GO WITH THE FLOW (An Interview Speel)

Name: Elenor Kernel

Tell Us About Yourself! Give Us Your Elevator Speech!

I was born right here in NYC. After studying international affairs and Arabic in college, I graduated and fell into a career path that I had no intention of loving or growing into—but that's exactly what happened.

When it comes to sales, I've done it all. I started as a sales development rep, scheduling meetings for account executives, and then I was promoted to account executive where I ran my own book of business and traveled to three cities a week. More recently, I led a small team of AEs as a team lead at XYZ, and now I sit on our enterprise team, helping to grow our large organizational partners.

What's Your Job Title? What Does This Actually Mean in Terms of What You Do Each Day?

As an enterprise account executive, I spend my day talking to HR and recruitment leaders around the country (sharing how XYZ partners with and helps organizations), and I manage a pipeline of interested companies.

What Were You Doing Before You Landed This Job?

Before XYZ, I worked at a large healthcare consulting firm as an outside sales rep and travelled constantly. I went to three cities a week and met with organizations about our services—all while having exciting new experiences in places I'd never been before.

What's the Coolest Project You've Worked on So Far or One You're Really Excited About?

One project I'm really excited about is building the diversity and inclusion group at XYZ. I joined the board and work on the events squad.

We recently had our first in-house event for International Women's Day. We put up 15 posters of influential women from around the world, along with a short description of their accomplishments. Then, we asked our team to guess who was who and the people who got it right received prizes. It was a lot of fun!

What's the Worst Job You've Ever Had?

In college, I worked as a hostess in a waterfront restaurant during the summer. As you can imagine, the clientele were often under the influence and not very pleasant to interact with. Fortunately, it was only for three months!

If Money Wasn't a Factor, What Would You Be Doing Career-Wise?

Traveling and blogging my way around the globe! There is so much to explore in this world and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface.

Best Piece of Advice for Someone Who Wants a Job Like Yours or Who Is Stuck in a Difficult Job Hunt Right Now?

The best book I've read on changing career paths is Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One by Jenny Blake. It's a combination of self-help and actionable exercises that'll keep your spirits high while you focus on the goals that will actually make you happy. I've already convinced all of my closest friends to read it.

Anything Else You'd Like to Add?

I spend all day talking to people who struggle with hiring quality candidates. The job possibilities out there are endless. If you don't love your job, you have options. Don't minimize that!