I just got off the phone with Steve Levy, and he said something that really stood out, “The Best Way to Predict The Future Is To Invent It.” When he said this to me, it swept the cobwebs out of my head like a vacuum and made me realize: If you don’t like the current economic temperature-quit kvetching an do something about it.
Yes 2009 sucked the wind out of millions of American’s sails (mine included) and yes our economy took a huge it. It taught me how to be frugal, pragmatic, resourceful, and uniquely helpful to those around me.
There’s an old saying, you’re only as marketable as you are current so:
- If you don’t have experience doing something you’d love to try-volunteer to get it, put it on your resume and get someone to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
- Read voraciously, attend free webinars, go to unconferences *They are more affordable .
- Be cracker jack sharp in how you network. Whether you are using linkedin, facebook, twitter, or MySpace make sure you are building meaningful relationships with your followers and friends. It’s not enough to collect a massive following. It’s more important to build those relationships so that you can leverage them to get you into the doors where you are currently knocking
- Get off your ass: go to industry related meeting, networking events, mixers, parties, and anywhere you can pass out a business card, and make a useful and helpful contact.
- Close facebook and twitter and pick up the damned phone: There I said it. Why? Because I’m a recovering twitter and facebook addict…and I say this as much for me as for you. It’s so easy to twitter away hours of time when what I really should be doing is banking my phone time and getting into the offices of people I want to me.
- Open the window, and take a deep breath. Yeah, I know it’s scary out there in transition land, but we have to breathe deeply, and get into action.
- Listen to blogtalkradio shows that relate to your industry and call in regularly. Get to know the players, and request phone time with them. I’ve been amazed at how generous people are with their time. Here’s a fact: most people really do want do want to help you.
- You have to be clear, focused, and tell people exactly what you are looking for so that they CAN help you. Get specific about the industry you want to penetrate, make a list of the companies where you might want to work, and develop your own personal mission and vision statement. This has helped me tremendously in charting my direction, and in developing my 30 second to 3 minute “elevator pitch.
- Be yourself on Twitter, and Facebook. Tone it down on linkedin. I’m not a fan of linking your twitter updates to linkedin unless you are a professional automaton. Keep the fun on facebook, the cool professional articles and blog post tips on twitter, and the business on linkedin. I know that @blogher and others might disagree, but that’s my opinion.
Most importantly, don’t give up. My Father used to say a quitter never wins and a winner never quits. Whether or not you are in job search mode or trying to recover from a grueling economic blitz-Get off your tush and make a difference. I know you can do it.
Your Twitterpal,
@HRMargo
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LOVE this post Margo, so very well said and exactly how I found my current HR job last February. Networking has gotten me every job I’ve ever held, whether I was qualified for it or not. I have always had luck finding people who believed in me and were willing to take a chance. Can’t wait to meet you in 2010!
These are all sound good ideas of constructive things to do when you are unemployed or looking for change.
Now, I’m curious about your success with that Twitter addiction recovery…..
What a great post! I love the quote by Steven Levy. Everything you say is so true. If you want more out of life- you have to make it happen. To me, this is a basic principle practiced by successful business people like Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. We need to get out of the entitlement mentality and move towards a ‘action’ mentality.
MARGO-
You really hit the nail on the head. I too and a recovering Twitter/Facebook addict. I am really trying to compartmentalize things, and limit time for Blogs, posts, and communicatiion with people who matter.
Foucus, and determination.
Shennee
People are so incredibly generous with their time it’s incredible. Great list here, now if people will just start doing what you say, instead of just reading then we will be much better off in a few months!
Rich, I am always touched at how generous the people in my network are. Everything I wrote here is the result of the advice they have given to me. I am motivated, and now have to take my own advice. Thank so much for your support.
Shennee, thanks for being such a close friend in my support system. Activity isn’t enough either, we have to target that activity so we get to the business decision makers–that way we’ll land exactly where we want. Best wishes to you in 2010.
Anita, thanks so much for visiting my blog. I appreciate your comments.
My name is Margo, and yes Karla, I’m a twit-a-holic. One of my solutions is to get on twitter before I start the day to check in-then I’ll check if I’m not too busy at lunch, and then spend the rest of the time on the phone, in meetings, or at networking, business generating events. It can be done my friend, it can be done. Thanks Karla, you always make me smile.
Great insight and I like your thinking. Also wise words for many regarding the use of social media. It can become all consuming. I am new twitter and still nervous in making contacts to folks I don’t know. Thanks for your thoughts. As you say, our future is in our hands to much of our extents
Margo,
This is a good post that highlights the need of a meaningful plan if you want to get back in to work. I couldn’t agree more that you need to combine your on-line activity with physical networking both on the phone and in person for maximum impact.
A few tips that I think would help you personally:
1: Make it easy for me to find you from your blog. There are no direct links to your Linked in profile or your twitter account that I can just click on. Put some widgets in, along with a direct e-mail link so that I can contact you easily, maybe even a contact me on Skype button.
2: Use the about section of your blog to be your advert for you. If you don’t sell yourself nobody else will. Think “what would a recruiter say about me to get me through the door” and write that.
3: I’d attach your resume to all your profiles. Make it easy for me to get to it. Post it on your blog as a tab with the “about button.” You only need one person to read it who is looking and you could get lucky. I would be as bold as to label this “I’m looking for a job.”
4: Your blog is a good advert for you with some good content. Use it more. Blog headlines rather than blog addresses attract readers. I don’t understand why more bloggers don’t embed their blog in to the body of their linked in profile, preferring to say “Read my blog.” Use the WordPress application feature to embed your last 5 posts. Very easy to do.
5: Despite what some have said recently, I would attach your resume to your Linked In profile. Use the box.Net application to do this. This enables you to post any document to your profile for easy download. If I can get to your resume easily I am more likely to contact you.
6: I find linking my Twitter stream to Linked In works well for me. I post the last 5 posts on the right hand side of my Li profile. This has attracted followers and keeps the profile fresh. I also update my status direct from twitter by using #in. It helps to do this every few days as changes to your status are flagged up to those who are connected to you when they log in. This is very effective for me. In your shoes, I would be very bold with your status and change it around job titles you are looking for by posting updates such as: “Currently applying for training roles within H.R.”. You never know who might read it, and if you build your network around people who might hire you as well as people who will talk to you then you are reaching your targets.
7: Reach out more often on blogtalk. Each time you go on, make sure you communicate that you are a) Interviewing and b) What you are looking for. Use the opportunity to remind everyone you are in the hunt. The hosts will not mind as long as you are also adding content.
8: Make it clear on your Twitter bio,your Linked In profile, your blog, even your e-mail that you are looking and be more specific over the type of role you are looking for. I understand why you have been keeping your options open by being as general as possible but this means you are less likely to be found in a search and more likely to be over looked by recruiters. List all the roles you would consider in your bio/profile. You can state that you are flexible.
9: Ask your network for help more often. We share the same network but I can’t recall you asking for opportunities. You give to your network freely and often, could be the time to do some taking. You have earnt it! Ask directly via twitter if anyone knows of any roles that fit your background. Ask people to help and they will. Having invested the time in building your network, you should be using it about now!
I hope you don’t take this as criticism; I have noted your mission for 2010 and thought this might help. Think like a recruiter. Get aggressive about your personal marketing and sales and ask at every opportunity!
Be an ambassador for brand Margo! Best of luck in your search,
Bill
Sorry Margo, seen the Follow me link, my error! The same for Li and e-mail, even Skype would be good.
Great post, Margo. And, of course, Steve Levy is spot on. I think #8 really trips up people. I just blogged about that myself. In the rush to get SOMEthing, they try to be EVERYthing to all people. I’ll take ANYthing, I’ll do ANYthing, ANYthing … which makes it virtually impossible for others to help.
I think there is a way to integrate SM accounts without overwhelming your followers. Besides my blog, which pulls my tweets, I have a business page on FB which links to my Twitter account. I post only fun (my interpretation) things on my personal FB page. I can link specific tweets to my Linked In account by using #in … so not everything goes, just those I mark. And, when I’m killing three birds with one stone (figuratively of course), I update my FB business page with the #in hashtag and it updates everywhere.
I wish you a spectacular 2010 Margo! And look forward to tweeting … I’m okay with you backing away a little, just please don’t shun us!
I love this Margo! It’s a no-excuses mind-set that I help my clients develop.
There are significant similarities between job seeking and sales. I was re-reading Jeffrey Gitomer’s book Little Red Book of Selling. I actually recommend job seekers read this book. There is a section of the book called “Kick Your Own A**” in which he says: “…most salespeople will not do the hard work that it takes to make selling easy. But here’s the bigger secret: work your a** off.”
Margo, thanks so much for sharing! You’ve given a lot of valuable information and advice in this post. Being true to yourself as well as being concise and communicating exactly what you need are CRUCIAL life skills that will benefit anyone.
All the best to you in 2010!
As always John, I appreciate your support. Our business relationship means the world to me.
Coming from you Alicia, I am flattered. I value our twitter friendship, and the time we spent on the phone is appreciated. I agree with your comment. Thank you.
[...] to job seekers in these sectors. This came about because I posted quite a long response on Margo Rose’s blog advising how she might be able to use her network better in the job search. These are my tips, some [...]
Great post Margo! I love the attitude! We all need to QUIT blaming the economy and make it happen!
An old saying I like to go by is “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to ME”