When Lauren was laid off from her position at a prominent news magazine, she came up against a major job search obstacle: her age.
Striving for a fresh start while others her age were preparing for retirement was a unique challenge. To raise the hurdle that much higher, Lauren was targeting the publishing industry, which continues to be in a major transition phase due to extensive losses since the rise of digital publishing.
Despite the seemingly dire situation, publishing was where Lauren had built her career and where her passion lied. She wanted to transfer the skills she had developed in former jobs and apply them to a new position where they would be utilized effectively.
Lauren attended approximately 20 sessions at GetFive and worked with two of the GetFive’s senior coaches, Renee and Win. She thought her own resume was strong, but soon realized it was a mess. Working with her coach, she modernized it by making it concise and compelling.
Perhaps the most important tool Lauren picked up from GetFive methodology was the Professional Pitch, which she describes as “invaluable.” The Professional Pitch, she says, allows you to “have in your mind the key points that you want to make. Sometimes I strung out these points throughout the interview, depending on the situation.”
Lauren was also greatly helped by regularly attending GetFive’s weekly small-group strategy sessions. Particularly during the difficult periods of her job search, being able to discuss the progress of her search with other group members was tremendously helpful both in terms of strategy and maintaining her confidence.
Finally, her coaches helped her organize her search and advised her on strategy, helping her focus on jobs she could really be excited about (instead of responding aimlessly to ads, as she had been doing previously).
Yes, magazine publishing was retrenching, but Lauren got back in. Getting the job wasn’t easy, and negotiations near the end almost broke down, but she stayed connected to her coach to help stay focused and positive. “Anytime you can get more information from people, do so,” she says. “It really helps you know what the hell you’re doing.”
