I started at Microsoft in 1999. I'd love to tell you that I started right out of college but I already had several years of experience by that point. Yep, I'm an old. I left Microsoft in 2011. During my entire career there, I was in staffing, but I was in a bunch of different roles - at first hiring tech, then marketing across a bunch of different organizations. I managed teams, got to do some cool compete work, trained hundreds of recruiters and assorted other stuff.
Back in 2004, I started a blog that got a bit of attention. Then I became "Heather at Microsoft" or "that Staffing blogger". Throughout my time in recruiting, I had always been drawn to the candidate experience and I wanted to use the blog to help candidates learn more about working at Microsoft, up their job search game and make good career choices. And I wanted to make people laugh. I am an only child and clearly I didn't get enough attention growing up.
Almost every recruiter I know got into recruiting by accident - it wasn't something they knew they would be doing but at some point, the opportunity made itself available and they took it. Then it turned into a career. That's what happened to me. What really attracted me to, and kept me interested in, a career in recruiting was the idea that I was helping people navigate a really important decision in their lives. Other people could handle the relationships with the hiring managers. Me? I was all about the candidate. And hopefully that came through on One Louder. It was the best part of my job.
After folks started taking notice of the blog, my career forked. I got the opportunity to really focus on candidates and programs that would help Microsoft find and engage them better. Over time, this started to feel more and more like marketing and I was learning a lot and then...well...I found that what I really wanted to do wasn't available to me at Microsoft. I was BORED. 2011. Hamilton out.
Leaving Microsoft was hard but once I did, I re-discovered my juju. I realized that what I was really good at was helping companies connect with people online and I started working for myself. It's been pretty awesome. I've worked with large and small companies and have gotten to do some cool stuff like develop social media strategies, re-brand and build a company's online presence from scratch, do lots of audience research and create messaging strategies, and develop end-to-end employment branding strategies and programs. I'm super engaged in my work and am thankful to be doing what I'm doing. I had 12 great years at the borg, but I have to admit that the best blog post I ever wrote was the last one.
I had intended to keep blogging after I left but found it hard to dedicate the time. I miss having blog conversations and, as much as I know my clients appreciate me, I miss the satisfaction of helping people navigate a career change. I'm not interested in being in a recruiting role again. Now it seems my work often kind of sits at the intersection of marketing and staffing, so I guess I feel like I'm still in a position to help people.
So as I am reading about the new round of RIFs at Microsoft, and even thinking about my own career change, I felt inspired to start blogging a little bit (I'm thinking about this as a pop-up blog: single purpose and when it's used up, I shall move on), open up my network and help people. Because being RIFed sucks, and finding a new job is stressful even under the best of circumstances.
So Microsoft folks, either RIFed or concerned about being RIFed in the future, here's how I can help you:
- Feel free to email me your resume (heather(dot)hamilton(at)whizbangsolutions(dot)net). Bandwidth allowing (and we are talking evenings and weekends here for the most part), I will review your resume and provide some feedback. It would be harder for me to have phone calls but the email I can for sure do - at least to start.
- At the top of my website is a reference guide on how to maximize your LinkedIn profile for visibility. It doesn't tell how to choose the right words, but how to ensure that you are filling in all the info that the LinkedIn search algorithm smiles upon favorably. I guarantee there's some stuff in there you hadn't thought of.
- I'm currently doing some employment brand consulting at Amazon. If Amazon is a company you would like to consider, I would be happy to share your information with their staffing teams. If you aren't interested in Amazon, it's also not a problem and our communication will stay between you and me. Just know that it's an option for you if you are interested and there's a benefit to having your resume go directly to the recruiter.
- Please connect with me on LinkedIn if you'd like. My network is massive and my network is your network. I'm pretty cool that way. Do searches and request introductions to anyone you want to talk to.
- I know tons of people in staffing. Having a fairly visible blog, hitting the speaking circuit and working at Microsoft for so long, I know so many people in the industry. If there are specific companies that interest you, let me know and I'll see if I have a contact I can introduce you to or get your resume to.
- And I'm happy to answer questions you have about your job search.
Here's what I can't do:
- As I mentioned, I'm consulting right now (and I also volunteer for a dog rescue) so my bandwidth is limited. So most of my communication is going to have to be off-hours and by email. If you ask for a phone call, I may have to say no. Don't get mad or I am going to start calling you by my ex-boyfriend's name.
- Please don't offer to pay me for anything. I can't create more hours in the day and as much as I have given loads of career advice and think there's value there, I don't want your money. Pay it forward.
- I am not a staffing agency. I won't find you a job or do practice interviews with you. If you want more personal, one on one job search coaching, I have a contact for that. And you don't need an agency.
All I ask is that if I end up helping you, will you let me know? And if you have specific questions on job-search related topics, please send them my way.
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