HIRED LEARNING: Germania Pena Spaulding’s Message of Hope

by Frances Chaves
Germania Pena Spaulding assumed her new job as Assistant Vice President at Deutsche Bank on September 4, 2012. She had been looking since March 31. “I always had my ears open but had not officially submitted my resume to any institution or recruiter. I was looking to “officially” start in September,” she said.
Networking was the key to Germania’s successful landing: “I always let people know what I was looking for and was always willing to have the conversation regardless of whether they thought the job might be something that suited me or not. I did not want anyone else making a decision for me.”
A friend from Germania’s previous job ran into the new postion’s hiring manager on the train and recommended Germania. The friend provided Germania with the contact information and she submitted her resume. Germania had a forty minute phone interview with one of the hiring Managing Directors then was contacted by Human Resources for a face-to-face interview. She met with the direct hiring manager (Vice President level), one other team member, and met the Managing Director just to recap and wrap up the interview session. At the end of this conversation, Germania was told that the next steps would be managed by Human Resources.
Germania is very grateful for the support she received at PSGCNJ: “I wanted to be part of a group other than my outplacement services. I wanted to meet others who were also in transition. (PSGCNJ’s) different seminars, especially the one on ageism, and meeting visiting recruiters, provided me with a positive outlook and the knowledge that I was not the only one in my field looking for work. Believe it or not, it is difficult to know people in transition but it also makes you think out of the box regarding the skills that are in transition.”
An important lesson Germania takes to her new job from PSGCNJ is that “transition can happen more often than planned. I have learned that there are many outlets out there if you are in transition and one can count on support.”
Germania’s advice to job-seekers:

• Do not lose HOPE!!!
• Just go and be yourself, let them know that you are experienced and know your topic and field.
• Let them know that you are comfortable in your own skin and that you are ready for the challenges ahead.
• Be yourself! If you can accept a job that will just get you in the door, you can then rise to other position(s) more desired, better pay, more suitable for you; but get yourself in the door.
• The jobs are sometimes the same but with a different title name. Ask, dig for the information, and ask for the job.
• There are new terms, lingo for the same work that has been done for years but with technology it changes a little. Most of us who are over 40 plus years old have the experience; we just need to update ourselves with some technology, software pertaining to your field. Trust me, in the finance world it is hard to find someone with Trade Finance knowledge (Letters of Credit for imports, export, export collection, etc.)  This is all I needed to know to get the job! The rest will come with training and exposure at the job!
• Have Hope, Faith, Be Confident, and Pray (whatever your religious background).
• Thank you to all and the best of luck to each new member, existing member and anyone crossing through that Blessed door.

We wish Germania all the best in her new position!