3 things I learned from getting fired

First a little background. I was working for a company called NuStep in Ann Arbor Michigan. I was a marketing analyst and I thought I had my career strategy in place. I had recently started my MBA and had planned to finish my degree and then move into a marketing manager position for a fitness manufacturer and to work my way up the chain in the fitness industry. Than all that changed when NuStep hired a new marketing manager, up to that point I had reported to the VP of Sales and Marketing and was primarily a sales analyst and occasionally did some marketing. This new manager started us doing true traditional marketing and planning. I quickly realized as did my boss that this was not my calling. I was terrible at the details of marketing and I was miserable. These two things being terrible and miserable led to my being let go from that job.

Luckily I knew the time was coming and had been preparing by looking for a new job. I was also given the gift of learning that traditional marketing is not something I want to do with my career. Sadly I know far too many people who hate going to work every day but they do it any way because they feel stuck. I do not want to be that person. So now I come to what I learned from getting fired:

1. Look to do something that you love and makes a difference. During this time that I hated going to work I started to pray and seek God's help in knowing what he would have me do. One Sunday while I was in church I remembered a plan I had several years earlier but had never seriously considered it an option for me to become an entrepreneur. As with many young men and women who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I served a mission for the church. I was blessed to have served in the Philippines.  I met amazing people who lived in extreme poverty and I wanted to go back and start small business in those areas I had served to help create opportunities for these families to move out of poverty. I also remembered a video I had watched about a company called Krochet Kids International about the founders of that incredible company. They built a business where women in Uganda would knit hats and these friends would sell the hats online.  All these thoughts came to me while sitting in church and I realized this is what my long term goal is. I want to build a business that makes a difference in helping people come out of poverty in a country I came to know and love while I was living their as a missionary.
2. The keys to getting a job.  I have had the opportunity to been under-or-unemployed 4 times since graduating college in 2007. I started out with Marriott and realized I wasn't happy in the hospitality industry so I left to go to Borders books as an analyst and I loved the company and what I did but was laid off. than I took the first job I could that I thought had growth potential with FranklinCovey as a retail store assistant manager. This was also not the job or industry for me. (As a side note for those that make hospitality, retail or restaurants their career I am deeply grateful to you because I learned these are not where I am supposed to be.) All this experience of looking for employment I have learned some key points:
1. Figure out what job title or company you would be the best fit for based on your experience and pursue that position with with laser like focus.
2. Use Linkedin to it's full potential. Post a picture fill out every section and if possible purchase the job seeker account that allows you to reach out to professionals.
3. Use the job description to write your resume and cover letter. I read the job description and than if I have experience that fits the job responsibilities or requirements I copy and paste into my resume and than use true facts to back up that claim. A cover letter is a great way to talk about what things qualify you for the job. 
1. I have a list of about a dozen well written paragraphs that give a key experience from my career. each of these paragraphs state a problem how a solution was reached and the results of that solution. Use quantifiable data when possible. Here is an example of one of mine. 

"As Assistant Manager, responsible for 160 employees at a highly respected Fortune 500 hospitality company; took initiative to develop and maintain databases, using MS Access and Excel, to track employee performance and evaluate customer satisfaction surveys. Based on this analysis, I created an employee rewards program, which led to increased employee morale and a dramatic 14% improvement in guest satisfaction surveys. This system allowed management to focus on specific problem areas and saved more than 728 hours of management time annually."  



4. Use the Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters book to really land a dream job. It is full of amazing ideas.
5. Use your network and reach out beyond your network and simple ask professionals for informational interviews. People love to talk about themselves and most love to give advice so use those that are where you want to be to learn how to get there.
3. I learned what I don't want to do or be. I have been laid off twice and fired twice and when getting fired I learned what kind of boss I don't want to be. I know I want to be a boss that understands people and wants to to help and love them. Does that mean I wouldn't fire them No! Sometimes the loving thing to do is to let someone go. I was never comfortable approaching either boss that fired me to ask for guidance or help in improving my performance because of the wall they they created of I'm the boss and your the subordinate. I am not one who blames others or wants a pity party I simply learned that a great boss and I have had great bosses that held me accountable and I appreciated that but they did it in a way that I learned and was inspired to be better. While after I had a conversation with my "other" bosses I came out wanting to swap stories with another co-worker thus creating a toxic environment. So I learned what type of boss not to be when the days comes for me to lead a team. I am glad I got out of those situations and I have learned from them. Also remember when you are looking for a new job you are interviewing the boss and company to make sure it is the right fit for you.  

In conclusion don't feel bad for me I have a great job with TRW an automotive supplier that is a truly global company with lots of future opportunities and I have a great boss. I am still pursuing my MBA but with an emphasis in International business. My goal is to begin setting up my business once I am out of school and move into it full time in about 10 years.

-Nate Shepherd