Why It’s Important to Believe in Yourself: Gregory Day’s Job Search Success Story

Meet Gregory Day, an HR Director for an independently owned fire safety service company based in the Pacific Northwest and an active volunteer with the Portland HR Management Association (PHRMA). In this job search success story, Gregory shares his tips on recruiting, networking, and believing in yourself.

What do you do for a career?  

I’m an HR Director for an independently owned fire safety service company based in the Pacific Northwest. As a sole practitioner, I wear many hats, although I primarily identify as a career coach and employee advocate. I provide comprehensive HR support including, but not limited to, pay equity/compensation, benefits, performance feedback, compliance and recruitment. 

Who do you work for?

I work full-time on-site at United Fire in Portland, OR, and am also an active volunteer with Portland HR Management Association (PHRMA) as a ‘Rising Leaders’ team lead, which meets bi-monthly.

What do you like best about your career?

I especially enjoy recruitment because there’s always something to learn from individuals who excel in their craft. Conversely, it’s very rewarding to provide opportunities for those with little experience yet have great potential. Recruiting is a great outlet for a curious mind such as myself!

What resources ​have helped you in your career and your job searches? 

I’m a SHRM member and often use the vast resources available on the website. Thanks to working with PHRMA, I’ve made close connections and received excellent educational tools from the organization.

Are there specific tools or tactics that have contributed to your success?

Regarding recruitment, a “giving” mentality is very important when contacting prospective clients. It’s human nature to be more receptive when approached in this manner. The best way to build rapport is to provide as many options as possible and take the client’s perspective.

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

It’s easy to get rusty as an interviewee. I highly recommend doing trial-run interviews as you’ll start to develop your talking points and gain confidence in your presentation during interviews. Interviewing is a skill set I’ve learned to put into practice well before showtime!

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

Make as many contacts in your field as possible: regularly visit and comment on your LinkedIn feed and join a professional organization. What’s most important is to believe in yourself because only you know what you’re capable of. I can’t stress this enough.

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.