“We left Minnesota for my husband’s dream job in California,” shares Nicole Tinberg. “I had previously moved to the US from the UK – I thought I had moving down! But the relocation was overwhelming.”
Moving cross-country with her husband and small child was complicated further as Nicole sought an industry change. “My background is in IT project management in the public sector. I wanted help switching to the private sector.” Nicole was matched with Jo Crawford, a one-on-one career coach, as she explored a new path in her new state.
“It was great to have a non-biased champion outside of my family and friends during my job search,” shares Nicole. Together, she and her coach developed a new résumé and LinkedIn profile. “Talking about yourself is overwhelming. Jo helped me understand what to emphasize in my résumé and during interviews.”
“In the past, I tended to apply for anything in panic mode. Jo helped me focus on meaningful roles and being strategic about my job search,” comments Nicole.
As an action-oriented coach, Jo kept Nicole working toward her goal. This strategic approach included matching keywords from the job description in Nicole’s résumé, improving her LinkedIn profile, preparing for interviews, and negotiating a job offer. “Jo is an excellent coach. She pointed me to what I needed when I needed it during my search.”
At first, Nicole was hesitant to complete mock interviews with Jo, fearing it would make her sound disingenuous and rehearsed. “Jo coached me on delivering answers and PAR stories without sounding practiced,” she shares. Walking into interviews, Nicole was ready for whatever questions the interviewer asked.
“Nicole understood the value of doing her homework,” her coach, Jo, comments. “She took my suggestions for optimizing her LinkedIn page and researching companies and ran with it. Her targeted approach has resulted in her going forward in the interview process with multiple employers.”
This determination led to the perfect opportunity for Nicole. “I accepted an offer for an IT project management role! Without Jo, I’d probably still be looking. Her résumé and LinkedIn assistance really helped.”
Job searches can be a lonely time. As Nicole puts it, “During your job search, you feel you’re out there on your own. Jo was invaluable – providing practical advice and a targeted plan to help me. My advice to other job seekers is invest in a Jo if you can!”
The change of scenery has been a positive one for the whole family. “We feel so lucky to live in California. Coming from the UK then Minnesota, I’m not used to waking up and not saying, ‘I have to get outside – it’s sunny for once!’” She also loves the melting pot of cultures. “Not many people are native to California in our area. We enjoy the diversity.”