Check out this video about interviewing advice. Great stuff to remember what people are looking for that you meet with who could hire you or worst case, simply help you. Notice not only WHAT he says but how HE says it. Notice his energy and confidence about what he is saying. Listen and think about your answer to his question about adversity you have dealt with. What would you say?
Video
More soon...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Twitter Promotion
Follow me on Twitter. The hundredth follower and every hundredth after will receive my book for free! http://twitter.com/mollyfletcher
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Effectively utilize "touch points" with people you're recruiting
When you talk or meet with someone who you want to help you or hire you...remember to capture the three primary ways in which you can connect with the individual, which are phone, email and their physical address. But, also remember, never to ask for something you can find out on your own; so if you are on the phone with them and their web site lists their office address, you can simply verbally (and quickly) confirm the street address just to secure confirmation in case their are multiple offices and you need to know which one they are housed at. Additionally, you can do your research and determine if they twitter; if they do sign up to receive their twitter of their social media representatives twitter. At the very least you can utilize these three points of contact as ways in which you can creatively connect with your contact. Vary the ways you reach out to them in initially but certainly over time you will determine the kind of communication they prefer with you; then focus on that format and utilize is to recruit you contact. Equally as important, have substance and add value when you communicate with them. In other words, be respectfully aggressive in a valuable way.
Good luck!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Is more education important?
I often get the question, "With the job market as it is, should I simply go on and get more schooling?"
My answer is, it depends - profound huh. Let me explain. If you have never had a "real" job, I believe it is important that you get a professional job before you get a masters. Why? Because you need to wake up everyday and go somewhere, work for someone you may like or you may not particularly like; you need to figure out what you are good at, great at and not so good at. Figure out what you like and what you don't like. But, wake up and go somewhere and build something, contribute your skills, improve your skills and better understand your skills. Additionally, a masters right on top of an undergrad degree won't differentiate you much, if at all, in this environment. Not to mention you will (unless your parents have money) have debt. Yuck!
Don't approach the job search and think, "Well if I can't find a job I'll just go back to school." This is not a good approach because your passion, your fearlessness, your game plan, your execution and so on will lack the intensity needed to be successful. In your mind, you have a fall back. Don't listen to that little person in your head that says..."Oh well if I don't...."
Ok, now let's say some of you reading this believe you need a masters. And, based on your particular situation now is the time. Got it, good. Promise me that you will ask yourself these questions before you put your money down..
What will I do once I graduate with more education?
What is the perfect job?
Who do I know that did this and it helped them? How did it help them?
Based on how much the degree costs, how much more will I make because of it and how quickly will that increase off-set my expense for the degree?
Get your head around the benefits and have a plan as to how you plan to use it.
Enjoy and embrace the path you choose and always, always enjoy the journey.
My answer is, it depends - profound huh. Let me explain. If you have never had a "real" job, I believe it is important that you get a professional job before you get a masters. Why? Because you need to wake up everyday and go somewhere, work for someone you may like or you may not particularly like; you need to figure out what you are good at, great at and not so good at. Figure out what you like and what you don't like. But, wake up and go somewhere and build something, contribute your skills, improve your skills and better understand your skills. Additionally, a masters right on top of an undergrad degree won't differentiate you much, if at all, in this environment. Not to mention you will (unless your parents have money) have debt. Yuck!
Don't approach the job search and think, "Well if I can't find a job I'll just go back to school." This is not a good approach because your passion, your fearlessness, your game plan, your execution and so on will lack the intensity needed to be successful. In your mind, you have a fall back. Don't listen to that little person in your head that says..."Oh well if I don't...."
Ok, now let's say some of you reading this believe you need a masters. And, based on your particular situation now is the time. Got it, good. Promise me that you will ask yourself these questions before you put your money down..
What will I do once I graduate with more education?
What is the perfect job?
Who do I know that did this and it helped them? How did it help them?
Based on how much the degree costs, how much more will I make because of it and how quickly will that increase off-set my expense for the degree?
Get your head around the benefits and have a plan as to how you plan to use it.
Enjoy and embrace the path you choose and always, always enjoy the journey.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Solution and goal oriented in each conversation
I recently met with a young man who lost his job....he is about 26 years old, he has worked for several years in sales in the sports marketing business. Very nice young man.
When I asked him what he wanted to do he said, "that's the problem...I don't really know for sure." Yikes, I thought to myself. He might be thinking that but I don't advise that people say that - after years in the business world - "I don't know..." Not a good answer.
The better approach is to stay solution and goal oriented in your response. What do I mean?
Your intention in the meeting is to get them to like you and believe that you are a bright, ambitious, motivated individual. Give them enough direction with your response to this question that they can think through their contacts, identify people who they know that would network with you and so that you can leave the meeting with names and contact information of people who they have referred you to.
As you answer this question, talk about what you know you are interested in...it can be somewhat generic if necessary. Maybe your answer is that you want to be a part of building something or that you want to secure a position where you are in total control of your financial rewards or that you want to stay in this particular city you live in or that you are eager to move anywhere. Stay positive and stay focused on what it is that you do want to do, not what you don't know or you don't want to do. The goal is to have them like you enough to want to help you or hire you so you need to create enough of an impression and illustrate enough ideas that they want to help get you in front of good people.
So when they ask you, what do you want to do, remain solution and goal oriented. Not to mention, these are two key traits that people making hiring decisions want in their employees. Prove to them by your response to this question that you live by these key traits.
When I asked him what he wanted to do he said, "that's the problem...I don't really know for sure." Yikes, I thought to myself. He might be thinking that but I don't advise that people say that - after years in the business world - "I don't know..." Not a good answer.
The better approach is to stay solution and goal oriented in your response. What do I mean?
Your intention in the meeting is to get them to like you and believe that you are a bright, ambitious, motivated individual. Give them enough direction with your response to this question that they can think through their contacts, identify people who they know that would network with you and so that you can leave the meeting with names and contact information of people who they have referred you to.
As you answer this question, talk about what you know you are interested in...it can be somewhat generic if necessary. Maybe your answer is that you want to be a part of building something or that you want to secure a position where you are in total control of your financial rewards or that you want to stay in this particular city you live in or that you are eager to move anywhere. Stay positive and stay focused on what it is that you do want to do, not what you don't know or you don't want to do. The goal is to have them like you enough to want to help you or hire you so you need to create enough of an impression and illustrate enough ideas that they want to help get you in front of good people.
So when they ask you, what do you want to do, remain solution and goal oriented. Not to mention, these are two key traits that people making hiring decisions want in their employees. Prove to them by your response to this question that you live by these key traits.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Eric Saperston
Have you heard of Eric Saperston? We spent an hour or more on the phone recently discussing our shared passion for finding ones passion. He has awesome energy and vision. Years ago Eric took a trip around our wonderful country with the goal of gathering wisdom from the greats of the generation before him. From his journey, he created a movie called, "The Journey", which shares the advice he gained during his time with so many ordinary and also extraordinary people. Check out his website http://www.ericsaperston.com enjoy and believe in your tomorrows.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Dear Lacey Lee:
Lacey, an incoming senior at the University of South Carolina emailed me the below email:
message: "I am about to be a senior at the University of South Carolina. After graduating, I plan on attending law school. You have my dream job. I want to enter the field of Sport Law. I would love to become a sports agent. How difficult was it for you to break into the field? Do you have any tips for me to get ahead of the game seeing that I still have 4 more years before finding a job? You are such an inspiration to me."
I thought I would share my reply to Lacey on my blog as well.
Lacey, I never felt like it was difficult breaking into the sports business because I expected the challenge. Just stay passionate, stay persistent and be fearless. Embrace every ones advice and only utilize the advice from the people who tell you how difficult it is in a positive way. In other words, listen to what they say were their challenges, learn from them but don't use their challenges as a reason to give up. Much of my book illustrates the tactics you need to execute to find a job, implement those starting right NOW. Lacey, with four years left of school, you have an opportunity to have a job locked up by before you graduate. Start by having an internship each break in school (ie. summer).
Lacey, I hope this helps. Enjoy the journey.
message: "I am about to be a senior at the University of South Carolina. After graduating, I plan on attending law school. You have my dream job. I want to enter the field of Sport Law. I would love to become a sports agent. How difficult was it for you to break into the field? Do you have any tips for me to get ahead of the game seeing that I still have 4 more years before finding a job? You are such an inspiration to me."
I thought I would share my reply to Lacey on my blog as well.
Lacey, I never felt like it was difficult breaking into the sports business because I expected the challenge. Just stay passionate, stay persistent and be fearless. Embrace every ones advice and only utilize the advice from the people who tell you how difficult it is in a positive way. In other words, listen to what they say were their challenges, learn from them but don't use their challenges as a reason to give up. Much of my book illustrates the tactics you need to execute to find a job, implement those starting right NOW. Lacey, with four years left of school, you have an opportunity to have a job locked up by before you graduate. Start by having an internship each break in school (ie. summer).
Lacey, I hope this helps. Enjoy the journey.
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