The Job Nobody Dreams Of

Do It Yourself

Business managers are no different than baseball managers or football/basketball coaches. They either produce results or they get fired. While strategy plays a part in being successful (be it sports or business) the bottom line normally rests on having good players (employees).

If you are in the market for a new job you should be contacting managers yourself. It's not that hard to find the names. Look on the company's website; check Linkedin or Hoovers; call the company switchboard and ask who the manager of "X" is. 

Put the power of Kevin Bacon to work by enlisting your friends and relatives.  Make a list of the companies you are interested in working for and let everyone you know that you are interested in the names of managers they know of at these companies. 

Once you have the names, make the call and ask for 10 minutes of their time. Tell them you want to learn about the type of people they feel are successful in their particular business or industry. Once you get the meeting and after they share what they think it takes to be successful, you can share your experience and background and why you would be successful.

Will you get a lot of appointments going this route? Probably not. But you will get in front of a few ultimate decision makers and not have to rely on HR picking your resume out of 500 applicants. You'll also build new contacts that might pay off at a later date. Smart managers understand that rough times can offer opportunities to find new talent that might not normally be available to them. Make it easier for them to find you by contacting them yourself.

Happy Selling!

Book Report

One of the great things about being in Toastmasters are the experiences you get to share and learn from your fellow members. This past week one of the members in my club did a speech on a book she had just read. "Learned Optimism" by Dr. Martin Seligram falls into the category of "self-help" books but this is one that actually delivers. If tough times have you or someone you know down, this book is a must read.

Just like my favorite sales book, "Spin Selling," this book is backed up by years of research. The author has spent over 25 years of clinical research studying optimists and pessimists. The first part of the book deals a lot with what Dr. Seligman found in his research but that insight is really educational and helps you understand the science behind how we feel. The second part of the book (actually last third) details an actual blueprint of how to overcome depression. It talks about how 90% of depression can be unlearned.

In a time where we are surrounded by so many negative influences, this may be one of the most important books you'll ever read. Read it for yourself or share it with a friend. I promise, you know someone who could use the help.

Happy Selling!

Don't Embrace These Mistakes

I am a huge believer in not being afraid of making mistakes...probably because I make so many myself! I've tried to teach my sons the learning opportunities that occur when you mess up. I even did a very successful speech in Toastmasters years ago about failure and what you can gain from it as a life experience. All this being said, there are times that mistakes are NOT welcome...in a job interview for instance.

"25 Reasons Why I Won't Hire You" by Zenja Glass is a profile of the 25 most common mistakes job seekers do to shoot themselves in the foot while job hunting. It's written in three sections. Before the interview; during the interview and after the interview. Each chapter covers one of the 25 mistakes.

Some mistakes are common sense such as, "You arrived too late for the interview!" (#18) or "You lied to me!" (#13). Others like "You talk too much!" (#9) or "You work with too many recruiters!" may be a surprise to job seekers. Of course I love #16..."You didn't sell yourself!"

I can make a case that #16 is a result of commiting any of the other 24 mistakes. Landing a new job is no different from selling a product or service...YOU are the product or service! If you are having difficulty finding a new job you might want to give this book a look. Even just reviewing the chapter titles should give you a quick lesson in job hunting sabotage.

Happy Selling!

Two Great Resources

While most of my posts on this blog are singular in nature I wanted to share two different resources that will help further your career. The best part? They are both free! One you know about and one you probably haven't heard of before.

The first resource you are familiar with...YouTube. We've all used it to watch funny videos or catch concert footage or TV clips. Did you know quite a few people are using YouTube for career training?

A lot of schools (including Stanford and MIT) are posting lectures online; there's job interview tips,,,even learn how to operate heavy machinery! Forbes had a recent article about individuals using YouTube to help them gain new job skills You Tube and Your New Job. YouTube can also help you brush up on your computer skills or help you create a new workout program. I am using it to supplement my personal training workouts as I train to dunk a basketball Dunk Before 50

Another tremendous resource (that also happens to be free!) is a book about online marketing. "The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online" is probably the greatest book I have read on online marketing. The book shows you how to:

• Sign new customers, meet new business partners, recruit star employees, and even find your dream job!
• Create a powerful professional (or corporate) presence online!
• Attract business in online networks!
• Start and promote your own blog!
• Use web conferencing and discussion forums to make more sales!

You can purchase the book or get a free copy at the author's blog The Virtual Handshake. You can't print if off like most e-books but it is well worth the download to your computer.

Happy Selling! 

My New Goal

I have recently begun a new project that is both personal and ambitious. I am just about a year away from turning 50 (ugh!) and my dream is to dunk a basketball before my birthday on October 7, 2010. You can follow my journey at Dunk Before 50.

There is quite a bit of whining on my posts but hopefully the insight I have in fighting for such a far fetched goal will inspire others to "shoot for the stars."

Happy Selling!