“If you can dream it, it will come… but be ready for it to look a little different that you thought it would!”
When life dealt us a major challenge and I had to leave Grad School (without my degree), I was absolutely clueless about what kind of job I might look for given my background. At this point, it was a combination of teaching, counseling, sales and business (throw in a little experience in health care and piano playing and you’ve got the idea of how diverse my resume looked). Then I remembered that I knew a lot of business people who were in an organization (Tres Dias) that I belonged to at the time. Taking a big gulp, I started asking questions: “How does someone with a background like mine get into a company? What kind of a career path do you think this fits? What companies have positions like that? What do I need to know that I don’t know now? Where might I volunteer or network if I want to do this?”
Looking for a job is challenging and it takes a full frontal attack. Talking with your network and learning about the organizations that might be a fit is only the beginning. Next you have to reach into your network to find contacts who might know someone working within a target organization. Then ask them to introduce you to the person within the company either through email or with a phone call – this is referred to as a “warm introduction.” But the work does not stop there. You will also need to scan the online job listings, apply for some of them and follow up on them as well – all taking usually a minimum of two hours a day. Smart candidates (that’s you!) also need to have a couple of resumes ready that would position you well (with action verbs, please) should you get called for an interview. Find someone you can trust to role play with you so you can practice being interviewed and increase your awareness of how others might perceive you.
My first corporate job came as a result of all the above. Through an ad in a paper I rarely read, I saw a job for a training coordinator (I had been told that the training field might be a good career path for me). I called a woman with whom I had volunteered on a community project almost a year earlier and who worked for that organization to see what she might be able to do to help me get an interview. I knew that I would have a better chance of getting in the door to sell myself if I was presented by an internal person. As they say: the rest was history and I was hired within a week. I knew that if I could just “get in,” I could prove myself and my career would take care of itself.
Delicious Morsels:
1. Be strategic! Develop a plan that will support you in accomplishing all that you will need to do on a regular basis. Think about what might keep you motivated and on target. Get someone – a friend or a coach – to support and challenge you along the way.
2. Join a group or club that does things you enjoy. Some of the best networks are established organically, such as when you watch your kids play sports – many of those parents on the side-lines have fulfilling careers. Building relationships now may help you in the future.
Bottom line – it’s up to you to do the work! Winners keep on going until they succeed!