Re-entering the workforce at any point in your career can be a daunting endeavor, whether you were involuntarily laid off or you chose to go out on your own for a while. In this episode, Kelly interviews Marci Weisler, Chief Commercial Officer at Vengo Labs, about how she approached a job search following many years of consulting and entrepreneurial ventures. Discover why working with a career coach can be helpful, when to ask for help, and of course, how to leverage your personal networks to unlock unique and unexpected job opportunities.
Key takeaways from this episode:
- 03:00 – Marci shares why she transitioned from independent business consulting to a job, and how she was able to make that transition.
- 05:40 – Marci shares in detail how she was able to uncover her unique skill set and superpowers by asking herself questions such as “what do I do well, what are the skills that I bring to the table?” and how answering those questions helped her package and sell her skills to employers.
- 06:00 – Marci discusses how conversation with her network helped focus her job search efforts.
- 07:00 – Marci shares with us how a career coach performed a pivotal role in the career transition.
- 12:05 – Marci explains the role her LinkedIn profile played in helping raise visibility to prospective employers.
Quotes:
- “If I don’t know how to do something, I’m gonna figure it out.”
- “If you can’t describe the job, then be able to tell a story of where you want to work every day because that might unlock some opportunities.”
- “Think about hiring a coach so you can get outside your own head and position yourself for that job search.”
Need more? Take a listen to the episode Reinventing Your Career (my interview with Joyce Sullivan on how she handled an unexpected career change following the 2008-2009 financial crisis).
And more guidance to help you along your career reinvention journey (and to up your job search strategy):