Work, success, and meaning at every stage of your career
Career fairs provide excellent networking opportunities for young and experienced professionals. Held on most campuses in the spring, and at various venues year round, these fairs give employers a chance to speak with city residents and students on campus about employment opportunities and employer needs.
When you’re in a job search, especially if you’re in a smaller town, you are always “on.” Your appearance – clothes, grooming and general energy level – are all a part of how people perceive you at first glance.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about what it would be like if your job search were like a musician’s search for work. Here’s what you can learn from their approach.
The informational interview is a mature technique (that ‘s a nice way of saying “old;” everyone’s heard of it and used it.) Asher’s fresh technique was to call a meeting to become a “candidate in waiting.” Asher says that smart managers know that they must be ready to replace key talent at a moment’s notice. People move, have emergencies, and get promoted all the time. It’s good policy to have a network of candidates in waiting who you’ve met, vetted, and know are interested in your company.
My Next Move (www.mynextmove.gov) is an easy-to-use electronic tool that enables users to explore occupations and find related information, including job openings, job outlook information, salaries, apprenticeships, and other related education and training programs.
In the Hidden Job Market, size of the company is one of the most important features you can consider in your search. According to Donald Asher, author of Cracking the Hidden Job Market, says that large corporations are easier to find, but small companies are the ones creating new jobs. It’s also a smart strategy to be looking for work in places others don’t bother.
Donald Asher is the author of “Cracking the Hidden Job Market.” The book is full of common sense tips for finding a job, combined with get tough orders on what it takes to become employed. He pushes the idea of networking hard; after all, he maintains that you must have 100 active leads to follow up on at all times. Here’s how Asher talks about your active network.
Asher maintains that most business professionals know somewhere between 600 and 10,000 people. He says that you should divide your network into four active categories.
Hiring Authorities. These are the people who actually have jobs and could
We know from networking training that people love to be asked for advice; it makes them feel important and seen. The problem is we often focus only on who we consider powerful, and they get asked a lot. It’s the connected, but not powerful, people who may have the best leads. Talk to everyone.
Mark McGuinness, a creative entrepreneur, says that a creative person needs three things to be happy:
Freedom – to do what you want, when you want and how you want it. Not just in
holidays and spare time – but also doing meaningful work, in your own way.
Money – to maintain your independence and fund your creative projects. Of course you want a nice place to live, but you’re not so worried about a bigger car than the guy next door. You’d rather spend money on experiences than status symbols.
Time – to spend as you please, exploring the world and allowing your mind to wander in search of new ideas.
As new graduates prepare for their first career positions after graduation, Katheryn Rivas, an English Major at the University of Texas, offers this advice to her fellow students on success.
