Lester Washington, Applications Analyst III, St. Louis Metro Police Department
Lester Washington is another former member of GO! Network St. Louis who successfully used the organization’s resources to help secure a new position as an Applications Analyst III with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Previously employed as a Systems Development Manager for Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Lester spent six 6 months searching for a company that needed someone with his expertise.
Like many other workers displaced during the current recession, he learned that the job market landscaped had changed but quickly adapted to new methods for acquiring leads and marketing himself to prospective employers. Lester formed an action plan and set it in motion. He regularly visited the Indeed.com website to search for employment opportunities in his field, created a profile on LinkedIn, and leveraged his memberships in alumni organizations. He sent a message to his family and friends, telling them his work situation had changed and asking them to tell him about any vacancies at their workplaces that might be a good fit for him. Friends who were conducting their own job searches provided him with leads and introduced him to important contacts.
During his search, Lester was surprised by the amount of assistance he received from others. “People offered me advice, networked with me, and reach out in a variety of ways, “ he said. “Several networking organizations were very helpful, and the contacts I made through them helped me reach hiring managers and decision makers.”
He found the GO! Network to be especially helpful. He benefited from the speakers who came to educate, motivate and otherwise help members with job search activities. “They brought in HR professionals to help us prepare for interviews,“ Lester said. “We were able to ask them questions to find out what they looked for in a candidate, what’s important to them from a corporate perspective, and how we should navigate the interview processes.”
Lester recommends that job seekers find an organization like the GO! Network, use it to network with people in the same situation who understand what they’re experiencing, and learn how best to you structure their job search. Creating a plan, implementing it, and sharing support with their peers will help those in transition avoid feeling overwhelmed and remain optimistic.
Congratulations, Lester, and thank you for sharing your success story with us!