Breaking the Chain of Not Knowing What to do

You may have heard the saying, “They don’t know what they don’t know” or the “blind leading the blind.” This often leads to inaction, wrong action, wasted time, and wasted money. No one can afford these costs during a job search.

Not a day goes by when it seems I talk to an executive who grew up in the paradigm that recruiters called them to offer a job; therefore let’s go play golf or work in the garden until the call comes!  Sounds like a plan! Only, in today’s new reality, it is the wrong plan. Unless you are in the elite of the elite in your profession, the call will likely never come.

At the same time, the job seeker is tight on his budget so he ignores or avoids any investments in learning how to sell himself. That is like a company trying to get customers without any marketing or sales effort. Do you know any successful companies with that strategy?

So the paradox is that ignorance is bliss, money should not be invested in development, but I will talk to peers and look for free information. Do you really think this approach will make you competitive among your peers to be the one to get the job or client? If not, and you fit the profile, you are bound by the chain of not really knowing what to do in today’s jobless marketplace.

Here are a few thoughts:

1.   Continue reading my blog and sign up for the newsletter – they are free

2.   Search the internet for other free advice. Remember that you only get what you pay for and most free advice either conflicts, no longer applies, or is outstanding but lost in the massive amounts of advice.

3.   If you are offered outsourcing help, take it. It may not be very good or competitive but it will have useful features that you can take advantage of

4.   Look for highly successful leaders who don’t mind giving you an advise interview. Respect their time and thank them.

5.   Look for career coaches, speakers, authors, etc. whose concepts ring true and whom others rave about. Talk to them to see if your instinct is to trust them. If they are good, the Return on Investment (ROI) will be better than anything that you can get on Wall Street. The best investment is in yourself

What other ideas do you recommend to break the chain of wasting time and money because you don’t know what to do?