This is the second half of an interview with Dan Walmer. Dan graduated from UHD with his MBA in Leadership in 2017. He has been a Corporate Fellow in the Process Improvement and Project Management Concentration since 2021.  Dan has worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Business Manager), Baylor College of Medicine (Associate Dept. Administrator), and recently accepted an executive role as a Division Administrator at Thomas Jefferson University / Jefferson Health in Center City, Philadelphia.  In his spare time Dan loves hiking with his wife, running marathons (48 at last count), and watching his four children take on life with enthusiasm.

 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.


Marilyn: Do you have any advice for students coming back to school after a long break?

Dan: Yeah, I think my best advice [for someone] coming back after a long break like I did, after 15-20 years, you’ve already got another job I’m sure, a lot of people have kids. I had to learn the hard way the first year to schedule my studying time. Block it off on [my] calendar. I had to force myself to go somewhere that wasn’t my home and wasn’t my office. The first 6-8 hours in the program I tried “I’ll study when I can” and I wound up doing a lot of late nights and last second papers.

One night a week I would leave work at 6:00 pm and I would go to a public library until it closed at 9:00 pm. I just had to treat it like it was an appointment. I got to a point where I had to do that.

My other piece of advice is, when you’re out there in the job market already, and you have a family and you’re coming back to school, the last thing you think about is building relationships. [People think] “I want to get to class, then go home,” but you’ve got to be willing to build in some time to get to know other students because it’s a valuable part of being in the program.

Marilyn: Building community.

Dan: When it gets tough, they’re the people who will understand. Another student who has kids and a 9-5 job can say, “Hey, let’s figure this out together” or “Hey, if you need someone to talk to…” It’s a shared experience. It’s so different than the way [being an undergraduate] was for me anyway. It’s a whole different thing to go back and do it later in life and I think I didn’t expect the friendships and relationships to be such a positive thing, but also such a necessary thing.

Marilyn: For students who’ve just graduated or graduated a little while ago and they’re still job hunting, what advice do you have them?

Dan: It is a really tough job market. Networking is definitely important.

I think one of the challenges that beginners and entry level employees and newly graduated students face is that a lot of their networking is done with goal of getting job. One of the things I tell people all time is that you have to network before you have a need.

 

 

Marilyn: What about advice for those job seekers who have a time crunch? Such as students who are either temporarily employed, or are currently unemployed?

Dan: For those who have no choice, focus on skills you have and less on a particular industry. I know people have a preferred industry, but in this job market, you kind of have to take what you can get. I think people are always worried about being siloed or typecast, but I don’t think [a role] has to lock you in if you focus on skills and abilities and types of projects you’re working on, that you can find across industries.

Marilyn: I want to return to your thoughts on networking. Can you share more specifics about how you went about your most recent job search?    

Dan: People are like, how did you get so many interviews, how did you get a job within 2-3 months? It’s also a numbers game. I applied a lot. I left no stone unturned. That can also to lead to frustration to apply to so many places. This is just how I’m wired. I’m very strategic about it— this isn’t just about any job. I knew the market area I wanted to be in. I was only applying in Philadelphia, DC, and Baltimore. Based on where my parents live. Based on those being healthcare hubs, I did a ton of research. I had Excel sheets set up with each organization that I was applying to, and I would track each job I put in there. If I got a recruiter call, I added them to the list, and I would follow up with that person later even if I didn’t get the initial job.

Marilyn: You have an interesting perspective on how to use LinkedIn.

Dan: Yes.  Sometimes people just fill out a lot of applications. And I did fill out a lot of applications. But I also would try to figure out on LinkedIn who was already working [at the organization], in that area, and I would message them. “I notice you work in this area, I’ve been applying, could you share a little bit about…?” I never came out and asked, “Can you refer me?” when I don’t know them. Instead, I would try to ask, “What was your experience working there? Did you find it a good department culture-wise? Can you share a little insight?”

Typically, people are either interested and answer, or they don’t and don’t answer. If they are interested and answer, after some back and forth, after you thank them, and you say “If there’s anything I can do for you in my network, let me know. Thanks for your time.” Three out of four times, they would say, “let me send a message to the hiring manager.” It's a fine line. You don’t want to use people as assets or stepping stones, but building those relationships is a help to your search.

Marilyn: It’s a relationship-style approach versus one that’s transactional.

Dan: Yeah, absolutely. The one thing that almost everyone out there likes to talk about is their own journey. Ask them about the steps they took to get to where they are.

Marilyn: Speaking of your own journey, Dan, what is something you’re looking forward to in the next chapter of your career?

Dan: That’s an easy one for me! I’m packing my boxes up heading on a big adventure [to Philadelphia. This will be my first truly executive role, where I am almost entirely managing managers and directors. I am looking forward to really putting into play so many things I’ve been working on, and so much of the leadership development I’ve focused on. It’s exciting for me to have a blank slate, a new market, a new organization, and a new opportunity.