3 Job Search Lessons Learned by Barry Chovitz

How he got a job - and you can too - by looking every and being open to new opportunities

Like, well, pretty much everyone, I was furloughed from my role with a USAID contractor. With the stop work orders (SWO) arriving, my organization was forced to furlough staff.

I am Barry Chovitz, and I felt lucky that my employer was able to keep me at 75% for the first two weeks. I started my job search right away and jumped on applying to roles.

After 2 weeks, due a lack of payment for overdue invoices, my organization had no choice but to put me on full furlough, while maintaining my employment and health insurance.

My Erratic Job Search Start

At first, my strategy was all over the map.

I applied to roles in project management, data analytics, training and development, with vague titles like "Director - Proj/Prog" and to organizations where I had almost no contacts.

In 58 days, I had applied to 29 roles.

I got 1 screening call for an exciting role from a recruiter who then ghosted me. I got another screening call because I happened to have a cousin who knew the guy running the place. And then nothing else.

I know I should have joined a job search council (Wayan did offer many times...)

My emotional strategy was to pay attention to Wayan's postings. I joined Career Pivot pretty early in the process and took comfort in all the sorrow, especially the honesty from Wayan himself. I will forever be grateful for that.

My Focused Job Search Success

But then, in 10 days from start to finish, I had a new role.

Given that the average job seeker takes 6 months, and that I was looking for a role outside development, I feel lucky to have found a place so quickly.

I get that your mileage may vary (YMMV) and that everyone's needs and wants are different.

For example, I'm old enough to:

• Have worked in the field for more than 30 years,

• Worry about age discrimination,

• Be planning seriously for retirement

Yet here 3 things I learned from this experience that I hope will be of use to others:

1. Pay Reduction is Real

All of the jobs I really wanted and thought I'd be good at paid significantly less than I had been earning. But they really felt like much better roles than any others. The roles that paid as well or better just didn't seem as clear for me.

My lesson: Be prepared for the possibility (probability) of a reduction in pay is a consequence of changing fields, among other factors. And remember that the alternative is earning nothing while spending your emergency savings, so the reduction may not be that severe.

2. Look Everywhere

My wife works for an association. They have pretty structured titles and hierarchies and nicely-defined roles and responsibilities, e.g., my wife does meeting planning and, within that, is currently in the logistics specialty. She suggested I look at domestic association jobs. On a whim, I submitted a resume for the job I just got.

My lesson: Competition is intense in the usual places. Gates Foundation cannot hire us all. Look in places maybe others aren't looking, or at least be open to sources you haven't considered.

3. Focus on Your Passion

Not only was my strategy all over the map, so was my resume. I had resumes for multiple roles, and all of them devoid of my experience working internationally.

Are you, like me, trying for jobs in anything? I was going for:

• data analysis,

• demand planning,

• project management,

• training and development,

What worked? The resume that actually said what I knew I was passionate about and did best - training and development.

And when I got to the interview and mentioned my international experience, that's the part they were most excited about: how I could help them expand in the international market. It all happened within 10 days, because everything was resonating for both sides.

My lesson: Sure, I have many skill sets, but when I focused on my training experiences, my passion was clear. Have a version of your resume that says what you do best and are most passionate about. And don't under-value your international experience.

• What is a lesson you’ve learned so far?

Career Pivot is My Guide

I love receiving the ping from Substack in the morning telling me that the day's Career Pivot post is available. And I'm glad that, for now, I don't need to actively participate - but this is a community that I won't just leave.

Like Wayan, I'd love to know that more people in this space have landed their next role, whatever form that might be - a job, retirement, or a new passion.

While I hope this role will work out, I also know that it may not be the perfect fit. But, for now, I am wishing everyone the best in their journey.