Hans Wessel

Client: Hans Wessel was director of EMEA accounting at an international IT company based in Silicon Valley with an office in the Netherlands.

Industry: IT, Technology

Function: Finance, Accounting

Challenge: After 18 years with the company, Hans felt ready for a change. But he discovered that finding a job after spending so much time at one company was not easy.

Process: Hans developed fresh tools and new perspectives to drive a successful job search, including learning the importance of maintaining an active presence on LinkedIn.

Landing: He landed a position as director of accounting at a California-based IT company that came to him through TCD's unpublished market approach.

For 18 years Hans Wessel was director of EMEA accounting at an international IT company based in Silicon Valley. Working out of a small office in the Netherlands, he managed financial accounting for the company's European, Middle East, and African operations, overseeing revenue recognition, monthly closings, intercompany reconciliations, and financial statements, and serving as a liaison with external auditors.

When the company was acquired by a larger competitor, Hans found himself in an uncertain situation. Although his position survived, management changed, the company culture changed, and Hans began to think about his long-term future.

"After 18 years I had great experience but needed something new. It was the right time to go," said Hans. "But it turned out to be harder than I expected. When you've been at one company for a long time, you don't know the job market. It had been years since I'd written a resume or gone on a job interview, and it had changed since then."

When an internet search led Hans to The Career Doctor, he immediately saw the potential to gain the fresh perspective he was looking for.

"The TCD program is designed for senior professionals, like me, who need tools to find a new job," said Hans. "It took time to work through all the elements of the program, but it was worth it."

"I didn't know how important it was to have a professional LinkedIn page with detailed information. But everyone uses it – recruiters, companies, and individuals."

One of the most important elements Hans learned was how to craft a strong presence on LinkedIn, something he neglected during his 18-year tenure at one company.

"I wasn't on LinkedIn! I didn't know how important it was to have a professional LinkedIn page with detailed information. But everyone uses it – recruiters, companies, and individuals. So, I learned how to build my LinkedIn profile," said Hans. "My consultant, Rachel Poer, showed me what to do. She asked very good questions to help me think about myself and my background, and we wrote a strong profile together."

Another skill Hans honed was how to maximize the impact of his resume. Working with TCD's writing team, Hans developed a new resume that presented his experience and accomplishments in more attractive terms than his old resume had.

"The old resume, the one I had before working with TCD, didn't make a big impression. I rewrote it with my consultant and with TCD's writing team, and it came out much more powerful. I now had a new resume and a strong LinkedIn presence to send out."

Those two elements, combined with help from his TCD consultant on how to navigate the unpublished job market, proved effective in generating job opportunities. He applied to many positions online and also sent targeted mailings to companies where he wanted to work and felt he could make an impact. In these mailings he introduced himself and pitched his profile regardless of whether a job was currently posted.

"It surprised me – they said they were not actually looking but they did have a need, and my profile seemed like a good fit!"

"I did the targeted mailing work myself. I found the companies, looked up the contact, and then called. Using that approach, I was able to connect with three or four companies," said Hans.

Within a few months one of these targeted mailings bore fruit. An IT company based in California was looking to build a presence in Europe and was seeking an accountant to oversee its European finances. Hans' mailing arrived just as the company was looking to fill the position.

"It surprised me – they said they were not actually looking but they did have a need, and my profile seemed like a good fit!" said Hans. "After a few rounds of interviews, they offered me the position, and I accepted. I'm now working for a cloud computing company in California. My role is to build the European accounting organization in the Netherlands. It fits my background perfectly."

"It wasn't easy. I didn't find my new job in a month. It takes time. But I found it and I'm very satisfied with where I landed."

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