As a successful marketing executive and award-winning communicator in healthcare and higher education, Carolyn Vivaldi focused on her career transition with the same energy she employed in her life’s work.  She is happily continuing on this path as Executive Director of Communications – Alumni & Development Relations at St. Joseph’s University.

How did you find your way to Kelleher Associates?

My position had been eliminated and the non-profit institution I worked for engaged Kelleher Associates to provide career transition services.

What was most challenging in your search?

The most challenging thing for me was personal, that is, keeping my spirits up.  The situation was a terrible surprise and I got great advice from Mitch, not just about the search process, but also about keeping my attitude positive.  They were very empathetic and concerned.  I felt that the people at Kelleher were personally involved in terms of recognizing that this was a difficult time for me.  Everyone there, not just Mitch, but also every single person on staff, encouraged me.

Also, you meet other clients with similar experiences who provide a genuine support network.

In what way was Mitch most helpful to you?

I got real insight in terms of redoing my resume – it was one of the first things that we did.  I had never had my resume reviewed by a professional, and it was an eye-opener.  Going through that process helped me to think about my career in a different way, and it was cathartic.   The result was a “sparkling” resume and personal positioning.

When was the last time you had to present a resume?

You go through the years and you just keep adding the things that you’re doing, and you don’t necessarily rewrite it.  I hadn’t taken a good hard look at it in about five years.  Mitch helped me tell my success stories and describe how I’d met challenges and solved problems.  Going through that exercise helped not only in the writing of the resume but also in the interviewing process.  The process gave me a different perspective on chronicling my career and enabled me to express my successes in a much more focused way.

How else did Mitch help?

He served as a very helpful sounding board.  For example, I hadn’t been in a search process in five years and in five years the employment world had changed.  Screening phone calls were new to me, and Mitch helped me to understand what needed to be accomplished during the call by me and by the interviewer, and how I could best position myself during that phase of the search.

What did you find out about yourself in the process?

In the past, I was always on my own looking for jobs and preparing for interviews.  But at my current level looking for executive positions, I wasn’t as well equipped to do the face-to-face interviewing as I thought.  In the process of doing role-playing, I discovered that there were much more effective ways to present myself.  I also learned how to better plan for and anticipate questions that might be asked. It was an ongoing learning experience with advice gleaned from not just Mitch, but Ellen Mallin and Al Kramer as well.   The whole Kelleher team was a valuable resource for me.

Why would you recommend Kelleher Associates?

Being in a search in this job market is so highly competitive that anything you can do to better understand the rules of the game and position yourself to succeed is incredibly important.  I learned the importance of networking and I was challenged to reach out to people I didn’t know.   The Kelleher network is unparalleled and their contacts were my contacts.  For example, if Mitch recommended me to one of his contacts, it gave me credibility and the opportunity to network that I never had before. Those types of introductions were invaluable and in one case landed me an interview and positioned me as a top-tier candidate.

I can’t say enough good things about Kelleher Associates.  They helped me get through a very difficult time. The knowledge that I gained and the skills I developed will last a lifetime.