On the Prowl

No, not for a man. I’m not that old yet, and I happen to quite like the one I’ve got.

For a job.

I figured the layoff was coming – as time’s gone by the writing on the wall has become clearer and clearer and more client work has never materialized. I thought I might have more warning than I did and had put some steps in motion to start the hunt in earnest once I returned from my trip. But the boss did month-end, looked at the books, and it was the first thing I got to deal with upon returning to work Tuesday morning.

So the hunt is on.

I’ve worked mostly for small businesses, non-profits and startups. That is NOT where I want to go next. I did find that taking the risk working for them led to a lot of really great experiences taking on projects I’d have had to wait years for otherwise in larger organizations. Ultimately though, I suffered with a lack of useful direction, guidance, critique or feedback. I did get it from other sources (clients and other invested parties acknowledging the success of the work I’ve done), but rarely (sometimes never) from those signing my paycheques. Until I leave, or am laid off – when I’m finally told that “hey, you were doing a great job, I’m sure you knew that.” I even suffered the indignity once of both my direct supervisors not even acknowledging my resignation or departure. I know it’s not what the cool kids are after these days, but I want a boss.

I want to work for a company that’s proven its success through growth. Not a big government dinosaur either – I’ve also put my time in with those, but any of BC’s 50 best employers would be fantastic. I don’t want to report to the president or CEO. I’m certainly not at VP or Director level for the kind of company I want to work for. I want a company who recognizes the value of what I’ve done so far – taking some risks in my career choices and gaining some great experience along the way rather than slaving away as a cog for years, trying to “work my way up” – and is ready to take a chance on me. A pure meritocracy where my successes are celebrated, my career growth is nurtured and my mistakes are learning experiences and chances to blow their expectations out of the water (in a good way) next time.

I know these places are out there. I have to believe they are.

Without posting my entire resume online, because I’m paranoid about posting my complete work history for the internets, I’ll paste some skill summaries from it here after the jump, and perhaps if anyone in blogland knows of or works for a great company like the one I’ve detailed above, you’d be kind enough to email me (jen [at] thisdomain [dot] com) and let me know of an opportunity to apply for, or someone to chat with.

And heck, if you work for that kind of company you’re probably entitled to some sort of referral bonus as well, and I have a very good interview:job offer ratio.

Experienced Communication Professional: five years of proven ability to conduct new and analyze existing market research to develop and implement communication and marketing strategies across a variety of industries. Have led key initiatives that saw 30-50% increases in customer acquisition and retention, delivering projects on time and on budget. Recognized as a self-motivated expert in organization and program coordination. Highly experienced in written communication for a number of audiences across various media.

Areas of Expertise:
• Copywriting and Editing for a variety of audiences
• Press Release Creation & Distribution
• Media Kits
• Trade show and networking strategies, including goal setting and evaluation
• Email newsletter & business blog campaigns
• Online content creation, analysis and maintenance
• Program Coordination and Administration
• Communication Plan & SWOT Analysis Development
• Community and relationship building with internal and external clients
• Training program creation & collaboration

These are by no means complete lists, but they encompass the “skills required” section from the posting for my “ideal job” (fingers crossed for me here would be appreciated).

I’m also not totally confident in my resumé writing skills, so if you’d like to offer any assistance or feedback in that area, that would be awesome.

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