How do you create opportunities?

A young woman came into my office today who use to be one of my interns. She is a nice, sharp girl - Julia Gates. She is taking a risk and moving to Australia to work. I am proud of her; she will return (I hope) to the US a new person in many ways. During our conversations today, we discussed something that struck me as an interesting blog topic.

How do you identify opportunities for yourself?

At the most basic level, you identify a need or a hole inside a company or an organization; you identify the ways in which that problem can be fixed; you identify ways in which you can help solve that problem AND, in a perfect world, ways in which that problem creates revenue for the organization. This philosophy applies whether you are currently in a job or your looking for a job.

Most companies have challenges or needs. Sometimes those needs don't result in official postinga. There are plenty of opportunities that aren't posted - you just need to find them. And, once you do, add value by solving their problem. Just ensure that the problem you are solving directly or indirectly creates revenue for the organization - otherwise, they can't pay you for it.

It really is this simple. So,go for it!!

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

Interviewing Advice

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...

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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!

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.