(Jan Reha – Career Discover) Hi, I’m Jan Reha a Career Counselor with Career Discovery in Bellevue, Washington. I have a career counseling service, located in Bellevue Washington. I am today going to be interviewing one of my former clients Linne Pullar who has been a client of mine over quite a few years. Lynne has a wonderful career history that I would like to have her share with you to show that career transitions may take many times in a lifetime, and she certainly is a model for that. So one day, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your own career history, starting with, I believe you looked at becoming a secretary. A few years ago.
(Linne Pullar) Yes, Jan, I took the traditional path into secretarial science. And it wasn’t until I took a computer programming class that I stopped in that track, and I wanted more. So tell me. Approximately when was this. That would have been the mid 70s early mid 70s a very long time ago at the beginning of computerization. Back in those days, a computer did not sit on your desktop, it took up an entire warehouse. In fact my ex husband, who was an electrical engineer, used to do computer programming and took me into the refrigerated, places where all of the wires are contained. So continue with your history so you took this computer course. From there I went on to a four year college where I got a degree in administrative office management. And this wasn’t just a secretarial science it blended it with computers I specialized in systems. When I graduated, I immediately got a job in programming in the insurance industry.
(Jan Reha – Career Discover) And so, what was your experience there. Well, I found that while I loved programming.
(Linne Pullar) My only advancement opportunities would come with doing more with insurance topics. Well that is exciting to a lot of people it was not exciting to me. So then what did you do, I found myself back getting another degree this one I got a degree, a master’s degree in software engineering.
(Jan Reha – Career Discover) I imagine you might have been one of very few women in that particular program. I believe I remember, roughly three women per class. In how many men about 40 Amazing. So you acquired that degree, I imagine you met some people in the class.
(Linne Pullar) Yes. As matter of fact, I met this gentleman who worked for a really small startup called Microsoft, and from there I wound up going to work at Microsoft, which was a very good fit for me. I got to embrace my technical topics. And I found that, like every two years I would change to a new topic. So, when essentially did you start at Microsoft. That would have been early mid 80s at its very early stages up to their infancy stage, yes. And so you had different skill sets that you employed while while you were there. I started out in a support area, then I moved into testing which was a logical move. And I found that no matter what I was always writing instructions I was coaching, I was mentoring, I was always helping someone else to do their job easier, better, smarter.
(Jan Reha – Career Discover)
And so, when did you come to me then. And what were you looking for at that time. At that time, I became aware that every two years, I was changing my job I was going someplace else and doing something else. And so right about I would say, late 80s is when I came to you. Three years ago. So, you underwent my career assessment process, we had you do five different assessments, and I looked at your history, your work history, your educational history. And we noted some patterns that you really weren’t exhibiting enough in your present position so what were those. Well, again, I tended to gravitate to training people to coaching them to mentoring them. For me, the technical topics came easy.
(Linne Pullar)
And I, what I observed was that the topics weren’t necessarily hard, it’s how they were presented to people was hard. So educating teaching people about technology, so that they can understand it more readily. Yes, well I totally embrace technical topics, I found that I didn’t want to just sit and program. I like working with people. So where did it take you next. From there I went into training which was the next logical step.
(Linne Pullar)
And once I got in there and I start once again, building out tools to make the job easier. I was helping people coaching people, and I started rising up the management chain. And then I came back to you again. Yes. And this time, what were you wondering, this time I was asking myself to I want to go out on my own, very scary after having worked for a company for a very long time, corporate, all the way all the way. And so I think we discussed a little bit about a transition process so that you wouldn’t just go off in drunk, or drink
(Linne Pullar) Exactly. You can’t just jump into running your own business and that was a lot that I learned working with you is what skills did I need before I can go out on my own, and how could I get those skills before making that leap. Also how to set yourself up as a business, that kind of money it would take the finance the realization, it doesn’t happen overnight. No, it does gradual process, and that’s really what you’re in the midst of right now. It’s a never ending evolution of becoming what’s down the path. So, it’s kind of taking you to your current project.
(Jan Reha – Career Discover) Very exciting, publishing your full self publishing your first book, power up your cover letters, and what a feat. And I know you wish to continue publishing more books. So in the next segment we will talk about this process, and time in your life.