When Mick Blackwell decided it was time to leave his role at Epic, he faced a daunting challenge—pivoting from a technical, project management-focused career into the world of sales. With a background in engineering and math, Mick knew he had valuable skills but needed guidance to translate them into a completely new arena. That’s where we came in!
Mick first heard about us through a former team member who had also left Epic and successfully transitioned to a new role through Carex. Impressed by our personalized and down-to-earth approach, she convinced Mick to reach out. He was quickly connected with Joy Kurber, our Healthtech Practice Lead, who jumped right into helping him make a career transition.
While he had been working on implementation at Epic, Mick was looking to make a hard pivot into sales. Joy saw the potential in Mick’s unique skill set and worked closely with him to highlight his transferable skills.
“She helped me reframe my resume, emphasizing my technical expertise, project management background, and healthcare industry experience as assets in sales,” said Mick. “Then she looked for an organization that would be willing to give somebody like me—who had healthcare experience, had a depth of technical knowledge, but literally no sales training whatsoever—a shot.” Through Carex’s network, Mick landed a direct hire position at Olah, A Verisma Company, where he started in a sales role.
The transition wasn’t without challenges. Mick discovered that while sales didn’t fully align with his personality, it led him to an area he truly excelled in—partnerships. “I like working with other companies to make our company more successful, which is a type of sales. You’re selling the idea that the two companies can become more successful together,” he explained. Now, over two and a half years later, Mick has successfully transitioned into a Director of Marketing and Partnerships role at Olah. Under his leadership, the company’s partnership program has flourished, culminating in its recent acquisition by Verisma, a testament to the exponential growth he’s helped drive.
Reflecting on his experience working with us, Mick most appreciates our supportive and personable approach. “Carex has been much more personable insofar as getting to know me,” he said. Unlike other staffing firms that felt “very corporate, very numbers-oriented,” Mick found Carex to be “a normal group of folks…just trying to do a good job, do right by people. And I think it really shows in the interactions you have.”
Outside of his job search, Mick has enjoyed attending our infamous trivia parties, going out to lunch with Joy, and periodically chatting with our CEO, Rachel Neill. “I’ve just enjoyed the company,” he says. “You all have been really nice and fun to work with.”
Mick’s success story doesn’t end with his own journey. Since working with Carex, he’s recommended our services to numerous professionals, from entry-level talent to C-suite leaders, especially within the healthtech industry. “I know you all do a very good job in that space holistically,” Mick said. “Several times, I’ve sent folks Carex’s way, knowing they’d be in great hands.”
We’ve loved working with Mick, too, and wish him all the best and continued success!