Candidate Testimony: New Placement in the Network Industry

At NexGoal, we take the placing of our active candidates in their new careers very seriously – which is why our Project Coordinators spend so much time working with each candidate to put them in the best position to succeed. Once our candidates are placed, we like to take the time to share that candidate’s experience with all of you.

Our client is a Gartner-recognized leader in Managed Mobility Services (MMS) providing world-class support and services to organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Last month, we connected with a tenured network industry professional, Michael Materna, in finding him a long-term home. After graduating from The University of Akron in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems: Networking, Michael had two separate stints as a Network Engineer and Network Security Engineer. With a total of seven years of industry experience, we were able to seamlessly match Michael with our highly reputable client in the Cleveland, Ohio area. He joins the growing list of highly qualified candidates we have helped place into a new career.

When asked about his experience working with our recruiter Emma Sullivan and the NexGoal team, Michael had this to say: “Emma did an outstanding job placing me with my current employer. She was very professional and helpful getting answers from the employer that I had.” He explains further, “She was able to match my skillset with a great company in the Cleveland area that was looking for my level of skill which is a very difficult task for any recruiter.”

At NexGoal, we specialize in placing candidates from all walks of life with our various corporate clients. Entering the specifics of working with Emma and how she helped set us apart from traditional recruiting firms, Michael had this to say: “I think I might be at my best job yet thanks to Emma helping me get this position. Emma worked hard to find a qualifying position for me and she made it look easy and painless.”

In revealing why current job-seekers should come to NexGoal when looking for their next career, he stated, “NexGoal found the perfect job for me. My [new] employer is happy with the talent she was able to find so it’s a win/win for everyone. I would highly recommend Emma for anyone looking for a career change!”

The NexGoal team would like to thank Michael for his thoughtful remarks, and we wish him continued success in his new role as Security Analyst!

If you’re looking to take the next step in your career and need some help or guidance along the way, start by filling checking out our Candidate Inquiry page! We look forward to placing you in your next career.

Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More

Five Articles That You Might Have Missed From 2017

There are only a few days left in 2017, so the content team at NexGoal wanted to take a look back on the year that was and highlight five great articles that you might have missed. With 2018 rapidly approaching, these articles can be applied to your career not only in the new year, but also in years to come!

Without further ado, here are five articles you might have missed:

“3 Reasons Why Employees Are Quitting At A High Rate”

This article takes a look at some of the most popular reasons that employees decide to leave a company in pursuit of “greener pastures.” On the employer side, understanding why employees leave your company is crucial. An article by Elle Kaplan of Lexicon Capital Management on Inc.com mentioned that more than 1 in 5 employees are quitting their jobs and she provided eight reasons why this is happening.

We took a look at three of Kaplan’s reasons why employees quit their jobs and why they are important for both job seekers and organizational leaders to look for on the job.

“Managing Your Personal Brand In The Age of Social Media”

These days, social media has become all-encompassing. We find ourselves mindlessly scrolling through a variety of apps each day to get information or keep in touch with friends and loved ones. When it comes to the job search and your career, making sure your online presence portrays the right message is key. In this article we provided some tips on how you can manage your personal brand on social media.

“3 Ways To Get Ahead With LinkedIn”

We went back to January 2017 for this one, but LinkedIn can be a huge difference maker in your career. Although it may seem like a no brainer to have (and manage) a LinkedIn profile, many people still don’t have one. Proper usage could help you take your career to new levels and with these three tips you can do just that.

This was part of our “Three for Thursday” series. Should we bring this back in the new year?

“How To Manage Stress In The Workplace”

While the holidays are meant to be a time of joy, they can also be a time of stress as the year ends. Meeting year-end deadlines often results in a high level of stress for employees. While stress may be magnified during the holiday season, it is prevalent throughout the year in offices as well. This can take on many different forms resulting in many different effects on an employee, so proper management is key. In this article, we highlighted three tips that can be used as a starting point for managing workplace stress.

“Employers: Are You Using Social Media For Hiring?”

Thanks to the power of social media, hundreds, even thousands of industry professionals are available with the few clicks of a mouse. Since job seekers are utilizing various platforms to connect with professionals in their industry to gain some insight and look for jobs, employers should be utilizing social media to recruit! Is your company using any social media platforms in its hiring process?

Wrap Up

It is hard to believe that we will be in 2018 in just a few short days. Another year means more opportunities for career advancement and development. Thanks to our readers for their continued support! Stay tuned next week for our top five articles of the year that was!

Before You Go

View Current Job Openings
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More

John Davidson and Hockey Players in Business Put on a Show at Quicken Loans Arena

Have you ever wondered how to stay connected to other athletes when your playing days are over? Well, if you are anything like the group over at Hockey Players in Business, it means putting together great events that not only connect former hockey players, but give back to the game they all loved as well!

Recently, the group partnered up with the Calder Cup Champion, Cleveland Monsters, and the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL to host an impressive event at Quicken Loans Arena. The admission of the event not only included an opportunity to network with other hockey players in business (hence the name), but to hear from NHL Hall of Famer and President of Hockey Operations for the Blue Jackets, John Davidson.

Davidson wasn’t the only member of the panel, as former NHL player and current Blue Jackets broadcaster, Jody Shelley, was there to help lead the discussion as well. Both Davidson and Shelley provided a excellent insight about the difficult transition players often face when leaving the game behind, but as Davidson put it, “Networking is working” when it comes to helping make this transition easier for hockey players.

Below is a video of Davidson speaking at the event and sharing the knowledge that has helped him transition from one of the greats to ever play the game to a success in the front office. Hockey Players in Business also posted a gallery of the photos from the event over on Facebook, which you can view by visiting their Facebook page—and while you are there, give it a like if you do not mind! They also have a full post with other quotes from the event you can read here.

NexGoal Co-Founder and CEO, Kevin Dahl, was also in attendance and helped give out some of the great door prizes from the event as you can see in a couple of the pictures below. Dahl enjoyed the event and mentioned it was great for former hockey players to have the opportunity to not only network, but share some laughs and take in a hockey game as well.

NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl helps hand out prizes at the event. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business

NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl helps hand out prizes at the event. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business

Kevin Dahl networks with another former NHLer in Jody Shelley. Photo Credit: Hockey Players in Business.

Kevin Dahl networks with another former NHLer in Jody Shelley. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business.

Dahl with key panel speaker, John Davidson. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business.

If you are a former hockey player at any level and want to know how you can get involved with Hockey Players in Business, head over to their website and learn more about becoming a member. They also send out monthly newsletters spotlighting successful hockey players in business—like our very own Dahl—that you do not want to miss!

Before You Go

View Current Job Openings
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn
Get a Free Resume Critique Today!

Read More

NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl Talks Business and Life After Hockey

Earlier this week, NexGoal Co-Founder and CEO, Kevin Dahl, had the opportunity to discuss something many athletes wonder when their playing days are over–how will they make a career transition?

Kevin Dahl playing for Team Canada in the Olympics where he won a Silver Medal.

Kevin Dahl playing for Team Canada in the Olympics where he won a Silver Medal.

Dahl discussed his playing days and all the hard work and dedication it took to become successful once he hung up his skates with Darcy Lynch in a series titled “Life After the Game.” You can listen to the podcast below, or click the link to head over to SoundClound and download the app to listen to it later!

If you have any questions about how you can make a career transition like Dahl did, please feel free to ask them below and our team will respond to you!

Before You Go

View Current Job Openings
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn
Get a Free Resume Critique Today!

Read More

NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl Working With Hockey Players in Business

Earlier this week, a major step was taken for hockey players everywhere. In an email that went out to members of the hockey community, NexGoal CEO and Co-Founder Kevin Dahl announced the launch of the website “Hockey Players in Business.”

The email release stated the following:

Fellow hockey players – I’m excited to announce the creation of Hockey Players in Business (HPIB) www.hockeyplayersinbusiness.org.

HPIB is a not-for-profit organization that was formed for the purpose of helping hockey players in business expand their professional network, further their professional development and to give back to the game of hockey. Hockey players have an inherent bond and the number of current or former hockey players in business is staggering. The Cleveland chapter is the founding chapter but we anticipate that HPIB will eventually become a national organization with a dedicated staff and potentially an international footprint. As a point of reference, Wrestlers in Business, which was also founded in Cleveland, has 15,000+ members nationwide and is one of the most influential organizations in that sport.

The cost to join HPIB is $50 per year and you can pay via Paypal by registering through the website. You can read through the criteria for joining HPIB, but effectively you are eligible if you have played organized hockey, regardless of level, and are currently working for a business (for-profit or non-for-profit) or looking to work for a business.

The Cleveland chapter is currently planning on having four events per year including our kick-off happy hour on August 31st (details forthcoming). The next event will be a speaker event in November/December (it will be someone you will definitely enjoy hearing).

The website has plenty of information and will continue to evolve. You can also join the LinkedIn group through the website. Please consider joining HPIB so you have access to the phenomenal network of HPIB. Don’t hesitate to call or email me with any questions and feel free to forward this message to other hockey players in business.

Also contact me if he have an interest in starting a HPIB Group in your area.

As a former NHL athlete, Dahl will be serving as the Vice President for the group. If you are a former hockey player looking to expand your network and reach in the business world, this is an excellent opportunity to get in at the ground floor of something great.

Before You Go

View Current Job Openings
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn
Get a Free Resume Critique Today!

Read More