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BY Joel Junker

Cameron-Brooks Candidate Success and Satisfaction – Part II

After I published my previous blog post “JMO Headhunter – Candidate Success and Satisfaction,” http://blog.cameron-brooks.com/2010/04/08/jmo-headhunter-candidate-success-and-satisfaction/, I received an e-mail from a Cameron-Brooks alumnus from last year’s April Conference and another Cameron-Brooks alumnus posted a “One Year Post Conference Reflections” on our Discussion Forums.  This e-mail and post further underscore my point of the high level of success and satisfaction of the JMOs who partner with Cameron-Brooks.  In my opinion, statistics could never tell the story like this e-mail and blog post do.

E-mail from Cameron-Brooks Alumnus, Joey Boni, One Year After Conference

(E-mail sent to Cameron-Brooks Recruiting Team Leader Alysha Metzger the day before our April 2010 Career Conference.  I had to take out his company’s name for privacy purposes.)

“Alysha,

I really have to apologize for the delay, the last few weeks have been hectic – but in a good way.  Steph and I are doing very well.  It is unbelievable to me that one year ago I was going through the C-B conference.  It seems like yesterday.  I have great news and a follow-up story to tell.  Please feel free to pass this to the team and/or share with the candidates going into the conference tomorrow.  Thank you again for all your help throughout this process.  Please let me know how I can help Cameron-Brooks.  People make the difference.

Team/Candidates,

I attended the April Cameron Brooks conference in 2009.  It was a stressful and mentally demanding time for my wife Stephanie and I as we were transitioning out of the Army.  Pushing through the conference I landed a sales leading to management position with a leading medical device company.  My first role was in Jacksonville, FL.  This position is more or less a training position that prepares you to take on your first territory.  The first challenge I faced was learning a new job in a completely different environment (not so different from what we are used to).  What I had to keep in mind was that relying on my past experience would be crucial to developing my confidence and effectiveness.  Shortly after starting the job my efforts began to pay off.  After three months I was offered to interview for a promotion and position with my own territory.  After long talks with my wife, I turned the offer down based on several factors.  I wanted to allow myself time to develop and grow to the point where I knew I would hit the ground running.  Four months later I was offered  another promotion and position in Pensacola/Destin, FL.  I am currently in the process of moving to Pensacola and eager to take on my new role.

To the C-B team, thank you again.  I consistently boast about your professionalism and hard work.  I see more JMOs and prior alumni in Corporate America than I ever thought I would – your reputation is consistent and undeniably strong.  To the candidates, consider yourself in the hands of true professionals who will absolutely deliver on their word, it is up to you to finish the job – you have what it takes.  Good luck and please feel free to reach out to me at any point.

Respectfully,

Joseph Boni
Full Line Sales Representative
Medical Device Company
joey_boni@hotmail.com

Post on Discussion Forums from Cameron-Brooks Alumnus

“Let me say first off, congratulations! If you’re reading this forum, you are already headed in the right direction. If Cameron-Brooks’ aim is to make a life-long corporate partner, they have been very successful in providing this former Air Force officer with not only a great job, but, as promised, a career.

My conference was just over one year ago, and I have to say without a doubt that this has been the fastest 365 days of my life. I would add that this has been the most tumultuous, surprising, stressful and rewarding year I’ve had. I would imagine the majority of my conference-mates would say the same.

I had a successful conference, with, several “yes” answers and multiple follow-up interviews. Ultimately, I ended up taking a job as a government account manager with Abbott Diabetes Care, a unit of Abbott Laboratories. It seems like just yesterday I was flying all over the place to interview with this company and that company, hoping for an offer. One year later, I am extraordinarily satisfied with my decision to trust my future to Cameron-Brooks.

Some words of advice:
1.) Reserve judgment on a company until you’ve had the opportunity to interview with them more than once. I remember one interviewer kept taking phone calls during the initial interview. He asked a few unexpected questions of me, and I fumbled through my response. Walking out of that first interview, I remember thinking that there was no way I was going to get a follow-up. Lo and behold, I did get a follow up. In the second interview (which was a panel interview), his demeanor, questions and methods were markedly different. Had I not given the company a second chance, I would have done myself a disservice.

2.) On that note, not all job opportunities are created equal–at least on paper. Reading through the materials you get on the first night of the conference, you will get a sense of the level of candidate that will be required for a particular position. Do not let that affect your preparation. You might be surprised that the one position that you thought you’d least want to take ends up being your #1 after you’ve had the opportunity to interview once or twice.

3.) If your interviewer or future boss happens to be a C-B alum, all the better. Once you’ve taken a job, it is very helpful to have someone looking out for your future. Your success reflects upon your boss, so it is in their best interests for you to be successful. Having that C-B (or military) connection can be a fantastic asset to your future promoteability. That being said, heed Roger’s advice and do not confine yourself to your group. Reach out personally and professionally to establish networks within your organization. Believe me, people will notice.

4.) Don’t pass up this opportunity because you want to “finish your education first.” During the conference, I remember one individual standing up and saying that he had been accepted to a prestigious business school, and wondered if he should take that opportunity, and then come back to look for a job. Roger responded that the current job market is not an MBA market, it’s an experience market. I have seen firsthand the truth of that. A friend of mine recently graduated from a very good business school with his MBA. However, he has spent the last 8 months looking for a job, because the market is saturated with experienced people. He is now probably the most over-qualified cashier on Ace Hardware’s payroll. C-B will give you access to jobs that you would be extremely hard-pressed to find on your own, with or without an MBA.

5.) Lastly, realize that once you take a job, you are likely very-well positioned for your future. I was surprised to find that I am one of the youngest people in our sales organization, most of whom are well-seasoned veterans. My job is one that is typically given to career sales/account managers, almost more of an account executive job than a sales job. Thus, I come into this position getting a lot of great experience right off the bat, and skipping several years’ worth of entry-level jobs. It is highly unlikely I could have had access to this level of position on my own, and that’s one of the key benefits of working with Cameron-Brooks.

Let me say in closing that for the first time in a long while, I am excited about my future. Yes, taking the plunge into the competitive, ever-changing and exciting landscape of the corporate world is a risk, but I think it’s a risk worth taking that will pay dividends for you and your family.

Dan”

You can read more postings like this on the Cameron-Brooks Discussion Forums at https://cbcrm.cameron-brooks.com and on the Cameron-Brooks Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cameron-Brooks-Junior-Military-Officer-Recruiting-to-Corporate-America/46847108365?v=app_6261817190

Joel Junker