Brandon, 38

25% Quality Engineer

Title: Quality Engineer

Situation: Brandon had been searching unsuccessfully on his own for 5 months. He was tired of doing a great job, then getting laid off because the company had no long-term commitment to quality.

Strategy: We rebranded Brandon from Quality Assurance to Operations—a job that is much more stable, and better paying. We reworked his resume, combining short-term jobs under the banner of “Contract Projects.” With coaching, his career story switched from “woe is me” to the positive changes he had created in former jobs. We even negotiated a $4,000 signing bonus to clear up the debt he incurred while out of work!

New Position: Plant Manager

Days in Search: 112

Old Salary: $67K
New Salary: $84K (25% Increase)