HIRED LEARNING: Nancy Cole – Employed Again Through Faith, PSGCNJ and Networking

By Candace Waller
Nancy Cole landed a position as Quality Assurance/Project Management at Whitehouse Analytical Laboratories in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. She started the job on September 10, 2012, after a ten month transition. Strong faith, PSGCNJ, networking, staying positive, and taking care of herself, supported Nancy through her career transition.
Nancy accessed the position through networking and advises others in transition: “Everyone has to know you’re looking for work so they can help you. My sister Diane networked shamelessly on my behalf. I got this job through somebody she knew from her church. They sent my resume to the Quality Manager at Whitehouse Analytical.”
When Nancy had her first interview on June 6, the position was still in the process of being created and there was no job description. Using everything she learned at PSGCNJ about interviewing. She “stayed very positive even when the interviewer told me that the position was temporary with no benefits. I kept telling him what I could do for the company and I believe that’s what made the difference.”
Nancy didn’t hear back from the company until August 30: “In the meantime I just kept going forward, sending out my resume, and increasing my involvement with PSGCNJ. On August 30th I received an email saying they were moving forward with filling the position and asking if I was still interested. I went in for the second interview on September 5 and was told the job would be full-time with benefits.”
A committed volunteer with PSGCNJ during her transition, Nancy is very grateful for all the people she met through meetings and events during her job search. PSGCNJ helped her “stay connected, positive and focused during her transition, giving her a routine and a reason to get out of bed in the morning.”
The week she joined PSGCNJ she started volunteering with the Training Committee. “I chose (Training) because I did training in my professional life. I like to speak in front of people. Being involved in training kept my public speaking skills sharp.”
Nancy is confident that her PSGCNJ experience will be helpful in her new position: “Everything that I learned at PSGCNJ is what I bring to my current job, particularly being able to work with people, showing up, and being accountable, organized and completing assigned tasks.”
Her advice to people in transition: “Get connected your first day at PSGCNJ, do not wait; network with people there. Self-care is critical: take the best care of yourself that you can. You can do it. One day at a time.”