“I’m Paying It Forward”: Mariano’s Story

“My experience was very positive from the moment I first connected with Regina, my career coach,” says Mariano Garcia. “She immediately helped me with the emotional piece of my job loss. I had a fear of the unknown and was depressed leaving a company I had been with for many years.” 

Mariano, like many others this year, had to tackle a job search he didn’t initiate when the insurance company where he worked underwent a downsizing.
“Walking out of the company I worked at for 15 years was overwhelming. I didn’t have a strong network outside of that company or outside of my market,”
comments Mariano. “I was lost before speaking with Regina.” 

Patient guidance, a listening ear, and honest encouragement showed up in the form of Regina Moser, a career/transition coach with a passion for educating others. Regina has coached individuals on job search strategies since 2006.  

“Regina opened my eyes to how easy and important it is to research information on your contacts and potential employers.” When his coach pointed out that networking leads to 70% of new jobs, Mariano knew right where to place his bets. “That became my focus.” Through Regina’s coaching, Mariano discovered the value of utilizing LinkedIn to target companies, research connections, and ask for referrals. “This really helped me to expand my network. It was hard work, but it was worth it.” Mariano goes on to say, “Without this guidance from Regina, I would have blindly applied to open positions online without doing the real work to get noticed.” 

The hard work paid off when Mariano received multiple job offers. Then came the difficult task of weighing his options. When out of a job, it is tempting to take an immediate offer without thinking it through. Working with Regina gave Mariano the power to take a step back and truly analyze what was right.

“Through Regina’s coaching, I decided the four job offers I received were not the best opportunities for me. If not for Regina, I would have accepted one based on pay,” says Mariano. Instead, he felt empowered to continue his search until he found a role that was the right fit for his experience and career goals. A referral proved to be how he found it. 

“Regina suggested I talk to one of her connections at Farmers Insurance. We discussed an open position, but it wasn’t right for me either. Our discussion eventually led to the company offering me an unposted position.” 

Mariano now serves as an Agency Business Consultant in the Austin area. He is excited to build his client base using a few insights from his career coach.
“Regina’s coaching style inspired me. It is now a model I use to build relationships and provide direction to my clients.” He is also determined to share what he has learned with others. “Regina’s guidance had such a positive impact on me that I want to help other job seekers. I want to pay it forward.”
 

One-on-one career assistance was the difference in Mariano’s transition. As he puts it, “Regina didn’t show me how much she knew – she showed me how much she cared.” And this was the encouragement and support Mariano needed to regain a career he loves. 

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