About Pat O’Donnell
Like most of you I have been out of work unexpectedly a couple of times in life. I took a next job out of fear of being out of work and found myself in a couple of jobs that were okay, but I didn’t love them.
Then I took a sabbatical to take care of a family member and used that time to figure out how to improve my job satisfaction rate for the future. The epiphany was to realize that if I invested a lot more time up front figuring out which were the correct companies and jobs to apply to, I would be a lot happier in the role AND be perceived as more valuable by the company.
I have spent years exploring the process of improving job matches. My work is now fun and rewarding in a way I had not imagined possible. Let me share that learning with you.
If you look at my resume, it says I was a marketing executive who later became a recruiter and career counselor. In practice, what I do these days has not changed much in the last 30 odd years. I use the skills I once used to market soap and cell phones to teach people how to market themselves to an employer. I market corporations to difficult-to-attract employees.
East coast truths
It is apparently pretty obvious to my professional contacts that I grew up on the East Coast in an atmosphere that valued “telling it like it is.” That means that in my passion to deliver honesty I occasionally cause listeners to gasp and/or put my foot in my mouth. So I will apologize up front. The good news is that I also value “hearing it like it is” and invite you to comment or disagree. I hope we all learn as much as possible from each other.
Milestones
- As Recruiter and Career Counselor since 1994, I have placed 50+ people a year in new jobs.
- Presently I am a Recruiter for McKinley Group, Inc. working with Marketing, Product Management, Training, and Organizational Development executives. This role is concurrent to the Career Counseling I am doing through Placement Genius, which is a sole proprietorship.
- Previously I was Career Counselor, working with Amy Lindgren at Prototype Career Services. Amy is also a columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Frequent presenter at professional associations and statewide universities re: job hunting skills.
- Currently on the Board of Directors of and the Metro State Technical Communication Advisory Board. Formerly on the Board for Directors for MNISPI (MN International Society for Performance Improvement) and the STCTC (Society for Technical Communications, Twin Cities Chapter.)
- Earlier in my career, I spent 20 years as an executive in the advertising industry career in market research and strategic planning. Was VP Saatchi & Saatchi/NY before moving to MN.
- On advertising agency team that made marketing history by growing the Tylenol brand’s business in the year following the first Cyanide incident (’82).
- Won EFFIE (national marketing award) for ad agency for media plan for BVD Underwear. Recommendations credited for growing business approximately 20% in the subsequent year (’84).
- BA History from Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, ‘72. One of two student members of the Board of Directors, ‘70-’72.
Favorite Fun Activity:
Sea Kayaking