Be Recession-Proof

I recently read an awesome guide to being a "recession proof" graduate by Charlie Hoehn. I don't know Charlie, but I certainly respect his approach to the job search process. You can find his slideshow here.

If I had a clue how to drop it right into my site, I would, but I don't have a clue. Sorry! But, trust me, click on it, it's great stuff.

Ok, have you looked at it? Do it before you read on.

Charlie is right... you can choose to not participate in this recession. That is my philosophy as well. Just don't participate. It's simple. Create opportunities for yourself. You can do that by following his steps... but I would add/expand on a couple other thoughts:

Get in front of a lot of people you respect and make them your agent. Earlier this week, I met with a few people...recent grads looking for a job. I met with them because someone I respect asked me to meet with them. Guess what, neither sent me a thank you email and neither had any questions. Unbelievable when you say toward the end of the meeting, "do you have any questions for me?" And a young person says "no...not really." WHAT THE HELL! Load some questions in your mind and spit them out...be ready. Seize the opportunity. Maybe meeting with me wasn't an opportunity? But they asked for the meeting. Hmmm. Either way, impress people you request a meeting with and it will help you be able to forgo participating in this recession.

I love Charlie's mention of getting some skills under your belt, that means WORK. I know an easy choice right now is to go back to school, but if you choice that route, you better understand how you are going to step into a great opportunity after you finish and how that opportunity will be fruitful enough to pay off those loans.
I'm really fairly opinionated right now as I type this blog, which is actually rare...but I hope helpful.

Have a great weekend...do more than everyone else and be smarter than everyone else. This is a powerful combination!

Molly

Creativity

I've been thinking a lot about some of the things that help people when they are recruiting people they want to work with or for. Besides some of the more obvious, passion, fearless and others. Creativity is a key ingredient to successful job searches. I don't mean creativity in regards to what my kids think of when they are sitting over a coloring book with a princess in it.

Creativity in the job search is primarily:

-Identifying creative ways to connect with people (its more than their number). Use their email, use texting, use linked in, use facebook and other on line social media tools. Securing multiple points of contact allows you to to reach out to someone in various ways
-Uncovering hot buttons about your contact so you can tease them on the ways you would add value

Be creative by marrying aggressiveness with demonstrating ways you will add value! Go for it.

Molly