Gis a job

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity

I could not believe my good fortune. Somehow, I managed a land a job in the strategy department of an FT100 telecoms company. Many of my peers were seasoned management consultants with MBAs from top universities. I had no real concept of how one did strategy. It was a baptism of fire. I worked on high profile projects for board directors, prepared company slides that were presented to city analysts and tracked the company’s progress against competitors. The work was intense and I learnt more than at any other time in my life. It was also great fun. Then one day, it was all over. Along with many colleagues, I was made redundant.

Build connections

Similarities matter most when they’re rare. We bond when we share uncommon commonalities which allow us to feel that we fit in and stand out at the same time. - Adam Grant

Whenever I meet someone new, in person or online, I invite them to connect on LinkedIn. I explore the background of those I do not know well. In my invite, I suggest subjects of common interest and share related resources, e.g. a blog post, video or on-line tool. I try to share valuable content on LinkedIn every day; this has c.210,000 views per year. During job search, the importance of my contacts became apparent. I had 12,000 connections, spanning multiple industries, which I could reach out to. Whenever I approached someone in relation to a possible role, I personalised the message and explained how I could help their organisation. I reasoned that if I wanted 15 mins of someone’s time then I had to demonstrate that I had invested at least that myself.

Demonstrate value

Try not to become successful, rather deliver value. - Albert Einstein

Having been through the process of job searching a few times, I know how easy it is to become very self-centred. I felt sorry for myself. Why didn’t prospective employers appreciate how much effort I was putting in? I came to the realisation that I needed to flip the perspective. Not so much, what employers could do for me as what value could I offer them? In his book Choose Yourself, James Altucher describes how he approached businesses with specific improvement suggestions. It led to many opportunities and transformed his life. I used this approach when supporting my younger daughter find a job. It worked.

Develop personal brand

Your personal brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room. - Jeff Bezos

Building an online presence is a key part of Branding Ourselves. This can have a profound impact on our prospects of securing a good job. It raises our profile, establishes credibility and enables recruiters to find us. We can do this in various ways, including optimising our LinkedIn profile, writing a blog and establishing a personal website.

Other resources

Can’t Find a Job post by Austin Belcak

Build a Personal Website in 3 Steps post by Phil Martin

Cold Emails to Hot Leads post by Phil Martin

Following the loss of the best job I’d ever had, I dusted myself off and found another job. My family and contacts helped me through.

Have fun.

Phil…

Photo: Marten Newhall via Unsplash