Abel Lomas is a new Account Executive at XANT, an organization that offers the leading Enterprise Sales Engagement Platform to sales professionals in order for them to increase productivity, optimize customer interactions, and connect to the right buyers. Abel was last on the podcast about a year and a half ago when he was the top Account Executive at Trust Radius and man how things have changed! Abel has had a particularly eventful 2020, having had to find a new job twice which he’s done like the master he is. What a great opportunity for Abel to rejoin the show to share his stories and provide actionable advice to others in a similar situation.
In this episode, Scott and Abel expound on Abel’s journey from Trust Radius to Workfront and, finally, to XANT. Abel tells his ‘tale of two stories’ on how he successfully gained new employment with Workfront only to be let go due to economic issues caused by Covid-19. He goes on to explain how the right mindset and attitude helped him to shape this usually bad news into great news and how it eventually led to his current role with XANT. Abel shares the three things he attributes to being able to land on his feet so quickly after such abrupt career challenges. These include leveraging his network, prioritizing his ‘must-haves’ in his new role, and taking care of himself throughout this difficult time.
Abel takes the audience through specific steps he took to ensure he would land gainful employment even amidst this pandemic crisis. He speaks to the importance he places on both company and sales culture and why research was a critical component to his success in this endeavor. Finally, Abel provides actionable advice for others who find themselves in a position of uncertainty as it pertains to their career paths. He encourages them to stay positive, reshape your mindset in order to create the opportunities you want to explore and continue building your network of relationships. You never know the impact that someone you met years ago can have on your life and career.
What We Covered:
00:24 – Scott welcomes back to the show Abel Lomas
01:02 – The top three attributes that have allowed Abel to adapt to career challenges
01:45 – Abel shares his journey from Trust Radius to XANT during this pandemic
09:07 – Abel expounds on the importance of self-care
11:51 – Best practices for managing proper mindset and a healthy psychology
20:01 – How Abel structured his approach and process during his full-time job search
24:07 – Identifying companies and organizations that aligned with Abel’s career goals
26:09 – The importance Abel places on both company and sales culture
27:34 – Abel takes the audience through his networking process
33:43 – Abel wraps up the story of how he landed at Workfront
35:51 – How Abel reshaped his mindset after being laid off from Workfront after just two months
41:26 – The importance of being specific when asking for help
44:01 – Other specific steps Abel followed throughout his job hunt
47:01 – Abel walks through the specifics of his second job hunt during this pandemic
52:03 – Advice Abel would give to those starting the process of looking for a new job
55:33 – Abel provides final thoughts on the job search process
59:36 – Scott thanks Abel for joining the podcast to share his story
Read the full transcript & show notes →
Tweetables:
“In my twenty-plus year career I have never once landed a job through a job board. I’m not going to suggest that they don’t work. It’s just a numbers game.” (22:42)
“If the culture is not a good fit, then I don’t even want to waste my time. And it is really the number one thing in my book. So, when I talk about prioritizing the ‘must-haves,’ I dig into the company’s culture.” (26:09)
“When you think about networking, it’s not just that surface level, ‘Who do I know at the company?’ It’s really taking that full circle around leadership – around investors, customers, employees – the whole thing. And when you can do that level of homework and get that level of visibility you’re gonna know if you want to work for that company.” (29:25)
“I was thankful, quite frankly, not to leave Workfront, but to be free and to go and find something that is gonna work for me in this new economy and in the midst of this pandemic.” (37:32)
“When I talk about relationships and people, this is why it’s so important because someone you met so long ago can still have an impact on your life today.” (49:07)
Links Mentioned:
[email protected]
Sales Success Stories Podcast
2019 Sales Success Summit Videos
2020 Sales Success Summit
Abel Lomas on LinkedIn
Jacquelyn Nicholson’s Leadership Course
Scott’s Spotify Sales Job Search Tips
Abel’s Post on Presentation
Abel’s Post after being laid off from Workfront