Jim

The Short List had the opportunity to work with Jim not just once, but twice. He was in a dead-end job when he contacted The Short List the first time for career guidance. He was two years out of the University of Michigan, having graduated from their high-ranking undergraduate business program. While in school, Jim had been one of the editors for The Daily, the school’s newspaper. At first, he seemed desperate to accept any job that would get him out of his current situation. The Short List encouraged Jim to step back and think more carefully about what he ultimately wanted to do with his career. We outlined several different career directions that all seemed appealing. The Short List then had him put together a list of people whose careers inspired him.

Over the next few months, The Short List leveraged contacts available through our network, as well as showing Jim how to better utilize his own network. Jim was able to meet all of the people on his list. Each of them gave him career advice, referrals, and encouragement to keep pursuing his dream. Eventually, Jim accepted an offer to become a writer for NBC.com. He covered the college football and NFL 2006/2007 seasons. In addition to working for NBC, Jim received an offer from one of his inspirational contacts, Armen Keteyian—an eight-time Emmy Award- winning journalist for HBO Real Sports and CBS—to write for the Hall of Fame Magazine website.

The Short List encouraged Jim to step back and think more carefully about what he ultimately wanted to do with his career.

Jim was on his way, or so it seemed. Then, in March of this year, NBC laid off more than 30 of its online personnel, including Jim. He contacted The Short List a second time. In the year since he first began working with The Short List, it had become clear that Jim loved being a writer. The Short List encouraged him not to jump at the first opportunity but to trust that the right job would come along. Through the many contacts he developed over the year, he was suddenly given a unique opportunity to write a promotional book for the Kentucky Derby. The Greatest Day in Sports was published with a forward by Cooper Manning, elder brother of NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli, and Jim later learned that his book was given to the Queen when she attended this year’s Derby.