What is the Tenth Step of Jobpreneurship™ 101?

The tenth step is to ask for referrals.

Friendships and trusted relationships are the foundation but if you don’t ask for help most people are too busy and focusing on their issues to consider that you may need or want help. So, you need to let them know what you are passionate about, what your vision is, what you want to do, where you are looking to do it, what your value is, and how they might be able to help you.

Rather than ask like a beggar, the best format is to ask them how you can help them – and then help them. Either during the conversation or later, they will ask how they can help you. If you have done your Jobpreneurship™ homework, you are ready for that discussion.

When you ask for help, it may be in a networking meeting or it may be in a private meeting. Generally, I try to introduce people and be helpful in a networking meeting but where I sense that I can really help someone, feel like this is someone whom I want to get to know better, or believe that they may be able to help me, I recommend that we meet for coffee, breakfast, or lunch to get to know each other better. If they have heard of me, are interested in me, or others suggest that they meet with me, I usually get their cooperation to later set a time and place to meet.

One of the best ways of helping others is to refer them into your network. But I almost never do so unless, at a minimum, I know them and have met at least one time with them. The best referrals that I give are if I have known them in different settings and seen them in action over a period of time.

Still, many of us are shy about asking for referrals. If you are a trusted and accomplished individual, they are usually honored to be asked by you. You would be foolish not to ask. If they cannot help you, at least now you know. Perhaps something will come up two weeks later and they can help you. A situation could develop the next day or the next year, but if they don’t know you need help you will not come to mind.

Ask for help and referrals.

 

Hopelessness Versus SEE

Hopelessness Versus See
MP3 NOT For
Redistribution

Blind Dating is Not an Effective Job Search Strategy, Part Two

If you have not read last week’s blog, please do. The question we need to start with is how would you feel about blind dating with different people suggesting whom you should date.

Now that you put yourself into those shoes, let’s turn the tables. Let’s put on the hiring manager’s shoes. The hiring manager is now the one who is looking for a date (employee to fill a job) and potentially a long term employment relationship. You are the potential blind date.

If the hiring manager did not know you or ever talk to you and a stranger to the hiring manager suggested to her that she should commit her time to meet you, would you expect she would be interested in meeting?

This is what an unsolicited resume is to a hiring manager. They don’t know you and whether what you say is true or filled with a hidden motive. Most hiring managers don’t have the time or trust to pursue unknown people.

If your resume was referred to the hiring manager by someone she knew, would you expect she would immediately want to meet with you? Not necessarily. Certainly, in the context of you being one of five candidates coming in to be interviewed by a number of people, then the hiring manager may interview you or not. Many hiring managers want subordinates to do the first interview pass. Why? To get opinions of people whom they trust to screen unknown candidates first.

If you were referred by a trusted friend or advisor, would the hiring manager be willing to meet personally with you, bypassing the gatekeepers? In most cases, you will get the opportunity of at least meeting with them for 15-30 minutes. If they like you and become interested in you, then they would usually check you out with other advisors or, if you are at a lower level, have HR take a look at you.  During this process the company might be willing to consider including you in the interview process to see if the relationship should move toward a job offer.

Sound ridiculous? To a job seeker, perhaps. To a hiring manager, this is no different than being asked on a blind date.

The question then becomes, how are you seeking to get in front of the hiring manager?

Next week, we will be announcing our new book which walks you through the entire process and gives you a roadmap you can begin following immediately.

Blind Dating is Not an Effective Job Search Strategy

Have you ever been on a blind date? No? I haven’t either. Let’s go through what might be a typical blind date scenario. It is important to see the picture from this viewpoint. Next week we will explain why blind dating is not an effective job search strategy.

Let’s say that a stranger told you that there was a person whom you should meet and go out on a date. What would your response be?

Let’s say that someone you knew told you that there was a person whom you should meet and go out on a date. What would your response be?

Let’s say that your best friend told you that there was a person whom you should meet and go out on a date. What would your response be?

My hope is that you would ignore the stranger; period.

If someone you knew suggested a date, most of us might ask a question or two. If the answer sounded like a “WOW!”, then we might at least consider meeting the person on a casual basis first to get our own opinion. That casual introduction could start out as simple as using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or even email. If interest increased, perhaps a causal meeting for coffee in a highly public area might be warranted. At a minimum, most of us would still be very nervous. You never know whom you might really be meeting. Movies have been made of such things.

If your best friend told you, you would probably ask a number of questions and measure both the content of the reply and how well your best friend knew the person. You would be wise to still follow the caution of very slow steps before committing to a date.

What is the difference? Trust. You cannot trust a stranger’s opinion or motive. You may not be able to trust the opinion of someone else whom you know. You would more likely trust your best friend and at least be willing to meet the person, without initially committing to a date or a relationship.

Before we explain how this relates to jobs, please consider if you agree with my opinion. Next week’s blog will explain how this ties into getting a job.

Are You a Legend or a Legacy?

There are several kinds of legends. You can be a legend want-a-be, a legend in your own mind, a legend with mythical notoriety, or a true legend whom others look up to with awe and respect. For some true legends, they just seem to fall into the situation, not unlike some medal of honor winners who were “just doing their duty.” For most true legends, and medal of honor winners, there is a cost to pay. The price can range from their health, their family, friends, and endless hours of hard work.

It is hard to be a legend. Few make the grade. I doubt that I will be considered a legend. To me, the cost would have been too high. For others, I simply take my hat off to them.

However, there is something that all of us can do even if we are never recognized by others, appear on the national news, or receive global honors. We can choose to leave a legacy.

What is a legacy? Wikipedia defines a legacy as “what someone or something is remembered for or what they have left behind that is remembered, revered or has impacted current events and the present day.”

While a legacy could include a significant monetary or property inheritance, I am most interested in whether our personal lives are impacting others around us in such a way that they are “touched by us”, motivated by us, encouraged by us, and helped by us in such a way that they remember it for the rest of their lives – and sometimes even tell their children about it. That could even include one simple but profound positive lesson that a parent leaves with their child.

While you are looking for a job or are developing your career, are you also leaving a positive legacy for your family, friends, and even strangers that you meet?

Are you focused on becoming a legend or on leaving a legacy?

How do you structure a Power Group?

A typical approach taken by members of an association is that association members who live close to each other agree to meet, usually weekly, at a local coffee shop or sandwich shop where they can buy some coffee and meet with the approval of the shop owners.

The groups are often made up of either those with common careers (sales, finance, hr, …), common levels (college students, managers, executives, senior executives…), and genders. However more diverse backgrounds are not uncommon.

For common backgrounds, if each person develops 10 leads and there are five group members, then the group now has 50 leads that can be shared. Who actually will get the job will depend upon experience, personality, culture, relationships and a host of other factors. The general belief is that “if someone is going to get the job, why not let it be one of us!”

For diverse backgrounds, there is less group competition and often a broader net of contacts. Further, diverse backgrounds can create a unique learning atmosphere where everyone can learn different perspectives and become more rounded and balanced. For example, a sales and a finance person in a group will not be competing for the same job but will know people for networking and can help each other understand how to perceive and meet the needs of other sales and finance people. For higher level jobs, cross-functional teaming is critical to company success – and being a qualified hire.

The size of the group is usually limited to around seven and most experts would recommend not exceeding fifteen members. The actual number who will show up will depend upon travel, meeting, and family commitment schedules.

The purpose of the group generally is focused upon a common urgent need, such as looking for work. Then, as members obtain work they will generally go in one of three directions. Those who appreciated the group but have still not learned the importance of networking will usually leave and not be heard from again. Those who appreciated the group and have developed trusted relationships and friendships with other members will often leave but regularly stay in touch with each other over the phone or email. Some will even continue networking through one-off times for coffee or over a meal. The third group usually decides to stay because they have benefited so much personally that they want to “pay it forward” to others and help other members, particularly newer members.

The timing of most meetings is either before or after work. This allows those getting a job to continue to participate and allows other members to focus on looking for work during prime time. However, some groups meet at various times throughout the day. The group determines what is best for them.

The bottom line is that the value of any group will depend upon the members and the level of participation by each member. If you join a group and find that it does not work for you, the problem may be who is in the group not that Power Groups are not useful.

How does a Power Group Differ From Coaching?

A Power Group is a peer led group that does not use a coach. As a result, mutual leads and mutual confidential matters are easily shared but knowledge on how to search for jobs or develop one’s career is limited by the strongest member of the group. Since, in almost every case, no one in the group is a full-time coach or professional in Jobprenuership™, then groups can easily encourage one another to be taking actions that may not be best practice or developing themselves with wrong paradigm thinking.

Does that eliminate the use of a Power Group? Absolutely not! The advantages of joint networking, sharing leads, brain-storming, encouragement, and accountability for a potential lifetime of trusted friendships makes, in my opinion, a Power Group one of the world’s best kept secrets.

However, as you grow, if other’s in the group refuse to grow then you might later need to start another Power Group with more committed or mature members. Also, as you learn more about Jobpreneurship™, your opportunity to help other members will grow significantly. You might even suggest that the group include Jobpreneurship™ as the model to build upon. Another way of putting it is that Power Groups are useful – period. Jobpreneurship™ has been recognized as the best class model for job search, career development, and client development. By combining both concepts, you will only increase your effectiveness and long term results.

Power Groups for Jobs and Careers

What is a Power Group? It is a small networking group that meets weekly, biweekly, or monthly for the purpose of helping each member with job leads, mutual encouragement, mutual accountability (kicks in the seat), peer-to-peer coaching, and shared learning.

Why bother with a Power Group? While you may find 10 job leads, a group of 5 may have a combined total of 50 jobs leads (10 per person). Which would you rather have? While you may know 500 people, a group of 5 may have a combined network of 2,500 people. Which network would you prefer?

We all have up times and down times. During a job search or a career cycle, there are always times when we need someone to talk to who will not share your comments outside of the group. Leaking conversations outside of the group is an immediate cause for being kicked out of the group – and great harm to their reputation / brand. We need encouragement, reflection, brain-storming, accountability, and what you might call a “Board of Advisors.”

How many of your friends do you know of in a Power Group? Your answer is probably, “None.” Do you think such a group might be helpful? Do you think you might be more effective and competitive by working as a team?

Obviously these are trick questions. If you are not interested in a Power Group that probably means that you are a Lone Ranger (not good), a hermit on a mountain top (have limited options), or don’t know enough about them. If the latter, stay tuned! I will spend a few days explaining them further.

Using Linked In – Fortune Article

Amazing timing! I just received the April 12th issue of Fortune Magazine where the cover story is on job seekers using LinkedIn as a “secret” weapon This is a must read. If I find the link, I will post it later.

The key for all of us is to remember that although LinkedIn is an incredible tool – a must use part of your strategy, it is only a tool. The principles of personal development, developing yourself as a product, learning how to market yourself, and learning how to sell and network are still required skills. The great news is that these are all teachable skills!

The caution is that using any networking without first being sure that you are ready for the public exposure could actually harm you more than help you. Use of the internet multiplies who you are faster than any other medium in history. You just want to be sure that what they see is the image that fits the job that you are trying to find, is easy for others to want to refer you, and shows the value that you can bring to the party.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Using LinkedIn, Part Five

Searching for a job?

First, check out the LinkedIn Job board. Many companies are beginning to post and use LinkedIn. Members are usually more professional than typical social groups. Also, LinkedIn appears to have aggregation capability from other boards.

Second, your groups might also have job postings. Here there is already some similarities with members, so the risk is less than a general population.

Third, after you have gone through Jobprenurshipä training, use your value proposition, brand, and communication message to focus on your targeted companies by searching through LinkedIn via company searches to find influencers, trusted advisors, and decision makers who might be interested in you. Also, look for those who recently worked in the company to obtain insights and connections that could be invaluable. This is invaluable when researching companies.

While you are networking and participating in groups, “pay it forward” by helping others. That will continue improving your brand and extend your network as someone who might be trustworthy.

One final word about LinkedIn, this is an incredible tool but only a tool. The ultimate purpose is not to replace face-to-face meetings. It is to help increase your productivity in getting face-to-face meetings where you can utilize the Jobpreneurshipä methodology of developing trusted networks, extending your brand in your community, and obtaining referrals.

Hiring decisions and larger cost buying decisions don’t happen merely through the internet. The risks are too high. You will need to still meet and greet, interview, and get friends to help you. You will need to get involved in associations or networking groups. You will need to pay it forward to help others. But intelligently using LinkedIn is a competitive advantage.

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