I Got The Job! Yay!

Exactly two months from today, I shared 21’ Career Moves Affirmations + BONUS: Downloadable Cards.

After living through a pandemic, I made a decision to reassess every area of my life. A large part of my week was spent working in a career I didn’t see a future in. I knew if a change was to happen I had to initiate it.

On January 9, 2021 as I waited for my Toyota Camry to be serviced at the dealership I devised a written plan to attract a new career.

Here’s what I decided to do:

1. Apply for 20 jobs a day using LinkedIn Jobs Easy Apply option and E-mail applications. Easy Apply allows you to send your resume to potential employers in a few steps + LinkedIn notifies you when it’s been downloaded by a recruiter. I allocated my one hour lunch break to do this each day until February 28, 2020.

2. Be intentional about the roles I was applying for. I knew I was working within a short window of time so the interviews I did take had to be worth my time and the perspective employer. I wasn’t simply looking for a job. I was looking for a company I could start a career with that aligned with my personal values and priorities. Over the last 2 months, I successfully completed 24 interviews. Here’s a few of the cool companies I had interviews with:

A few companies I didn’t hear back from, I didn’t get the job or I respectfully declined further interviews after learning the details of the role. Remember, jobs are like relationships. It’s important both parties (you and the employer) like each other professionally.

3. Make connections throughout the process. Sometimes a company or role isn’t a good fit because of timing, interests or lack of qualifications. This doesn’t remove the opportunity to connect on LinkedIn if it makes sense or refer a friend who may be better suited for the position.

4. Know your salary ceiling and floor. Most recruiters will ask in the initial interview what your annual salary requirements are. Be prepared by researching the normal range for similar positions and what you need to thrive. It’s hard to stay motivated when you work all month and still can’t pay your bills.

5. Pray and believe what you want exists and is available. Job searching can be exhausting and requires constant energy. To stay motivated, think about the bigger picture once your offer letter is signed and you’re in a place that aligns with what you want. Short term sacrifices for long term gains.

To bring all of this home, my plan succeeded with God’s help. I signed the offer letter to truly my dream job on 3/4/21 and I’m currently two days in at an incredible education management startup, Prenda.

In summary, this blog is to encourage you to take responsibility for your life, your career and your purpose. You deserve it.