Lifelong career planners – I love my clients #2

Photo by Luz A. Villa

Building relationships with my clients is important to me. I need to understand their goals, dreams, objectives, and concerns about their job search to create an effective career marketing strategy.

My relationships with many of my clients extend far beyond their initial job target. It becomes an interactive synergy that benefits both the client and myself.

I love clients who get the concept that getting current job is just step in the process. I still find myself amazed when I see someone who has a clear plan to learn certain skills in one area, then progress to another for different skills, and onward toward a lifelong career path (which could be in multiple fields).

Those people understand how to thrive during economic challenges because they continue to stay on top of what is changing in the world and technology. If a door slams shut, they find another to open.

I love clients who have drive, enthusiasm, compassion, and a curious mind. I love clients who care about their world and want to make a difference, and more so have already jumped in with both feet to change what they can around them.

My client, Anna, is one of those. Newly graduated with her Bachelor’s degree, she was referred to me by her coworker in my agent’s State Farm insurance office in July 2008.

Anna is driven. She continued studying the insurance field while with State Farm and now holds multiple insurance licenses. At the same time, she pursued her recently completed Masters in Business Administration.

Anna is always learning and connecting. Anna moved on to become an administrative professional at the new Wausau location of Rasmussen College. After we connected on Facebook and she asked if I would help finding a resource to write career-related articles for the Wausau campus’s monthly newsletter. I volunteered to write and she introduced me to the leadership at Rasmussen at a lunch to see what role I might have with their career fair.

I love Anna’s compassionate heart. When a young relative was tragically killed in a bike accident at the age of 13, Anna helped to organize the non-profit created by her family to champion bicycle safety, Brandon’s Champions, giving presentations at area schools to teach children how to be safe when riding their bikes. Together, the family raised funds through an annual golf outing / silent auction to promote bicycle helmet safety and emergency medical carrier systems.

Anna is curious. Recently, she stopped by to touch base, share ideas, and discuss social media strategies. She already uses LinkedIn and Facebook and writes for the Rasmussen College Facebook page. She asked about my recent trip to Baltimore for the Career Thought Leaders Conference and as I was sharing about that conference, I told her that I am also going to Career Management Alliance Conference in New Orleans at the end of the month.

I showed her the conference brochure and told her one reason for going was to hear Richard Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute. I pulled out the my 2004 version and told her I wanted to get the 2010 version before I leave for the conference.

When I went out to mail a letter, I was surprised to find the 2010 version in my mailbox with a card from Anna saying thank you. What a sweet surprise!

Clients like Anna who understand that their career spans a lifetime and who continually invest in their future through education, reading, and asking questions are my favorite kinds of clients. I love clients who are committed to improving themselves and their community and view a career as a path they are on, not a single job goal.

Thank you, Anna, not only for the gift of the book, but for the gift of your spirit which inspires me to keep focused on learning more to share with you and my other clients.