Guest Profile:

Stu Kendall, Seeking a job in Product Management

Previous Experience: Nielsen

Studied marketing at Michigan State University

Things to keep in mind for people who want to make a career jump:

You do not need to make a career jump if you hate your job or company - you can make a career jump for positive reasons

There is so much more out there than what you are aware of. Each company operates so differently and has many jobs that you wouldn’t even know about based on your knowledge of your current company

Even if you know you’re going to leave a company far in advance, there is no need to give them anything more than a typical two week notice

It is important to control the rumor mill when you decide to leave a job

Many people move companies right after bonuses are paid out, and companies are expecting this to occur

Things to keep in mind for people interviewing for jobs:

Don’t apply for the roles you think you should get; if you don’t have experience in a certain role, you won’t have success applying for those jobs

Messaging strangers on LinkedIn helped Stu get an in with a company and have a real conversation about the company and the job

Staying organized while interviewing for jobs will help you keep track of the opportunities you have applied for and what was discussed during interviews

HR is skilled at having salary negotiations, so do your homework and be prepared to hold these discussions

In thinking about your salary expectations, consider what you think your value is worth for a given company, role, and market, not what you used to make

Coming in high on a salary expectation mitigates the risk of getting low-balled

Be prepared with your salary expectations going into every interview, as you will get asked

Rapid Fire-Round:

What Stu wanted to be when he was a kid: Professional skier

Best resource for career-related information: Your network

What helps Stu when he has a bad day at work: A walk outside 

Stu’s memory that is worth sharing from his past year of experiences: Working at an elephant, dog, and cat rescue center and helping heal a dog and get it ready to be adopted

Best part of Stu’s day today: Going to the gym with no one else in the gym

Advice:

Read more; you grow your vocabulary and better understand concepts (Note: Stu is currently reading, and recommends “Let My People Go Surfing” by Yvon Chouinard)

As much as big companies show that they love you, they will cut you just as fast, and you need to keep your best interests at heart

Why should someone consider making a drastic jump with their life/career?

It is a forcing function to make you reflect on all aspects of your life

Get in touch with Stu Kendall.