Gratitude is Underrated

If there is anything I have learned from writing The Right Job, Right Now it is that gratitude is truly underrated. First and foremost, I am forever grateful to Melinda Blau for opening the “author’s door.” Her ability to gracefully point out my missteps, thoughtfully turn me in the right direction and take a networking chance on me, is beyond appreciated. Already an incredibly talented and best-selling author, Melinda has many more successes ahead of her and I can’t wait to read every single one.

To Eileen Cope, whose early commitment to the proposal and honesty and energy throughout the process is, I’m sure, unmatched in the industry, thank you. As well as to Lowenstein-Yost for their agency support on The Right Job, Right Now And of course to Sheila Oakes, and the team at St. Martin’s.

There are also dozens of writers and professionals that gave me advice and guidance in the early stages including Melinda Blau, Brad Meltzer, Debbie Aiges and Robert DiRomualdo. Tremendous thanks to them as well as those who trusted me with their networking connections including Jennifer Martin, Peter Brown, Eric Tamarkin and Lara Meisner.

The Recruiting Roundtable, a research program of the Corporate Executive Board also provided a deep amount of insight for this book. I am grateful to the Roundtable’s leader, Dave Williams, and consultant Donna Weiss, who were especially helpful in lending their expertise.

The many professionals I have been privileged to work with and for in my career, have also contributed to this book in ways they may never even know. Martha Youngblood, John Ring, Glenn Richardson and Paul O’Neill were among the earliest role models I had for being the consummate professional.

To just a few of the people who helped me learn that colleagues aren’t always just people you work alongside, but can become friends and teachers in their own right: Nicole Fann, Katie Lallande Kalka, Sarah Nowell, Kaori Ogino, Sarah Sandfort Schultz, Cara Scarola, Amy Steptoe, and Kirsten Thor Vartanoff. Thank you.

To others whom I have learned from in many ways, who supported my business early on and/or who lent their own career woes to this book including: Rebecca Zucker, Heather Corcoran, Wendy Person, Keith Stemple, Darby Scism, Scott Crawford, Mike Ward, Penny White, Kathryn Collins, Amy Joyce, Kelly Zafar, Rachel Rowley, Suzanne Duvall and Kathleen Langheck among many others. And of course to my many clients who put their career faith in me and committed to finding their own Career Sweet Spot.

I am also appreciative of my friends and peers at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University for supporting me as I labored on The Right Job, Right Now alongside class work and final exams (self-induced pain, I know). Thank you to those who were generous enough to lend career stories and examples including Karen Weist. And of course, to Peter LaMotte, for keeping me sane when I didn’t think I had any sanity left.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t profusely thank my family, above all, my parents Joan and John Strayer, my sister Lara Meisner and my brother John R. Strayer. Support is one thing, but genuine enthusiasm, encouragement and pride are something else. For that and more, there aren’t enough words of thanks.

Finally, and most importantly, The Right Job, Right Now wouldn’t exist without the commitment and incredible intellect of Sarita Venkat. My earliest collaborator, contributor and Devil’s advocate, Sarita’s early brainstorming sessions, research and writing suggestions were instrumental in getting the book off the ground. Perhaps one of the most kind and most genuine people I have ever known, and an accomplished writer in her own right, Sarita is in many ways the spark that helped ignite what I hope is The Right Job, Right Now revolution.

~Susan D. Strayer | Nashville, TN | December 2006