Career Transition
From Sr. V.P. in Financial Services to Executive Director of a Non-Profit
After 35 years of advancement in the corporate world, Jim, (not his real name) a senior V.P. for an international financial services corporation, was faced with a difficult choice. At the age of 60, did he want to seek out the next rung on the corporate ladder, or retire? Or, did he want to do something else? To help him sort through a variety of conflicting thoughts and emotions, Jim hired Mino.
“From the very beginning, Jim expressed a clear desire to give back something to society in return for all the blessings he had received throughout his life,” explained Mino. “As we worked together, Jim got to know himself better, gaining clarity on his values and life purpose. His desire to ‘make a difference’ was so strong, I suggested to Jim that one way to give back was in the non-profit arena. To explore this possibility, Jim started volunteering at several non-profits in his town. He enjoyed the work and soon his well-honed management skills were noticed and he was asked to join the Boards of Directors of two of the organizations. Jim loved board work and decided he wanted to become a leader in the non-profit world.
First, Jim rewrote his resume, listing his transferable skills and management experience under his non-profit work while minimizing his financial services background. Then, Jim began his job search. As he explored various opportunities, he further refined his goals to include working with kids, and working with them in the great out-of-doors. That revelation led Jim to pursue, and win, the position of Executive Director of a faith-based, non-profit that takes inner city kids to a ranch in Colorado to go on hikes, ride horses, camp out, and sing around campfires. The week long experience is lots of fun and builds the kids up, both physically and spiritually. An avid mountain climber, biker, and kayaker, Jim is a custom-fit for this position.
Describing the role Mino played in helping him gain clarity on his goals and aspirations, and land a job that was right for him, Jim shared that “…[Mino] is much more than a career coach; she is a confidant and advisor who knows me better than most. She was able to pull things out of me that I didn’t know existed deep inside. As a result of working with Mino, I know myself much better, am doing work I love and making the difference I want to make.” And, by the way, how is it going? Several months after joining the organization, Jim was promoted from Executive Director to CEO, a change the adds management of the association’s Charitable Foundation to his roster of duties. Life doesn’t get any better than that!