Xan Marcucci on LinkedIn: #starvingstudent | 27 comments (2024)

A Jelly Belly artist. That's what I wanted to be as a kid. I grew up in Chicago and frequently visited the Shedd Aquarium downtown during school trips or on weekends with my family. In the early 2000's, a local artist (Tracy Ostmann Haschke) was commissioned to make "paintings" of marine life using Jelly Belly candy. One day we walked in and I saw the "Sharks at the Shedd" painting, among others like it, and LOST MY MIND. As a kid who hated chocolate (don't come for me, I have since converted), jelly beans were my absolute favorite candy, and art was my passion.Clearly, this meant I had found the perfect career 😌 My dreams and plans for my career shifted many times over the next few years. I wanted to be: - a sculptor, thanks to extracurricular pottery classes my mom signed me up for- a painter, a plan I took to college, assuming I would graduate with a fine art degree, subsequently getting my MBA- a graphic designer, once I realized I liked eating and painting probably wouldn't allow for much of that - a marketer, after taking one business class and loving it so much I knew I couldn't wait until an MBA to learn more- a CPG brand manager, after learning about that role from a BYU alum- a tech marketer, after visiting Linkedin's HQ on a marketing trip- a sales rep, after working 2 years in marketing and wanting to lean more into my strengths- an AE, after loving my time as a BDR- a sales manager, after experiencing IC work for another few years and feeling something was missing (this is where I really started to hit my stride!)- a VP of Sales, as I experienced deeper career fulfillment than ever before by leading and developing people- an entrepreneur, when I saw things done a certain way and knew I could do it better while making a bigger, more positive impact on othersMy career journey lead me to places, responsibilities, growth, people, companies, and roles I never would have expected.Each step along this journey was critical, teaching me more about the workplace and most importantly, about myself.Each step gave a little more insight into what my strengths and weaknesses were, my likes and dislikes, the things that add or take away from my job satisfaction.I wouldn't be where I am today without those steps. Adjusting your plans does not demonstrate indecision, it demonstrates self-reflection, growth, and education. It's okay to be unsure about the future. It's okay to not know what your "dream job" is.It's okay to change your mind.In fact, it's probably critical you experience each of these things at different times throughout your journey.It's okay if you haven't found your "spot" yet. You will.Do what you can to enjoy the journey along the way.Be flexible. Be open to new opportunities when they knock on your door. You never know what you might find.Here's to hoping the title "Jelly Belly artist" is still in my future 😎

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A client of mine recently moved to the Bay Area for a role that ended up being indefinitely postponed 😬 He had already signed a lease, moved into an (expensive) apartment, and started building his new life.As you can imagine, he needed new job options ASAP. He reached out to Confetti for tips on how to adjust his resume, knowing he would need to customize it dozens of times.I built this simple little ChatGPT prompt to help him do it quickly for different role types and thought it might help someone else on ye' old job hunt. Some details about Cody - - Recent grad- Political background- Trying to land a political, marketing, or project management role - Each of these job categories require very different resumes, not to mention additional customization under each type (ex: social media manager v.s. SEO specialist)We know you can't use the same resume and blast it out to hundreds of employers and expect positive results. I recommend customizing your resume, cover letter, and engagement with hiring managers/recruiters. In this prompt, I'm only going to focus on resume customization, but you could adjust it to help with any of the above.Hang in there, Cody 👏 _____There are hundreds of amazing AI-experts out there (my fave is Ruben Hassid). I'm just a regular gal trying to make life a bit easier for myself and others. Hope this helps someone! Check out the below for a prompt to quickly and efficiently adjust your resume to different roles.

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My brother-in-law, Blake, almost lost his life due to a doctor’s poor bedside manner. 7 years ago this week, he got into a serious accident resulting in a broken femur, punctured lungs, and more. After hearing from a trusted friend (an extremely accomplished ER doc), Blake’s mother asked the attending doctor about the potential risk of a fat embolism.Fat embolisms (FE) area common complication after a femur fracture. FE happens when bone marrow fat enters the bloodstream, and fat globules travel to organs, obstructing pulmonary vessels.The doctor reacted horribly to the suggestion, raising his voice and arguing with her about the likelihood of that occurring.HE was the doctor, HE knew what he was doing! Not this random mom who never went to medical school getting advice from some nobody. That night, a fatty embolism traveled to Blake’s lungs, causing him to stop breathing. His mother was vigilantly watching for it, despite the doctor's pushback, and quickly alerted the staff possibly saving Blake's life.The phrase "bedside manner" refers to behavior and attitude toward patients. Data shows that good bedside manner can help put patients at ease, build trust, and improve the overall patient experience and outcomes.Have you ever thought about your bedside manner in a professional setting?We aren’t doctors, so poor bedside manner in the workplace won't put anyone’s life at risk (thank goodness).But it is definitely putting your deal at risk. Your employee retention at risk. Your culture at risk. Your bottom line at risk. Bedside manner for professionals might look like:1. Empathy vs indifference↳ Are you getting curious?↳ Or are you getting to the point?Ex: A CSM listens attentively and responds with genuine concern to a customer's problem.2. Listening to listen vs listening to speak↳ Active listening means I’m not thinking about what I’m going to say next.↳ I’m thinking about your thoughts, words, and feelings.Ex: An AE’s ratio of listening to talking is 70-30.3. Communication vs assumption↳ Clear communication progresses deals and relationships.↳ Assumptions lead to misunderstandings and a lack of trust.Ex: A BDR pauses their pitch, realizing the buyer has different problems than expected, and digs deeper.4. Compassion vs coldness↳ Compassion connects and strengthens us.↳ Coldness isolates and weakens us.Ex: A leader motivates with empathy/vision rather than fear/humiliation.5. Respect vs disregard↳ EVERYONE deserves respect.↳ Disregard leads to disengagement.Example: A manager provides constructive feedback in a supportive and non-confrontational way.BTW - when that doctor heard about Blake, he never faced my mother-in-law again, opting to swap patients with another physician 💀It doesn't matter if you're right if you make a customer/employee feel terrible in the process. And it certainly doesn't serve you when you are wrong 🤡 Who else has a good horror story??

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🎉 I'm officially a founder! 🎉 After years in marketing and sales roles at massive enterprises, tiny startups, and some great things in between, I noticed one common thread among successful teams: Great people.A company can have unlimited funding, perfect product-market fit, and a flawless GTM strategy, however, it CAN NOT reach its full potential without having (and keeping) the right people. People have always been the most fulfilling aspect of my work. It wasn't closing my biggest deal - it was coaching a rep who crushed their number. It wasn't my own promotion, it was celebrating the promotion of a colleague. It was finding and hiring amazing people, training members of my org, or coaching individuals across industries to help them find success, joy, and more money in their jobs.This is why I started Confetti - my small, but quickly growing, GTM recruiting firm.Because at the end of the day, people are what drive success. People turn a workplace into a meaningful place, a vision into reality, and a startup into a unicorn. Confetti was created to change how we hire, support, and coach people.And I couldn't be more excited 🙈 If you want to support us, we would love it if you did one (or more!) of the following:- Introduce me to anyone you know who could use help (1) hiring for any of their open GTM roles, (2) managing or hiring offshore talent, or (3) finding their next role and would be interested in our career coaching services- Visit our website and give us feedback! confettirecruiting.com- Ask your current company if they currently use any agencies for their recruiting efforts (if they say yes, lmk! I can beat anyone head-to-head 😏)Thank you to everyone so supportive of me taking this leap. I feel extremely blessed to have you in my corner. People are worth celebrating.Here we go 🎉

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Women and HR professionals - we need your advice and experiences: A single mother I'm working with is trying to land a job before her baby arrives. Her entrance into single motherhood was unexpected, hence the last minute scramble for a role.She simply wants to know that once the baby arrives, she has a way to provide for them.She has 5+ years of experience in client-facing roles, including account management and customer success.She is highly organized, quickly builds strong relationships with customers, and is a process-oriented wizard. Not to mention, she has a heart of gold. Given her experience, she has no difficulty getting interviews for the CSM roles she is after. She does have difficulty getting past the second/third rounds.We have roleplayed a dozen times. I've seen her notes, stories, and preparation. Her interviewing skills are not the problem.Of course there are dozens of other factors at play here that she can't control, like the stiff competition in this economy, other candidates with more relevant experience, etc. However, one question about something she CAN control that has recently come up in our discussions, has been when to share with potential employers that she is pregnant.She is not legally required to disclose this information. However, she is a huge believer in transparency and trust (another reason why we get along so well), which is hard to build if you show up for a final interview in person, are clearly about to pop, and they haven't heard a whisper about it. I do not think most interviewers and hiring managers would intentionally say "no" once learning how close she is to giving birth. That said, each of us lean on our inherent biases - biases that we have due to our experiences in life. I fear that someone will be subconsciously (or consciously) swayed to go with another candidate simply due to the fact that her baby is about to arrive.And while I'm so incredibly passionate about why they should hire her, and could whip out all the data on why mothers make incredible employees, that's not what this post is for. So, when do you share this (wonderful) news? Do you bring it up in the first conversation? Mid-process? At the offer stage? Or not until the signature is in the bag? What has been your experience? How would you council this first-time mom?(Feat. a pic of me and my youngest - he just finished filing our taxes here)

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For anyone experiencing the Sunday Scaries... Remember, you aren't curing cancer. You're selling software. Or something silly like that. Give it your all. Get after it. If you choose to do something, do it well. Be the best. But no matter how this week goes, remember: it's just a job. Your worth has nothing to do with how productive you are, how many demos you set, how much data you sift through, or how much money you make.You can't change your worth no matter what you do or don't do. You are worthy by simply being you. And the happiness you hope to find this week will come from how you treat others and how you treat yourself. So it's going to be a good week. Unless, of course, you ARE curing cancer, in which case you had better be incredibly productive, no excuses. No happiness for you until you get things done.

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😩 sounds like this meeting didn’t need to happen at all actuallyArt: Mossy Hollow

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Utah friends - who would be interested in joining a summer series of mountain biking networking events?Once a month meetup for a trail or lift-serviced park. This would be for riders of ALL abilities, the purpose being to join together doing something we all enjoy (or want to learn) and to network with people you might not normally get to interact with.We’d have mini tips & tricks sessions at the beginning of each ride from an experienced biker, ride the trail, then grab food together. Gauging interest here!

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Last week I got the BEST phone call. A friend called to share an exciting little win.We screamed, we laughed, we manifested like nobody’s business.This is true joy 😭Not everyone has a person they feel comfortable doing this with - it’s natural to worry about coming across as boastful or hurting someone’s feelings if things aren’t going their way right now.We also may tell ourselves that the small victories aren’t worth fussing over - “I’ll celebrate the NEXT milestone.”I’m very passionate about this: everyone deserves someone they can unabashedly celebrate with.So this is for anyone open to a random woman on the internet being that for them:If you want someone to cheer for you, hype you up, tell you how amazing you are, cry happy tears, whatever - I would LOVE to be that person.Anything from a Pokémon card to a promotion, I want to hear about it. Nothing would make me happier 🥲I’m serious. DM me! Expect a message, call, or surprise in the mail - whatever you prefer. Get ready to be freaking adored.And for those who also want to join in:Comment anyone who deserves some acknowledgement or 🎉 because supporting friends is >>>PEOPLE ARE WORTH CELEBRATING!!!Video caption: I learned this kind of love from my Mom. She is this way to everyone she meets. Here she is at 55 y/o celebrating a sorta rare Pokémon card my husband hoped to find 😂🥰 Happy Mother’s Day, Momma! Thanks for making all the little things feel big.

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