Who is Chris Kirkpatrick, and how does he know about this stuff?
I’m a family guy who lives in Arizona with my amazing wife and three kids. My journey into the executive search world was a unique one. About a decade ago, I was the head of recruiting for a Fortune 1000 financial company. While I loved a lot of what I did, the corporate world wasn’t for me.
I left and started an internet marketing consulting agency, helping small and medium-sized businesses build their brands, identify their target market, and create sales processes to increase conversion rates and revenue. I never thought I had a creative bone in my body until I began marketing and helping companies solve problems.
How CareerNext began: a major disruption to the industry
One of my internet marketing clients was a very successful executive search firm and career management company. Within my first week there, I realized that the process of finding a job was the same as trying to build a small business.
I fell in love with the industry and studied everything I could, learning from the owner of that company and connecting with resume writers, executive coaches and recruiters. After a ton of research and hundreds of conversations, I saw a major gap:
- Recruiters represent companies, not you.
- Executive search firms represent you, but typically charge astronomical retainers. It’s hard to justify that investment when you don’t have any income.
CareerNext sits in the sweet spot. We represent you and your best interests, using technology and tools most of the industry doesn’t know about. We’re marketers first. Our five-step system gives you predictable results, personal-touch service from award-winning coaches, and the technology to bring it together, so you get the best result in the shortest time.
No more waiting on recruiters who don’t call back, and no more choosing between going it alone and a $15,000 retainer for the same information.
What’s my motivation? It’s not about the money
My family is my primary motivation. I’m a huge believer in the phrase “money follows value.” When I left the Fortune 1000, I committed that everything I did would be designed to make me a better father and husband.
During my time as VP of Marketing for the executive search firm, I realized two things:
- People need affordable help with their career search: 98% of the leads that came through couldn’t afford, or wouldn’t prioritize, the investment.
- There are a lot of amazingly talented people in career services who want to help you. They are simply no good at marketing.
CareerNext leverages not just my expertise, but my relationships, to connect you with the best resume writers, coaches, and information available, and shorten the time until you find your ideal position. My goal is to make a positive impact on the careers and lives of 1,000,000 people.
Time’s a-tickin’: take action now
One of my favorite sayings is, “Just because the ostrich buries his head in the sand doesn’t mean the lion’s dinner plans have changed.” The statistics for job search are horrible. The U.S. Department of Labor says it takes about one month for every $10K of income to find a job. In the $200K+ range, an 18-month search is not uncommon.
It doesn’t need to be that way. Book a call, listen to the podcast, or watch the YouTube videos. Whatever you do, be proactive and intentional about your job search. Otherwise, six months from now, you will regret it.