Finding Your “Hidden” Treasure
I am often surrounded by frustration. That frustration can come from my clients, to those I meet in networking meetings or from family members. What triggers the frustration? It is often when those items that are immediately in front of them do not pan out the way they figure they will. For example, a lot of my contacts, given the type of clients on whom I focus, are in transition and often more specifically job search. Their natural instinct is to immediately go to the “want ads,” (which sometimes are still in the newspaper, but often now on the Internet), and search for long periods of time for a job that aligns with their qualifications. They apply to job after job, and often hear either a rejection or more commonly no response at all. It is the same way often when individuals work with job recruiters. The thought is that the recruiter will do the work for them that will find them their next job. However, what is overlooked is the recruiter is actually not working on the job searchers behalf, but on behalf of the company with the opening. That company will be the one ultimately paying the recruiter if they bring the right match to the company. If the recruiter perceives you are not the right match, then again you wind up sitting on the sidelines.
So, what is one to do? How do they ever reach that which they want, (a job, a new relationship, or an activity which energizes the time they spend)? Often it starts with stepping out of their comfort zone. That may mean for some just taking that first step to a networking meeting. For others maybe that step is not difficult, but then knowing how to succinctly express their strengths, what they offer and how they can help another or a group is the stumbling block. Still others may do these early steps, but get discouraged when they do not get an immediate response. By acknowledging it is a “search”, you are acknowledging that it is going to take time. You are acknowledging that it is going to require a strategy, a strategy that may need to be constantly reevaluated. On balance you are going to get a lot more no’s, or now is not the right time, or other negative responses. However, it takes only ONE YES. One yes that indicates that we like what you offer, we would like you to work with us, we would like you to be part of our group or our life.
If you have been doing the obvious, or what is just right in front of you, then consider doing the not so obvious. If job applications and online recruiters are not working for you then write a letter (or several letters to several different companies), that may have the type of positions you seek and for which you have the qualifications. Don’t ask them for a job. Ask them for the opportunity to speak to someone in a decision making capacity, even for a short time about what you may be able to do for them. If your focus is on a particular cause or agency, you may have to acknowledge that you will need to display your efforts first through volunteering for them, as opposed to them hiring you. Be creative and demonstrate what you can do. If you have an idea for approaches that may work for a particular group, write them out. Provide some thought process solutions. You may not get all the details correct. However, it will show you are thinking about your target and the issues they need resolved.
Above all, control what you can control, and don’t worry about that which you can’t. You can control your communication and follow-up, (not the timing of their responses). You can control requesting a meeting with them. It is rare that they will blindly reach out to you. If you wait until they’re advertising for what they need, you will be competing with hundreds of other candidates to deliver it. However, if you speak to them as the need is arising in their mind, or before it has even come to them, you are likely going to be in place to help before any other competition lines up at the door. Your intent is to find your “treasure.” It is not necessarily always going to be immediately in front of you.
