There’s no one perfect technique for finding a job
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| (Steve Thomas) |
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Lots of people subscribe to the same career plan as actor William Shatner. Known for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk on the TV series “Star Trek” and more recent role as Denny Crane on “Boston Legal,” Shatner describes his career plan as “answering the phone.” When someone called to say, “I’ve got a part for you,” he had work.
This approach had (note, past tense) worked for thousands of other professionals. But now that no one is calling or e-mailing to offer their next gig, they are stumped.
“Jobs always fell into my lap,” one résuméless manager carrying a box (I swear it was a 17-inch by 12-inch box) stuffed with documents about his credentials, told me. “Now it’s like prospecting for gold. Where do you begin?”
“I never had to even interview,” a man who has worked for two companies in his 25-year career wrote me.
These people and others in demand from days gone by (which could be as recent as last year) never learned the nuances of the job hunt or the interview. OK, they didn’t have to.
With times changed, they all want to know: What’s the one perfect technique I can apply to turn around the unemployment tables? They insist there is a single, killer step that will do the trick and that I can reveal it to them. “C’mon, just tell me, tell me,” one job hunter after another pleads. You think I’m kidding?
No, I explain, no such step will be revealed. How do I know? If such a technique existed, it would be all over the Internet. People would be tripping over each other doing this miraculous act that paved their path to a new job. Don’t you see – if there was such a thing, everyone would have a job.
Next, I count down the seconds because I know what’s coming. “But what about LinkedIn? What about Twitter and Facebook?” everyone asks. “Won’t that do it?”
True, some 40 million people are on LinkedIn and millions use Twitter and Facebook. But they will not save you either. Let me explain.
Pretend you just walked into a giant room of strangers. Would they all gather round your Gucci loafers and sit mesmerized as you discuss your career? Would they gladly hand over names and contact information of their trusted friends?
No, unless you are famous like William Shatner or someone they feel they know. And you know why too – you just keep forgetting: People will be interested in you and want to help you if they know you, like you and trust you. Sound familiar?
Posting on a social networking site is like walking into a giant room. People will not flock to you just because you’re now in this room, either. They will not necessarily want to be associated with you, let alone help you if they don’t know you, like you and trust you.
You keep forgetting this because you are freaking out and looking for that one perfect technique that is going to do the trick. If you are a normal person, you want this job hunt thing to be over quickly. You just want the phone to ring and hear someone say, “I’ve got the perfect job for you.”
What I’m saying is that you have to get a hold of yourself, set yourself down and make up a job hunting plan that’s based on getting to know others and developing meaningful, trusting relationships - through social media and face-to-face.
I know you are tired. Worried. And you still cling to the hope that someone, somewhere is going to discover you. They might. But only if they really know you, like you and want to help you.
