The longer we spend working, we more we come to realize that our interests and needs change.
And that’s OK! In fact, it’s normal to find yourself excited about landing a job that you never could’ve predicted when you graduated college.
Take Mike Robert, for example. He’s a marketer who recently landed a social media role with the help of The Muse’s career coaching. Looking at his career path, he’s surprised he’s found himself doing this for a living—but he couldn’t be happier.
Here’s his story (and his pretty awesome job search advice):
Tell Us About Yourself!
I’m an award-winning digital strategist with 12 years of experience, mainly in healthcare and cause marketing. Coming from a Fortune 500 consulting firm, I got to wear many hats: digital creative director, B2B social lead, app product manager, analytics hack, and graphic designer, to name a few.
Outside of work, you can find me playing with my dogs, The Woofs, and my GoPro.
Tell Us About Your Coaching Session
I signed up for coaching because my job search was heating up fast. I needed a trusted advisor to help me strategize and weigh my options.
I chose to work with the fabulous Annie Nogg. Going in, I was excited and had high expectations. Annie asked thoughtful questions, and our phone meeting was incredibly productive and action-oriented.
After the session, I felt empowered! My confidence was unwavering and I felt reassurance in my job search strategy. Annie helped me land my dream job—in fact, I accepted my offer just a couple weeks after my session.
If you’re deciding whether to do coaching or not, I say give it a shot. The best executives all have coaches. You don’t see them—you just see their results!
What’s Your Job Now, and What Does the Day to Day Look Like?
I lead social media for athenahealth, named number nine of Forbes’ “Most Innovative Growth Companies” and one of BostInno’s “10 Coolest Companies.”
There is no typical day! Every day brings a new challenge, a new opportunity, and a new reward. I’m surrounded by people smarter than me, so I’m always learning and inspired.
What Do You Like Most About Your Current Company?
The people and the culture. Sure, we have beer fridges, a bring-your-pet-to-work policy, food trucks, comfy couches, and subsidized lunches, but our mission is the coolest thing we have. We’re a leading cloud-based tech company making healthcare work as it should.
Is This the Kind of Job You Thought You’d Be Doing 10 Years Ago?
No! A decade ago, I totally snubbed my nose at brands using social media. Boy, was I wrong—needless to say, I’ve come to the dark side.
What Advice Do You Have for Someone Who’s Stuck in a Tough Job Search?
Get out some Post-it notes and, on each one, write one step that helps position you where you want to be.
Think like a marketer. Are you leading with your “why?” Do you have a killer portfolio that you could slice-and-dice as your cover letter for employers? Is your resume boring, or does it spark emotion? What quick certifications could you add to your resume? Could your social media presence be just a little stronger? Are you networking in the right places? Have you created and memorized killer stories about your achievements?
Next, create a chart with two axes: one labeled “level of effort,” and the other labeled “reward.” Each axis goes from low to high, so your chart will have four boxes: “low effort low reward,” “low effort high reward,” “high effort low reward,” and “high effort high reward.”
Plot your Post-it notes on your grid. Then, prioritize the ones that you’d expect to bring you high results and get to work.
And, don’t forget to take time for you. Get in a work out, go for a hike, order take-out, get a mani-pedi, and stop multitasking so often. Sure, you’ll celebrate when the search is over, but be sure to celebrate along the way.