Finding great job like finding soul mate

I have always told people, if you ask for advice you get a job, and if you ask for a job you get advice. This is no different than dating. If you ask someone on a date, you might end up finding a wife. If you ask someone to marry you right off the bat, you might never get a first date.
My husband, Fred, didn't ask me to marry him out of the gate. He got to know me. He realized I watched more ESPN than he did, and that we sit center court at games. But he also realized I couldn't cook quite like his mother.

Meanwhile, I found out as much as I could about him, as well. He was smart, funny and would be an even better husband and father than a boyfriend. It didn't bother him that my phone rang late at night with players who wanted to discuss each pitch from that evening's outing, and it didn't bother him that I couldn't whip up a gourmet meal.

Treat business meetings like you'd treat dating. Start by being prepared:

> Make a list of at least 20 people, 10 people you know, like and respect, and 10 people you don't know. On that list should be people you think you want to be or people who work closely with people you think you want to be.
> Find out everything you can about these 20 people --- personally and professionally --- so you are "in their world."
> Call or e-mail them and ask whether they would be kind enough to meet with you for 15 minutes in an effort for you to get their advice.
> Secure the meeting. Once you have the meeting, send a handwritten note thanking them in advance for the meeting, their time and their advice.
> Once the meeting is secured, be prepared in the meeting --- by that I mean know everything that you should know about their world and know a few things they don't think you should know about their business.
> During the meeting, secure three names of people they like and respect and that they believe you should meet with in light of what you have shared as your career passions.

> After the meeting, continue to "date" the person by sporadic phone calls, handwritten notes, informational e-mails about your world and their world --- show value by being respectfully aggressive.

Done right, you should have been on 20 "dates" and have 20 people who are aware of your career aspirations. Equally as important, you should have 60 more people to meet with.

It may take 60 dates to find the person you want to marry. Hopefully it will take less than 60 meetings to find the job you love.