Changing jobs during a pandemic, curated tastes, music, and artist.
Hey there!
The sun crossing into the Northern Hemisphere created more space in my days, making my life design graceful and momentous. Starting a new job, consciously eating out, and a consistent Peloton routine has helped me be present at a greater level throughout the day.
Journeying into the startup world
Super exciting to share that I joined BlueVine, a FinTech company on a mission to help small businesses get access to innovative financial solutions. It wasn’t easy landing a job during the pandemic, and joining a company virtually was a new concept to me. My team made the process extremely seamless and engaging. Shout out to the BlueVine leadership for being just amazing.
If you’re in the process of looking for a new job, here are some things that worked for me:
Blocking off time to apply to new opportunities
I started to see more success with landing an interview when I maintained a consistent cadence of applying to jobs—even when I had interviews scheduled. Gotta keep your options open.
I blocked off 2 hours in a day (Monday through Thursday) to search for and apply to jobs. Other than LinkedIn, I would also browse Union Square Ventures, Built In NYC, AngelList, and NEA.
Being selective of the opportunities I pursued
I knew that my experiences (both professional and personal) needed to align with the roles I was applying for, which meant not just applying for any and every job post I saw. I started working on fine-tuning my story and exploring what I’m interested in and why. This helped improve my skill sets outside of my 9 to 5—which I believe was the key to helping me change industries. The truth is, recruiters and hiring managers can be hesitant to hire someone from a different industry. Find ways to curate a story and toolbox so that you can articulate why you’re a strong candidate and how your different experiences are a culture-add. Whether that means learning a new digital CRM tool, building new relationships, or exploring something you’re passionate about.
Being open about my deal breakers and direct with my questions during the interview
It’s a great way to weed out companies that won’t foster the environment you want/need. After all, why put yourself into a situation you don't want to be in? Making the interview a two-way street sheds more light on the team culture, and can potentially save you a lot of time.
A Sense of Taste
Just wanted to share some restaurants and places to grab a bite in cities I’ve spent time in recently:
Denver
Miami
New York City
Also, Daily Harvest has become essential to my morning routine—it’s a healthy food delivery service that makes the best smoothies. It’s easy to make, so delicious, and healthy! I highly recommend trying the Mint + Cacao, Chocolate + Blueberry, and Chai + Coconut. Use the code RE-YEKMLBM for $25.
An Inspiring Artist
Deborah Czeresko—NY-based artist and winner of the Netflix reality show “Blown Away.” Her work orbits around the theme of food, which is why I love it so much. A talent that is so exciting to watch.