Jenna Galgano worked in the entertainment and event marketing industry. When her company had a shift in personnel, she lost her job.
“Hey, it happens,” she said. “There’s nothing you can do about it but pick up and keep moving.”
She maintained a positive outlook and it made a huge difference. She worked hard alongside her GetFive coach and kept an open mind toward opportunities that came her way. At first, working with the different exercises seemed daunting; however, they kept her on target and she kept her eyes on the prize.
It’s not enough to just do the worksheets, she noted. You have to apply what’s on the worksheets to your job search. Networking is one example. “Networking with my alumni association, friends, and family. Anyone I could speak to about advice or job openings,” are all things she said she did on a regular basis.
She also found a recruiting agency that helped her focus closely on her industry. “I got a call back one afternoon that said there was a temp position to work as an assistant to the CFO of a liqueur company. They do a lot of events and marketing as well,” she noted.
Galgano figured although not a perfect fit, it was a good thing to pursue to stay active and make money in the meantime. She was working there for about a week and enjoyed it immensely. Then she got an interview at another company for a job that better fit her experience.
Her current boss then pulled her aside to ask if she liked working there. “I said yes, I like the people, I like the job, and I like the company. And I saw this as the opportunity to inform him of what I wanted from the company instead of just saying ‘yes’ and walking away. So I said I am more in the marketing and entertainment side and I did my seven stories — giving some background on what that is — and then I said I’d love to work with your marketing department some day.”
This was a game-changer. She then joined a couple of marketing meetings and learned that they were growing. In two weeks she received a full-time offer, still as the assistant to the CFO but with a promise that within a year she would transfer into the marketing department.
“I knew if I gave it 100 percent that no matter how small the role was or how short-term, it can change into opportunity,” she said.
She accepted the job, but the skills she learned through the GetFive continued to help her, as she was able to negotiate her salary and benefits package. Her coach was always just an email away if she ever had any questions.
