I wanted to
send this e-mail to notify everyone of my accepting a temporary position at
Avanquest as an Order Processor. The position is set to last up until
mid-to-late December.
The reason
I'm sending this is because of how this job came about and how much it
represents everything we have learned from LA Fellows.
I just
happened to be home and on my computer when I received an e-mail from Mary
(Program Assistant for LA Fellows, and an LA Fellow from Cohort 7), asking if
this position would be something I would be interested in. Initially, due to
the job title I didn't think I would be but when I read through the job
description, I realized I would be using my Photoshop skills and would be
gaining Photoshop 'work' experience which up to this point I don't have, though
I use it personally on my own photographs.
Within
minutes of responding back to Mary of my interest, I received an e-mail from my
friend Pat Luc (LA Fellow from Cohort 8) who had been included in an outreach
group e-mail by Daryl Salrin (Also from Cohort 8, whom Terry Proctor from
Cohort 8 had mentioned in a talk he had with Cohort 10). Daryl was searching
for candidates for this very same position. Daryl had recently gotten a
position at Avanquest as a Recruiter, through her friend who is an HR Director there. Does the word 'networking' come to mind?
I immediately
followed up with Daryl, introducing myself as an LA Fellows’ alumna and at her
request sent my resume. Daryl then sent it to the "powers that
be" and said she would be in touch. To my surprise, she contacted me the
next day asking me to come in for an interview! I wasn't expecting it to be so
quick.
To prepare
for my interview, these are some of the things I did, remembering our teachers'
advice and the many takeaways:
Keri: To calm
myself for the interview, I remembered that if you are called in for an
interview, they WANT to like you and are hoping you will be the solution to
their problem.
Lynnette: I
read each line of the job description and came up with examples of stories that
utilized the skills they were asking for.
Kim: I wrote
down answers that would overcome any objections they might have such as having
my own company, no Photoshop work experience, long length of unemployment, etc.
Larry: Due to
the exercises on "value" and being "clear", I knew I liked
the company. The company is public but still currently small, creative with an
easy going air and they are fine with people having their own independent side
projects as long as it doesn't interfere with the job. The office is so
colorful and artistically decorated. You know you are in a creative
environment!
Nancy
Alexander (LA Fellow Cohort 10): I wore the bracelet she made for our group so
I would have Cohort 10's support with me for good luck! While waiting for the
interview, I looked at it and was humming in my head Larry's LA Fellows theme
song, not so much to rev me up but more to keep me calm and relaxed!
The interview
went well, and the Manager I will be working with was very surprised at my
preparedness.
The first
interview question he asked me was NOT the dreaded, "Tell me about
yourself". Instead, he first asked me what I knew about the company.
Due to the research I had done, I was able to give him a general overview. It
seems that alone impressed him and after that, the interview became a
conversation. From Keri's class, I didn't forget that the goal was to
stay focused, so in every instance, I gave him examples of what I
have done and imparted my experience and knowledge.
He was
surprised I knew he had an oil painting background and actually asked me how I
knew. I told him I read his bio on LinkedIn. :)
The interview
ended with him saying Daryl would be in touch with me.
The next day,
before I had even sent out my thank you note, I was e-mailed a job offer letter.
In that
letter, my pay rate was different from what I was originally told. When I
pointed that out to Daryl thinking it was a typo, she told me that because I
was so prepared, my manager had raised my starting rate even though the pay
rate was locked. It reminded me of Lynnette's saying, "Be the shiny
penny".
If you have
read down this far, I appreciate your patience. This long-winded story is not
in any way to self-congratulate. My pay rate is modest, and the position I have
accepted is entry level. I believe this is why my manager was surprised at my
knowledge and how prepared I was for his questions.
This story is
more to showcase how well LA Fellows has prepared me as I continue to pursue
job openings in the future.
Be assured,
while in my temporary position I will be networking as much as possible to make
connections as well as working hard to leave the best impression so I may be
considered for any future job availability.
I know I
would not have been as confident going into this interview as I was without the
knowledge I have gained from being in the LA Fellows program.
THANK YOU to
all the teachers in this program, you have left me with such a profound
impression for which I am truly grateful!
Yoonsin Park
For more information on the Los Angeles Ronald Mc Donald House and how you can get involved, please check out their website at http://rmhcsc.org/losangeles/
