Dream Job Blog

Within 8 months, Ben transitioned from a successful but organic career to a dynamic intentional one that completely changed the trajectory of his career path. Ben had already reached the executive ranks in the Customer Relationship and Engagement space, but knew he wasn’t fulfilling his potential. He joined Dream Job Catcher, and not only found his ideal role at his target company, but also realized his market value and increased his comp by 40%.

Q&A with Ben

What sparked your decision to join the Dream Job Catcher program?

I had casually been job searching for quite a while but it was unstructured, and I honestly didn’t know where or how to find the opportunities that I would be most interested in. Worse, my job search always took a backseat to inevitable work and life priorities that seemed to pop up – so I would start and stop my job search repeatedly. I didn’t want to pour over job boards, send out dozens of resumes and just hope someone was reading them. I felt there had to be a better way, but I didn’t have a plan.

Why did you invest in the Dream Job Catcher Program?

It was kismet. Mai reached out to me at the perfect time, and the notion of an intentional career really resonated with me. I was looking for guidance, structure, accountability and expert coaching to help me identify and understand what was most important to me in my career and professional life – and the companies and positions that could provide that.

I also wanted to work with a professional who could help refine my value statement and polish my resume and profile to catch the attention of hiring managers for the kind of jobs I wanted, not the ones I’d already had. I knew that the only way I would get what I wanted was if I developed new skills in my job search. I knew Julie and her team could help me with this. 

What did you find most valuable working with Dream Job Catcher?

Two things. The first was the idea of intentionality regarding the job search. I was really captured by the idea that to get a job and career that you love – you have to be more intentional. After 18 years into my career, I needed to get more intentional about my next move.

The other was the structure. I really liked that there was a well-choreographed process to help me identify and refine my vision for my career and my goals. It accelerated my job search – the feedback loop was constant and helped me make progress much faster than I could have on my own. Dream Job Catcher made it really easy.  From the very first meeting I loved how they had a plan and process for each step – that gave me a lot of confidence I would get results I’m proud of.

How did you land your new job?

Honestly, I know this sounds simple, but I followed the DJC plan. I set my benchmark, identified companies that aligned with my values and goals, and I learned how to strategically network. In the beginning, I struggled to even reach out to people. I got caught up in the idea that I was bothering people. Julie helped me shift my perspective. I made a game out of it. I set a goal that if I could talk to, and meet with 100 people about my career interests, following the guidelines set out in DJC, that I was confident I’d land my next opportunity. When the offer I accepted finally came through, I had met with only about 40 people.

Did it align with your goals?

Yes, completely. In fact, I feel very confident that I made a great choice because I can look back at the goals I set and clearly articulate why this company and this role are the best fit for me. That took all the second-guessing out of it when it came time to make the final decision. Six months into this new role, I’m even more confident and happy because everything I thought I was getting when I joined the company has come to reality.

What surprised you by the results? 

Realizing my market value. I knew I was underpaid in my previous role, but searching online for comparable salaries was not an exact science for my role. One of the most valuable and tangible moments I had working with Julie occurred after we had been working together for several weeks. She recommended leading with a salary range that was $50K above what I was even considering. That was the kind of industry insight I was looking for. In addition, when it came time to negotiate my offer, she suggested I ask for even more, a move I would never have made on my own – and it worked! Lesson: always listen to Julie when it comes to comp!

What advice do you have for other job seekers? 

Invest in yourself if you can because it’s not just a new job you’re getting – it’s a whole set of new professional skills. The skills and the process I learned by following the Dream Job Catcher program are something I’ll use throughout the rest of my career.

Also, I now understand that a job search is not a solo sport. Having a partner by your side throughout the job search is invaluable.

What do you love about your role? 

I’m in a challenging role working with really smart people who are caring and supportive. I’m working for a great company that is growing, has great leadership, and puts people first. I love the work we do for our customers and partners and I work hard along with the people around me.

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Do you want to be our next success story? If so, schedule a call with our team at dreamjobcatcher.com/book. We’d love to help you accelerate your job search and land a job you love and thrive in.