Almost Hired... with Jackie Ducci

008 - Career Selection: What Are You Meant to Do, Anyway?!

You already know it’s important to pick a career path that aligns with who you are.  Of course you’ll do your best work (and be a lot happier) if your job reflects your strengths, abilities, interests, and values.  But, HOW do you decide what specific career is best for you?  And how do you ensure your success once you’ve selected your track?  It’s not so easy to figure out... but, take heart!  You can absolutely find your way into a career that will bring lifelong fulfillment – if you put in the work. 

Take it from Brian O’Connor, a 40 year veteran of the horse industry who is living proof that career alignment is entirely possible.  From a young age, Brian managed to combine his two passions –horses and the performing arts– to create a niche role for himself that has brought tremendous success.  Brian has traveled the world (quite literally) helping run equestrian competitions as an announcer and communications specialist.  He has earned an impeccable reputation and boasts career highlights including 3 World Championships, 2 World Cups, an Olympic Games, and more.  He joins us today to discuss career alignment, how he found it, and -most importantly- how you can find it for yourself! 

Guest Info:
Brian O'Connor
Speakeasy LTD
https://www.facebook.com/brian.oconnor.5473

007 - The Top 2 Secrets to Retaining Superstar Employees

What keeps employers up at night?  

Almost universally, the answer is employee retention.  Finding and keeping high-performing team members is crucial to the success of any organization.  And yet, hiring and retaining effectively is a major challenge – and a tremendous source of stress and anxiety – for far too many companies.  In this episode, we take a hard look at factors that contribute to employee retention (or lack thereof), and discuss what employers can do to start hiring and retaining better – starting immediately. 

Bringing her expertise to the discussion is Tanya Lauer, Founder & CEO of Above the Tree Line Consulting Group.  Tanya’s specialty is elevating the performance of teams and organizations through culture transformation, employee engagement, and more.  She works closely with Jackie to solve the hiring and retention challenges of clients nationwide, and brings valuable insights and perspective on this topic.  Tanya is also the Chair of a CEO peer group through Vistage, connecting CEOs who want to become better leaders and accelerate the growth of their companies.  

Guest Info:
Tanya Lauer
Founder & CEO, Above the Tree Line Consulting Group
www.riseabovethetreeline.com
[email protected]
774-280-0475

Host Info:
Jackie Ducci
Founder & CEO, Ducci & Associates
www.ducciassociates.com
[email protected]
202-701-8360

006 - Experience vs. Personality - Which One Matters More?

Spoiler Alert: the answer is personality (and by a landslide!)

When job seeking, of course technical qualifications matter. But savvy employers tune into personality right away, and tend to weigh it more heavily in their hiring decisions. If Candidate A has a mediocre skill set but an extremely likeable demeanor and Candidate B has incredible experience but presents in a way that is off-putting, the former will receive the offer – nearly every single time. There are many reasons for this, all of which we’ll be exploring in this episode.

Weighing in on the discussion is EVP of Ducci Electrical Contractors, Inc. (and Jackie’s brother!), John Ducci. John and Jackie have collaborated on many hiring decisions over the past decade, John from the employer seat and Jackie as the third party recruiter. Together, they have seen it all (the good, the bad, and the ugly) when it comes to candidate interviews.  Their stories, and John’s insight, will shed bright light on why personality is such an important factor to hiring managers as they evaluate candidates, and why it can easily make or break someone’s chances of receiving a job offer.

Lots of great info coming your way in this episode – enjoy! 

Guest Info:
John Ducci
EVP, Ducci Electrical Contractors, Inc.
www.duccielectrical.com

005 – Laid Off During COVID-19? Now What?!

It's been 5 months since the pandemic has turned our world upside-down.  In a flash, we went from a booming economy that felt unstoppable to one of staggeringly high unemployment. Businesses of all sizes and across many industries have been crippled, or forced to close altogether. And unfortunately, millions of capable, loyal people have lost their jobs as a result.

It has been a scary time, to say the least. But how we respond to the situation at hand will have a tremendous impact on how we come out of it (and how we fare once we're on the other side). Mindset, motivation, and being intentional about our actions can make all the difference between floundering for the foreseeable future vs. landing on our feet sooner than later.

In this episode, we're speaking with Marisa Galdi. Despite being a dedicated, superstar employee with a tenure of nearly 15 years with the same company (!), Marisa was caught up in COVID-19 layoffs in May of 2020. Throughout the whole ordeal, she has been navigating the terrible situation with grace, poise, and grit. She walks us through how on earth she's managed to do that, and shares her best tips for those who are also displaced, struggling, and looking to better their own situations.

If your job security been impacted by the pandemic in any way, shape, or form, this is an interview you won't want to miss.

Guest Contact Info:
Marisa Galdi
Learning & Development professional
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisagaldi/
[email protected]

004 – Enthusiasm Counts! Why it’s the #1 Reason You Will (or Won’t) Get the Job

Did you know that your level of enthusiasm (or lack thereof) as a job seeker can 100% make or break your chances of getting the offer letter?  It’s a fact!  So, why do so few candidates understand or embrace the importance of enthusiasm?  Why do they go into the hiring process “playing it cool,” when that’s actually the worst thing they could do? 

There is a lot of bad advice out there, and in this episode we’re here to dispel all of it – by speaking to an employer himself!  Today we’re speaking with John Boit, Senior Founding Partner at Melwood Global.  John has made his fair share of hires over the years, and he has some very strong opinions about what makes a great impression vs. what instantly eliminates a candidate from consideration. 

In our discussion, enthusiasm is the core theme.  We dig deep into this critical element of job seeking, answering questions such as: how can candidates show enthusiasm in an appropriate way?  Why is that important?  What exactly should people do at each phase of the application process to make a great impression? 

This is a fantastic discussion packed with incredible, actionable tips.  Job seekers who effectively apply them will surely see an uptick in their success rate in attracting interviews and offers. 

Guest Contact Info:
John Boit
Senior Founding Partner, Melwood Global
www.melwoodglobal.com
[email protected]

003 – The Four Most Common Reasons Hires Fall Apart in the Eleventh Hour

Here’s the scenario: an employer advertises a fantastic open position, and before long, a great candidate surfaces and does really well in the interview process.  Both sides fall in love, everyone has the warm and fuzzies, and before long an offer letter is on the table.  Everybody is excited to get the deal done and live happily ever after.  

And then?  BOOM.  Suddenly, something goes down, and the hire falls apart.  The train has derailed – permanently.  The candidate or the employer (or both) are left feeling totally frustrated and angry, and everyone is forced to begin the hiring process or the job search all over again.  

It is the absolute worst!  And unfortunately, it happens all the time.  But why?  And is it preventable?   

For answers, today we are speaking with Kristi Dean.  Kristi is an experienced recruiter who has seen it all when it comes to hiring scenarios of all kinds – the good, the bad, and the ugly.  In this episode, she discusses the most common reasons why a candidate goes running for the hills – or an employer rescinds an offer – in the 11th hour of a hiring process.  

Tune in and take notes to ensure that this awful experience never happens to you!

Guest Contact Info:
Kristi Dean
VP of Partnerships & Talent, Ducci & Associates
www.ducciassociates.com
[email protected]

002 - How to Use LinkedIn Like a Rockstar

You probably have a LinkedIn profile.  But… do you understand how to actually put it to work for you?  

If asked what makes a great LinkedIn profile, or what hiring managers want to see on a job candidate’s LinkedIn, could you answer either of those questions with any degree of confidence?  What are hiring managers thinking about YOUR content when they come across it (and yes – they are looking!)  

In this episode, we turn to Abagale Burk for answers.  Abagale is a professional recruiter who spends her days mining for candidates on LinkedIn for jobs with all different kinds of employers.  She’s seen tens of thousands of LinkedIn profiles, and knows her stuff when it comes to what makes a great impression vs. what falls flat.  She also discusses how LinkedIn can attract opportunities to you (even when you are not actively applying for jobs), and why that can be a total game changer for your career.  

If you are actively on the job market or think you might be at any point in the future, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.  

Guest Contact Info:
Abagale Burk
VP of Partnerships & Talent, Ducci & Associates
www.ducciassociates.com
[email protected]

001 - Trailer 
Welcome to Almost Hired: the show about all things related to hiring, and getting hired!