Client Case Study

FROM SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS TO A ROLE BUILT FOR HIM.

After a long career with one company, Adi relaunched his search the conventional way and got conventional results. Six months later, Vanguard created a senior security role that did not exist until he walked into the room.

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The Challenge

30 years of security experience, 23 of them at one organization, and a traditional application process that was not converting to interviews.

The Shift

Rehearsed answers gave way to real conversations about what the hiring team actually needed, reframing every panel interview.

The Outcome

After nearly six months of interviews, Vanguard created a Senior Advisor, Global Security role specifically for Adi, reporting directly to the Head of Global Security.

Olivia Gamber

A Note From The Founder

Olivia Gamber, CEO

When Adi called, he told me upfront he was skeptical. Thirty years in physical security and executive protection, one long tenure with one large corporation, and now he was back on the open market for the first time in decades. He had already tried the conventional route. Some things worked. A lot didn't.

What struck me first wasn't his resume, though it was strong. It was how he talked about people. Even describing his own frustration with applications going nowhere, he kept circling back to the same idea: relationships have to be genuine or they aren't worth building. That instinct was already right. What he needed was a way to put it in front of the people who could actually hire him.

This is the story of how a niche he thought was too specific became the exact reason a company the size of Vanguard built a role around him.

WHEN THE PLAYBOOK STOPS WORKING

Adi

after a long tenure with a large corporation which i had an amazing tenure getting back out to the market was challenging and i tried the traditional conventional way to apply to different positions and saw that some things work and a lot of things didn't work

so i realized i had to make adjustments... i always make adjustments when things don't work

the program was right from the get-go i felt like the program was something that i needed just a shift in mindset a shift in approach another package of tools to allow me to recalibrate and look at what's the best way to put myself out there in order to advance my career

Olivia Gamber

the beginning when you and i met you hadn't done a job search in a long time and you were 23 years so it was a new world to even consider working and partnering with... consultants advisors coaches like us what made you ultimately decide do it make an investment in yourself to do this

Adi

i knew what i was doing wasn't working it's if it doesn't work you gotta fix it

i just measure a call as the result and success it was a great call what will measure it is will be the results the actions that will follow

there was a shift and i felt the shift when you join and the shift just changed my energy a bit to be more focused to make the adjustments

“i knew what i was doing wasn't working it's if it doesn't work you gotta fix it”

REAL CONVERSATIONS, NOT REHEARSED ANSWERS

Adi

it's an excellent question as we were preparing for the interviews... i remember at first i tried to rehearse some answers and it just didn't feel quite right and then... you said to me... be truly be yourself and when i allowed myself when i interviewed with quite a few panels with heads of department with vanguard to really have that strong discussion... dissecting their needs and how to respond to it but just really talking about it not just the conventional what are your weaknesses and strengths... it was more how we can really work together to put something together

i think as i was able to really have those conversations that in a sense all of a sudden took me from one track to one position i applied to to a whole different track... maybe adi can actually give us more than just the specific need that we really need but maybe it can actually give us more

“how to build a strong network that is truly based on genuine relationship not just based on intermediate what do i need what can you give me that's not who i am”

SIX MONTHS, STAYING THE COURSE

Adi

i've interviewed with vanguard for close to six months there was very precise vetting process... six months no matter what it can be challenging... but i felt that the discussions were strong discussions and i still continue to explore other opportunities and other areas and network and apply for other positions

we had some of those discussions about how to read the gap between panel three and panel four... so having that discussion... but then staying the course because the whole all of it is still pointed into the positive direction... you got to be very patient and stay the course and we did and then at the end it paid off

“i've interviewed with vanguard for close to six months there was very precise vetting process”

“some of the relations i built in the past few months it's going to be for many years to come”

Ready to Stop Applying?

Adi didn't need more applications. He needed a way to show a company like Vanguard what 30 years of real value looked like. If your next move deserves the same, let's talk.

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Read the full transcript

Adi: after a long tenure with with a large corporation which i i had an amazing tenure uh getting back out to the to the to the market was was kind of challenging and then i can try the traditional conventional way to apply to different positions and saw that some things work and a lot of things didn't work so i realized i had to to make an adjustments i always make adjustments when things don't work uh so i i think i i i saw i saw one of your uh videos in linkedin and then i called drian a few months ago and i had a really great call a lot of questions a lot of

Olivia: what made you ultimately decide do it make an investment in yourself to do this i knew what

Adi: i was doing wasn't working um it's uh if it doesn't work you gotta fix it

[Question shown on screen]: What made you ultimately decide to make an investment in yourself to do this?

Adi: i felt good about the call but i i don't i'm an individual doesn't study measure one just measure a call as the as the result and success it was a great call what will measure it is will be the results they did

Adi: and i felt and my wife said it too there was a shift and and and i felt the shift when you join and the shift just kind of can change my energy a bit to to be more focused to make the adjustments

Adi: the new role with vanguard will be a senior advisor for global security uh reporting directly to the head of global security for vanguard

Adi: i'm a security professional with just about 30 years experience so

Adi: have that strong discussion uh caring about their team members caring about their executives um how to really put um a high how to build a high performing team and make sure that it's just you know top standards and and and dissecting their needs and and how to respond to it

Adi: it was more how we can really work together to put something together and

Adi: how to build a strong network that is truly based on on genuine uh relationship not just based on on just uh uh intermediate uh what do i need what what can you give me that that's that's not who i am and

Adi: and i still continue to uh to explore other opportunities and other areas and and network and and apply for other positions

Adi: i've interviewed with with vanguard for close to six months um there was very um very precise vetting process

Adi: we had some of those discussions about you know how how we we to read the the gap between you know panel three and panel four and or how to read the gap between that conversation and the following conversation and so having that discussion and sure it says that kind of brainstorming together uh but then staying the course

Adi: that some of the relations i've built in the past few months it's going to be for for you know for many years to come and it's not just something that i oh i'm just going to use now until i get a job and then i'll i'll say goodbye to it absolutely not

Adi: maybe adi can actually give us more than just the the the specific and need that we really need but maybe it can actually give us more