#41 | How To Land Your Dream Job With Jena Viviano Dunay

This week’s Coffee With Kim guest is Founder and CEO of Recruit the Employer, podcast host, and LinkedIn Learning instructor, Jena Viviano Dunay. As a Career Strategist, Jena helps clients become irresistible hires- whether they’re hoping to land their dream job, change careers, or negotiate their salary. In our conversation she helps listeners get clear on values, set work/life boundaries, and live as a ‘shark’, not a ‘bottom feeder’.

Strategist Vs Coach (07:45)

On LinkedIn we come across many career coaches, career advisors, recruiters, etc., but Jena describes herself as a ‘Career Strategist’. I was curious to know what differentiates her work from others. “Coaches help their clients get to the bottom of a problem by asking many questions. I ask the questions AND provide a strategy for clients to get from point A to point B in their career.” Jena says having a strategy makes a world of difference especially for those who were never taught how to negotiate a salary, pitch themselves, or switch careers.

Getting Clear On Values (13:37)

According to Jena, whether or not you’re shopping around for a new job, you should know what your value proposition is AT ALL TIMES.

Her tips to getting clear on what you bring to the table include asking yourself ‘What am I praised for at work?’ and ‘What results have I been able to produce for my company?’ Also, being able to articulate how you make or save others money, or, make their lives easier.

Recruiting The Employer (23:00)

The gold in Jena’s career strategy is her Recruit the Employer methodology designed to take clients from being stuck to getting clarity and landing their next job.

The 5-step system walks you through mindset, clarity, finding the job, marketing the job, and landing the job. She employs it in her 6-month program designed for women ready to invest the time and effort needed to advance their career.

Bottom Feeders Vs Sharks (25:00)

Many times, our biggest obstacles are within ourselves, so I was glad to hear Jena covered mindset in her program. She emphasizes the importance overcoming imposter syndrome, finding out what you want and going after it! In her words, you can either be a bottom feeder – someone who waits for an opportunity to fall for them, taking whatever they can get – or a shark – someone who seizes an opportunity from the top and is confident in themselves and the value they offer. 

Boundaries (29:44)

Jena has seamlessly blended the boundaries of her work and personal life. I was curious to know why and how she did so when we so often are taught to keep the two separate. “Not talking about my faith and my husband would be inauthentic for me. God was part of every step of my journey when transitioning from investment banking to the New York Stock Exchange. My husband has a lot of wisdom around dating, I wanted him to share with my listeners the importance of remaining strong and ambitious, and knowing the right man will never be threatened by that.”

Jena also shared our companies will not create boundaries for us, we have to set them.

Here are three ways to start setting boundaries in the workplace:

1. The Monday Method – Take time for yourself every Monday to beat the Monday blues and helps set the tone for your week.

2. Find crossed boundaries – At the end of the week, identify where your boundaries were crossed so the following week you can set clear standards.

3. Don’t connect email to your phone – Unless you’re travelling, any email matter can and should be handled from your desk. 

“Setting boundaries is important for your overall health, if you’re not healthy you won’t show up well to work”, she emphasizes.

Investing In Yourself (42:10)

I’m always interested in learning if coaches and experts if they also hire someone to teach them new skills. Jena admits to having “plenty of business coaches” to help her advance in her career. “In height of seasons, I take about 8 hours for learning. I can’t expect others to invest in themselves if I don’t invest in myself,” she says.

Networking With Purpose (47:30)

“Don’t just network when you need something!” We hear this time and time again and Jena reiterated it during our conversation.

“Make networking a priority. If it’s [networking] a way of life, it won’t be awkward and when you actually need something, you’ll have a rolodex of people willing to help you because you’ve built a relationship with them,” she shares.

She emphasized that now is a great time to network because people are craving connection & it’s great for your career

Speed Round (50:09)

• What have you started doing or using lately that you love?

  Gardening. It’s very therapeutic and helps me be creative because it allows my brain to rest while still being productive.

• What is the best gift you’ve given yourself in the last year?

  Making the commitment to launch the Recruit the Employer journal. Join the waitlist for the journal here

• What’s the next thing you’re hoping to learn in 2021?

  Screenplay writing with Shonda Rhimes in the Masterclass

• What are your favorite social media accounts?

  Corporate Natalie and Angi Greene

• If you could change one thing about every HR department what would it be?

  Ghosting candidates

Homework: Watch Operation Varsity Blues on Netflix

Next Week:

Jake Dunlap , CEO of Skaled Consulting is letting us in on the future of sales. We’ll be discussing what that looks like in the “after” times, how to utilize LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and ways to find your digital voice in today’s world. I’ve got tons of questions for him and I hope you do too, pull up a chair, bring a friend, and join us.