After working at GEICO for many years, David Gaffney was ready for a change of pace. As with many others, the COVID pandemic provided David with the opportunity to reconsider his priorities and goals. It was "prime time" for a job change. In addition, he became a new father. With these reasons in mind, he decided to take his talents elsewhere: to find a job that could better provide for his family, make use of his talents, and cultivate peace of mind.
After attempting to find a job on his own, David felt like he was floundering. He had difficulty even knowing how to find positions, much less, contact companies. He kept encountering roadblocks and wasn't sure how to move past them. He was frustrated. David was referred to ACCES-VR by his mental health counselor. At ACCES, he worked with Kristen So, and from there he was directed to Innovative Placements. He was both surprised, and immediately put at ease by the professionalism, attention, and care with which he was treated. David's background, as well as his vocation, is in media production with a focus on radio and TV, which he studied at Buffalo State University. He was seeking a position in this field. He already possessed an impressive resume (in addition to his work experience, he is an accomplished videographer) and after a little reorganization of the layout, Andrea Todaro went about connecting David with her resources. They submitted his resume twice to over 1000 employers, wrote letters of recommendation for him, promoted him to area employers, and helped him prepare for interviews with interview coaching. The mass distribution was fruitful, yet David encountered obstacles with certain employers. Unfortunately, most of his work was not counted as "official" professional experience. Media production is a highly competitive field that has become oversaturated with talent, making jobs scarce. Things looked bleak, but he persisted. In addition to Andrea, the application coach at Innovative Placements, Elizabeth Oddy, and David's counselor, Kristen So, were invaluable to his eventual success.
David met with some early rejection but persevered over a 9-month long job search. In that time, he encountered much disappointment, which could have easily discouraged him; yet, he continued to maintain a positive outlook. Finally, he received a call back from The Financial Guys, a financial firm based out of Williamsville. The interview process progressed nicely, and after receiving an offer he accepted a position at the company.
David Gaffney is employed by The Financial Guys, where he manages their social media accounts as a marketing representative and coordinator. He maintains the firm's presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and produces, records, and edits their weekly radio show, which is also available as a podcast. Every week, he produces a new episode of the show, which discusses both finance and politics.
David has now been employed for nearly six months. He works 4 days a week, having Wednesdays off. His new work environment is a positive one. Everyone looks forward to going to work. His coworkers are all very friendly, and management fosters a positive company culture that recognizes its employees' hard work and accomplishments. This was one of David's main considerations when selecting a job and he is pleased how it plays out in his new workplace. One of David's successes was creating a post that received more views than any other from the company previously…like a lot of views!
David deals with anxiety and depression daily. This can be difficult to navigate, but David has a strong support network in place and has it well managed. His coping strategies include being active: he enjoys playing tennis, watching sports, and working in his garden. In his spare time, he pursues his creative pursuits in photography, video, and occasionally, podcasting.
Talking to David, it could never be overstated how much this new job opportunity has improved his life, and his mental health. It completely altered his trajectory. David says working with Andrea was like working with the best of the best! "Don't ever lose hope or settle for less than you want." David didn't give up—and after putting in the work and with some help from Innovative Placements—he is much happier.
— Martin Kilroy, Writer for Innovative Placements