When Mike Ratchford was considering a career transition, he turned to Kelleher Associates Inc.’s team of experts. Ed Kelleher, Al Kramer, and Mitch Wienick, worked with Mike in developing a search strategy tailored to his strengths and career goals. Armed with this strategy, a strong resume and prepped to handle job interviews, Mike found a position with company consistently ranked among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” with an office 30 minutes from his home.

How did you get introduced to Kelleher Associates?

My wife went through a career transition in 2000. During this time, she interviewed a number of career transition agencies and she and I were both very impressed with Kelleher. She ended up receiving a job offer and did not need Kelleher’s services, but she remembered Ed Kelleher’s caring manner and integrity. When the need came up for me to be thinking about career transitions, Kelleher was the only place I considered.

Why did you engage Kelleher Associates services?

I was fortunate enough to have had two great careers, one in government and the other in the electric utility industry. In the electric utility industry I held a leadership position heading up corporate communications and government relations. My company was acquired by another utility and I was offered a position with the newly formed company that required a regular commute to Washington, D.C. After almost a year of commuting I decided that it was time to catch my breath and test the market.

I engaged Kelleher Associates because I was impressed with their strategic and tailored approach to their clients, the attention to detail and the way they really cared about their clients. I felt that Kelleher Associates had my best interests in mind at every step in the process.

What was the benefit of their services during your transition?

There were many benefits to their services. First, their understanding of the marketplace and their strategic approach in developing a tailored search process provides their clients with a significant competitive advantage. Second, the implementation of the strategy is flawless. The cover letters, resumes, the preparations for interviews are all first rate. Third, making a transition is a difficult process and everyone at Kelleher was very caring and encouraging. Finally, the association with other Kelleher clients was a morale boost. They too were first rate and sharing leads and experiences with them was a great experience.

What did you find most valuable about the process?

I most valued the individualized attention and knowing that the strategy was tailored to my strengths and goals. Ed took the time to get to know me as a person. He always was accessible, had great advice and was fun to work with throughout the process.

What was the successful outcome?

The outcome for me was a great job with a great company, a job that provides opportunities to apply my skills and learn new things and a company that is consistently listed among “the best companies to work for.” Beyond this, I learned things during the search process such as empathy, networking and presentation skills that help me in my new position.