and government sectors.