Tell us about yourself and your career.
My name is Joseph Turkowski and my background and undergraduate education focus were Math/Computer Science. After graduating, I began my career as an Actuary Trainee. From there, I moved to tech support, tech training, systems administration, project management, and then management. Next, I planned and executed a career transition to Human Resources. An HR opportunity became available, and I transitioned to an HR Manager role. I have been in HR for 10+ years now. An unusual and fairly unique career path!
Why were you looking for a job?
I was looking for a new opportunity closer to home.
How did you discover PAGCG?
My network connection, Ken Lang, introduced me to Lynne Williams and we met at a deli in New York City before she headed to LinkedIn to meet with a group of veterans. Lynne shared information about Philadelphia Area Great Careers Groups(PAGCG) services and what it offers.
How did PAGCG help you in your job search?
PAGCG helped in many ways; here are just a few:
· Expanded my network in the Philadelphia market
· Fine-tuned and polished my resume
· Fine-tuned and updated my LinkedIn profile
How did you find your job? How long did it take?
I found my job posted on LinkedIn. My job search was approximately three months.
What kept you motivated during the job search, especially during the downtimes?
Networking and learning kept me motivated. I expanded my network groups outside of Central NJ and NYC. I took several leadership classes on LinkedIn, volunteered as a Career Advisor, and supported a disabled family member.
What were the lessons that you learned during your job search?
Never give up, always stay positive, take breaks, and pace your job search. Think of it as a marathon versus a sprint.
Do you have any networking tips or tricks that you can share?
Measure your success and adjust if you do not produce the results you desire. For example, if your goal is to meet three new people at the next networking event, seek out those you may be able to help. Send an introduction email to connect on LinkedIn and share your knowledge of what may help them. Measure your response rate and adjust as needed.
What will you do in your new role?
My new role is an HR Business Partner supporting our Engineering and Project Management teams. My focus is on building trusted relations across the employee life cycle from recruiting, onboarding, career growth, and development, to retirement.
What is one takeaway or nugget of wisdom that you would like to share?
Track and measure your job search success weekly. Adjust as needed. As a Bronze member, there are several job search trackers available.
