A Writer at Heart: Monica Lucas’ Job Search Success Story

Meet Monica Lucas, a Content Strategy Manager at Lithia & Driveway. In this job search success story, Monica shares why creativity, networking, and perseverance are important in finding the right fit.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I’m a writer at heart. The majority of my career has been in retail copywriting.  I currently work for Lithia & Driveway, an automotive group with more than 400 dealerships across the US, Canada, and UK.  

What do you like best about your career?

I like the fact that I can be creative for a living. I also love to collaborate with others in a creative way. It makes me so happy when I can find someone who will listen to my idea and then tweak it or build upon it to make it better or vice versa. Collaborating is the key to producing great creative work.  

What resources ​have helped you in your career and your job searches? Are there specific tools or tactics that have contributed to your success?

LinkedIn has revolutionized the way we look for work. I started on LI in the early 2000s and love building my network online. It’s so important to keep in touch with former coworkers, and LI gives us an easy way to do that. I also have a good friend who I met while I was at Nike, who is at the same place in her career. We help each other out when we are looking for work. She helped me find a role at Adidas when I unexpectedly left Nike. A few years later, I helped her get a position at Lithia & Driveway. I love when you can pay back a friend. It’s so important to look out for each other. 

Throughout your career, what obstacles have you encountered when doing a job search, and how did you overcome them? 

Earlier in my career, I took my job search very personally. I was heartbroken if I was interviewed and didn’t get the role. Now that I am a hiring manager, I understand better how these decisions are made and have learned that sometimes it’s not personal. There can be other factors involved that you don’t realize are happening behind the scenes. 

What piece of advice would you give to job seekers or professionals trying to advance in their careers?

Don’t give up. I know it sounds trite, but the right fit is out there, and you will find it. Also, work your network. They are your best allies and can help you find roles that haven’t been posted yet. 

Everyone’s job search story is different, but each individual story can inspire and empower others who are on their own unique path. We love to hear how our readers have found rewarding careers in Portland, and we want to share these stories with you to inspire you in your job search and to help us all better understand the local job market.