What I should do for my job search

I attended another job search talk/workshop/networking event. This one was sponsored through a local commuter college and highly organized. I was impressed.

It was something I almost didn't go to. Online, it seemed like it was going to cover the same territory as the other seminars and workshops and online resources I've attended and read.

But it's important to be saying "yes" and to be showing my face, because you never know. I did have some good conversations and I am trying my best to help others. What I liked about this event was its focus on structure: it had a talk, workshops, follow-up workshops, organized networking time.

It also made me think about what I should be doing for my job search now:

1. Be prepared to effectively self-promote
You need a great elevator pitch. This is something that must be well-practiced, brief, and memorable (in a good way).  I can barely listen to someone drone on and on about his/her last six months of being so productive--at a job seeking event--and I'm not even a decision maker.

The group had many handbills and cards at the ready. I did not. (I'm "rebranding".) When I've re-developed my pitch, the collateral will be on hand and it's going to be eye-catching.

2. Be nice
Being nice certainly isn't a quality to hire on (and frankly, when all you hear about someone at work is that he or she is "nice," you might want to head the other direction). Most everyone was nice. I hope I was nice.

But being "not nice" does kick you out of the pool. Some stood out as being especially angry, clueless, socially oblivious, or self-centered. I made mental notes to avoid these people in the future. Positive energy is a scarce resource for everyone, not just for the unemployed.

Sure, you can't really control how you feel, but you can control what you do: When you are networking, make an effort to make eye contact. If you can't find it in yourself to care about someone else, at least pretend to be interested or just stay home. Let other people speak. Be brief.

3. Know who you are and how to shine
I'm clearly not the only one with this problem. Who am I? What do I do? How I bring value? Who benefits from my work? Define it, practice saying it, and most of all, live it.

The people who stood out to me were people who've taken a twistier path--Army vet, piano teacher, waitress--and people with generally sunny personalities. They gave me the sense they would be just fine because they are more than their job search.

Then there are those for whom I had the inkling there was a bit more than bad luck involved in their situation. They might have been trying to shine, but they just hogged the spotlight. Be careful to avoid being the one who is all talk, no action.

4.  Know what you need to do, not what "they" say you need
One trend I see is a goal to have more than 500 LinkedIn connections, to which I ask, So what? If and when the recruiter calls, the question is the same, "How do you fit what I am looking for?" How does having over 500 connections help you answer this question?

If your profile is underwhelming, you've just hurt your search because now more than 500 people (in theory) seeing a sub-par profile. 

Now, going through the work of filling in your profile does help you answer the question. Clearly defining who you are in a compelling way is an art. It comes from having talked and worked with many people who have helped clarify that for you through their example, feedback, conversation, and observations. If you follow up all these interactions with a LinkedIn connection, the 500+ connections is the result of a vibrant work life.

500+ connections is not your goal. Your goal is to create a process in which 500+ connections is a natural outcome. What are you giving? What are you getting? Why?

I read The Start-up of You recently and was pleasantly surprised. It's filled with inspirational anecdotes and practical recommendations on how to build and use your network.

5. Be thankful
This experience is bringing me to people I never would have met, revitalizing connections that had gone cold, helping me see things in a new light. I am learning and thinking about things I would not have made the time for, and am actively changing my idea of what I want to do with what life I've got left. We are prioritizing our days on what we need to do as a family, not around my work.

6. You make your own luck 
You could say that it's just bad luck to be laid off. Sure. Wrong group, wrong company, bad timing. But we do make our own luck. Look at me. I know I should have been looking for a job when I had one, but I couldn't. I was too burnt out and could not run myself ragged working on another company's short-term goals and maybe, down deep, I wanted to face uncertainty to discover who I really am and who I need to be.

So what am I going to do with these lessons? To me, everything I just laid out points me to volunteering. It's a way to get out and do instead of talk and ruminate, to connect and make a difference, to give thanks and to shine.

I've got a few ideas so stay tuned.



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