How Did I Get Here (Part 1)

2008-10-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Enter The New Millennium

I had spent my first 11 years after college working my way up the ladder in a label printing company, ultimately becoming the Art Director. I then went out on my own, thoroughly enjoying self-employment for another 11 years. It all imploded after the dot-bomb era.

As I'm rebuilding my business, I'm feeling a distinct lack of personal satisfaction and creativity. Not a good combination when energy and creativity are essential for success. After 2 years, I have to admit the truth. I hated my job. So now I'm faced with a major decision...what to do next.

I spent the better part of 6 months trudging through projects while I look for that elusive spark of brilliance - what will truly excite me again. I have to come to grips with the one that keeps popping up . . . going pro on the senior golf tour. Shooting in the high 80's with a bad back won't get me there, no matter how much I practice. So I start doing all the things a good career changer is supposed to do. Read books, take aptitude tests, research online. Hmmm, nothing seems to be hitting that won't take years of additional college education (I got my AA in commercial art, but was told by my most respected instructor that my portfolio was more important than a BA, and I was ready to "hit the streets").

The one field that kept sticking around the back of my mind was real estate. Let's see, I could mostly work from home, get my license and get started in a few months, fees and insurance were reasonable, I could gradually replace my graphic design income with high commissions from the expensive South Fremont home prices, and I could use my most excellent marketing and design skills to blow away the competition in my area, with their amateurish looking fliers (no offense Yodi).

There were a number of other reasons I chose real estate. After working on my own home doing various remodeling and maintenance projects, I had learned a great deal about home construction, and knew from my own home purchase experiences that new home buyers can use a lot of advice on what to look for in evaluating a home. I also felt that knowledge of the real estate industry would be invaluable as a potential investor myself, so the education and experience would benefit me regardless of my level of success in the business. But I think my most compelling reason was a desire to really be an advocate for my clients. When we bought our home many years ago, our experience with agents was abysmal. I just new I had the desire, empathy, and ethical nature to be better. A lot better.

So the plan was put into motion. I loved it from the first day I started class at Ohlone Jr. College in preparation for the exam, until the day I left the profession 3+ years later. More on that in my next post.

Welcome

2008-10-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Let's get this show on the road.

With my first post, I'd like to explain a bit about what I hope to accomplish with this project - besides just get a job. I guess the first question is: why "Naked"? I figure I'm taking a calculated risk here, but my goal is to be completely and openly transparent about myself in the eyes of prospective employers.

Now all you recruiters out there are saying "are you mad?" Perhaps, but my hypothesis is that many employers are not only looking for someone they can trust to do the job they're hired for, but ultimately that they will be a positive influence within the company and become part of the cultural fabric. Employers are therefore taking a significant calculated risk when considering someone that doesn't have the specific industry and career experience for a given position. It becomes very much a leap of faith that a career changer's "transferable skills" will allow them a tolerable ramp up in on-the-job training.

So the only way to tip the scales in favor of a career changer over a seasoned veteran is to mitigate the risk. I need to instill a high degree of confidence that I can come into the company and, with minimal training, become a better overall fit for the job and the organization. I figure the best way to do that is to be unabashedly honest about who I am, what I've done, and provide an opportunity to know me better than any other candidate.

My other goals are to get feedback from other career changers, career experts, hiring managers, and anyone else with an interest; become a resource for others who may face similar challenges; and allow myself a creative outlet that I haven't had in some time.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you'll come back and visit during my journey. And if you are an employer looking for a talented individual, I encourage you to contact me (anonymously or not) and begin a dialogue. You can do so by emailing me (see my full profile under the "About Me" column on the left), or post a comment.

Naked Career Change

How Did I Get Here (Part 1)

Welcome