I finally have a career that I love. But it took 32 years to get here.

The worst of it was during the Great Recession. At one point, my savings were gone and we were surviving off credit cards and my husband’s disability insurance. He had four surgeries in one year while we lived in a basement apartment. I was perfectly healthy but couldn’t find permanent work. By the time I was earning enough to cover my bills again, I was $26,000 in credit card debt.

I was a recruiter by trade — someone who was supposed to help other people find jobs. The irony wasn’t lost on me. But recruiting wasn’t a fit. It required some soul searching to come up with a way of looking at my job that gave me meaning. What I eventually realized was that the tools I was developing as a recruiter — the ones I used to evaluate candidates, search databases, and position people for roles — could be turned inward. I could use them to remake my own career.

And that’s exactly what I did. I transitioned from recruiting into solutions engineering, a career that combines technical skills, interpersonal skills, and deep knowledge of the customer’s industry. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was running on all four cylinders. Others might think being a sales engineer is hard. For me, it’s easy. I was built for it.

Today, I serve as Director of Global Sales Enablement at a supply chain technology company. I’ve been promoted four times internally. My CEO has called me the best enablement person they’ve ever had. I hold an MBA and an MS in Information Systems Management, three certifications from the American Society for Quality, and certificates in good manufacturing practices and good clinical practices.

After finding my new career, people kept coming to me for help. Universities invited me to speak about job hunting. Professional associations asked me to lead workshops. Friends of friends asked me to rewrite their résumés. I kept saying yes because I remembered what it felt like to be stuck.

Eventually, I compiled everything into 33 Tools to Remake Your Career — the book I wish someone had handed me when I was living in that basement apartment.

That is the sort of feeling I want you to feel. To find personal satisfaction in a profession that earns you a good living.

Speaking & events

Paul has presented at universities, professional associations, and quality conferences including the American Society for Quality (ASQ), the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA), Keck Graduate School, Mount Wachusett Community College, and the Pacific Regional Quality Conference.

To invite Paul to speak at your event or discuss bulk purchases for your organization, contact paul@toolstoremakeyourcareer.com.