This is part of a series of testimonials from candidates who have successfully been placed by The Execu|Search Group. This testimonial comes from Ryan Riedel; you can find our past testimonials here.
When Ryan, an accounting professional with a fashion/retail background, partnered with The Execu|Search Group, he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted out of his next position. While he wanted to transition from logistics into a role where he would work more closely with the product, he didn’t know where to start. After discussing his goals with Rif Saleh, a Staffing Manager within The Execu|Search Group’s Fashion/Retail division, she helped him land an opportunity as a Wholesale Coordinator at a leading fashion company. Ryan had a positive experience with Execu|Search, and was happy to speak to us about it:
On his background…
After graduating with two degrees in Fine Arts, I moved to New York City where I decided to enroll in FIT. During my time at FIT, I had several internships that allowed me to gain experience in the fashion/retail industry. This led me to a couple of contract positions in accounting and logistics. While I enjoyed the work, I was ready for a change.
On what he was looking for…
I knew that I wanted to be more hands-on with the product, but wasn’t sure how to identify these opportunities on my own. Due to Rif’s expertise in the field, I turned to Rif for career guidance. She educated me on market trends and gave me examples of different positions that fit my background. Ultimately, we decided that a career in wholesale would allow me to leverage my current experience, while building new skills.
On how TESG worked to meet his needs…
Although I was willing to explore all available options, Rif took the time to really understand my background and long term career goals before making any recommendations. What I appreciated most was her transparency. When presenting me with various opportunities, she always informed me of what she thought I would like and not like about each career path. This helped me focus my efforts on landing a job in wholesale.
On preparing for the interview…
Upon landing an interview, Rif put the effort into ensuring I was set up for success. Since I was trying to make a career transition, she helped me articulate how I could apply my past experience to a role that would be new to me. She also provided me with feedback she had received about other candidates who had interviewed with the company. This helped me understand what the employer was looking for in new hires.
On his overall experience…
Throughout the entire process, I felt that Rif had my best interests at heart. Rather than presenting me with any available opportunity, she patiently helped me determine what type of move made sense for my career goals. This led me to my current role, where I’ve already been for two months. So far, it’s been an amazing learning experience and I’m excited to see what types of opportunities open up as a result.
“As I got to know Ryan, I realized that both his personality and accounting background made him the perfect fit for his current opportunity,” says Rif. “Making a career transition is never an easy feat, and Ryan put the time and effort into ensuring he was successful. He truly deserves this new opportunity, and I look forward to working with him in the future.”
