HIRED LEARNING: Laura Fields Goes the Extra Mile

By Pamela Williams
After seven months, Laura Fields, a Programs and Networking Committee member, landed after literally going the extra mile.
She built her successful job-search tool kit that included:
· Notes from the PSGCNJ five-day training classes
· Tips received from the Monday morning general meetings
· A TMP (Transactional Marketing Plan)
When Laura got two job offers, she skillfully negotiated keeping both assignments on her terms – consecutively. She landed a temporary three-month assignment with Johnson & Johnson in Morris Plains and a permanent position to follow immediately thereafter with Commissioning Agents Inc. (CAI), a consulting company. She starts in January, 2012.
The CAI opportunity resulted from a networking lead. The whole process took about two months. A friend Laura re-connected with at a networking meeting passed her credentials to another associate who was hiring quality engineers. Laura’s first interview was with the vice president of the Northeast Region. For her second interview, Laura went the extra mile: the VP was flying home from Belgium with a stop-over in North Carolina. Laura flew to fly North Carolina, met the interviewer in an airport hotel lobby and then flew back to New Jersey, all in the same day!
Upon her return, Laura was offered the temporary position that she promptly accepted. When she finally received an offer from CAI, Laura had a fortunate dilemma. Laying all her cards on the table, she negotiated terms that will allow her to start with CAI on completion of the three-month assignment.
Congratulations, Laura, on both landings!