Tiffany Hogan was certain of her career goal, but uncertain of how to achieve it. “One of my biggest fears was that no one would hire me,” says Tiffany, a young marketing professional. “The thought of being unemployed was extremely daunting.” It took 81 tries, but application #52 was the one.
Tiffany and her partner Jakson relocated from Minnesota to California. She convinced herself of a lie at the beginning of the transition. “I needed to find employment quickly, and this led me to prematurely decide that I needed to accept any job instead of the perfect job for me.”
As Tiffany worked with Kristen Hall, a Career and Transition Coach at IMPACT Group, her self-doubt lessened. “I knew I would have access to great resources during my job search, but what I did not anticipate was having access to a vital resource – which came in the form of someone who truly cared about me,” shares Tiffany of her experience working with Kristen.
“I was ready to turn my hobby into my career, and I was very certain I wanted to produce content that would have a positive impact in my new community.” Kristen strategically planned her coaching sessions with Tiffany to align this dream with her timeline for landing a position. With a background in marketing and education, Tiffany knew a role at a nonprofit organization was the ideal spot for her.
Soon after the coaching began, Tiffany received emails and calls for interviews. “This was thanks to Kristen and the fantastic updates IMPACT Group made to my résumé.” Even though activity picked up, the job search roller coaster ensued for two months. “More than once, I picked up the phone feeling discouraged and doubtful. Kristen’s reply was always full of hope and optimism.”
Thanks to lucky application #52, Tiffany now serves as a Marketing & Communications Coordinator at Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization committed to connecting homeless and low-income individuals to the resources they need to find employment. “There are many things we can find wrong with the world we live in, but how many people can say they’re doing something to fix it? I love that what I do contributes to something that is so much bigger than just me.” She is empowered by working with people who are dedicated to using their skills to make Los Angeles a better place to live.
“Commit to the job search,” Tiffany advises other job seekers who want to land their dream job. “It became my full-time job, which meant 8-hour stints of researching organizations, editing cover letters, and submitting applications.” She also recommends finding ways to build your network in the new area. “LinkedIn is your friend. I was surprised by how many connections I had in my new community.”
Through it all, Tiffany knew the hard work would be worth it in the end. “Job searching is supposed to be hard work. It’s okay that it’s a challenge. I can honestly say I’m stronger because of this experience. Embrace the struggle – it’s only temporary!”
