PROOF: Job Seekers Who Did It - Diane Gonzalez-Ferranti
PROOF is an occasional series that celebrates people who employed new job search strategies and landed an amazing new job or promotion — or shifted into an entirely new career.
Diane Gonzalez-Ferranti had an incredible, decades-long career with the Detroit Pistons and the NBA franchise’s parent company, Palace Sports & Entertainment. Her progressive communications and production leadership roles were all fast-paced, demanding, and decidedly high-profile — and she loved every minute of it.
She also assumed that she’d ultimately retire from the organization. But life doesn’t always unfold in quite the way we plan and this is something that Diane experienced firsthand.
In 2020, she learned that her job as the Pistons’ VP of Broadcast, Game Operations & Production was going to be eliminated as the result of a reorganization; she’d need to start looking.
While an optimist by nature, Diane was admittedly a bit overwhelmed by what lie ahead. And she had many questions:
What would that next job be? Who would it be with? (I mean, there aren’t exactly 20 professional sports teams in Metro Detroit.)
How should she position herself on paper for this next chapter? Where should she even begin?
“Looking for a job was something completely foreign to me, and sharing a lifetime of unbelievable experience seemed like a daunting task,” she said. “I knew I would need help with the process, and my story.”
A friend recommended she check out JobJenny.com. Upon reviewing our offerings, Diane decided to invest in our El Presidente package; she needed front-end support in defining her target job strategy, as well as help in constructing powerful messaging for her resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and networking conversations.
We got to work
While Diane wasn’t sure what job titles to explore, or what specific organizations to target, she definitely wanted to find a company that would strongly value her extensive and progressive experience in live entertainment, professional sports, and multimedia production. She had also recently built out a state-of-the-art production facility and had really enjoyed the process. So, lots of possibilities.
As we progressed, we gained further clarity on Diane’s superpowers and the essential elements of her story, then assembled the “paperwork” she’d need for the transition.
“Jenny did a really great job of pulling out my story and then made sure it was woven into my experience,” she said.
Once Diane had a few solid ideas on “what’s next?” and a resume and LinkedIn profile that spoke to these types of jobs, she launched her job search. She began having conversations with people at organizations that would likely value the aggregate of her skills and experience. And the phone started ringing.
“Once the LinkedIn profile was done, I immediately began fielding calls from recruiters,” she said. “And I felt confident knowing my information was in order. Both my resume and my LinkedIn profile were so clear and organized, and they told a great story.”
Diane also said that numerous HR people told her that hers was one of the most well-built resumes they had ever read, which boosted her confidence further.
What Happened Next?
After several weeks of exploration and conversation, Diane found her new home — as Executive Producer for Daktronics, a global provider of large-format LED video displays, message displays, scoreboards, digital billboards, audio systems and control systems. (Coming out of pro sports, she knew this company and their technology very well!)
Today, she helps Daktronics grow its business by delivering meaningful experiences to customers and their audiences. And she loves it.
“I am working in an industry that I love, utilizing a skillset that I’ve built up over many years, and leveraging the contacts I’ve built up over a lifetime,” she said. “Even better? I work totally from home. The time gained back and quality of life improvements are priceless!”
Diane added that she’s thrilled to have made the decision to invest in herself, as it alleviated the stress and overwhelm that comes with heading out into “the wild” of job search after so many years within one organization.
“I cannot say enough good things about the process and experience Jenny and I went through!”
And, for those facing a similar journey, she offered this final advice:
“Invest in yourself!!! You are worth it. Find a great professional and hire them! It’s so worth it!”
While Diane never anticipated she’d leave her beloved Detroit Pistons, she truly slam-dunked it on making a career pivot.
Congratulations, Diane!
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