Meet The Motley Fool Product Operation Manager, Eli Bucsko! He partnered with Placement to polish his resume and level up his interview skills.  But in the end, he received a whole lot more.. a veritable “Masterclass” in applying and interviewing to land an amazing job. Eli tells his story here:

You left your job during covid to put all your efforts into your job search.  What led you to this decision, and what did you find when you were job seeking independently?

I had been searching for another job while also contemplating taking a grad school entrance exam, and the process I set up with my career coach enabled me to focus my efforts on my job search while studying for the grad school exam. Upon completion of the exam, I realized I wanted to delay going back to school for a few years. Luckily, I had a full pipeline of ongoing interviews because my career coach kept me on pace throughout this process.

What was your biggest struggle prior to Placement? 

I made it to the final round interview for 3 different jobs before Placement, only to lose out to the other final round applicant. I knew that I could have been successful in the positions I lost out on, but couldn't figure out what to do differently so I would close the final round. Placement's services not only offered me the opportunity to move to my desired location (NYC), but also appeared to give me a Masterclass in applying and interviewing so I could be successful getting the jobs that I desired. 

How did your Talent Agent make the difference in you converting an interview into an offer? What was the one thing that made the difference that you can clearly see now? 

My career coach armed me with the tools to land interviews and pass through each step in the process. Additionally, we continuously tested different versions of my pitch, resume and interview skills. My coach’s genuine enthusiasm and unwavering support was integral to me securing my desired role and made all the difference in my job search.

Where are you working, and what is your day to day role?

I currently work at The Motley Fool as a Product Operations Manager. In this role, I am focused on operationalizing digital product launches and managing existing products to make people smarter, happier, and richer. 

What did you learn about yourself now reflecting on your job search journey? 

I learned that interviewing is no different than giving a big presentation and that preparation is everything! Even though there may be different flavors of a question, there are learnable frameworks which can be practiced to ensure success when the moment arrives for you to tell your story.

What would be the 3 pieces of advice you’d give to current job seekers?

• Prepare as much as you can for each interview. That includes your responses to common behavioral questions, but also the questions you'll ask each person interviewing you. 

• Be bold. You never know where that cold email or LinkedIn message will lead.  

• Be flexible. Don't be afraid to change how you present your skills on your resume or in interviews.  

“Be bold. You never know where that cold email or LinkedIn message will lead.”