When I went to my first career workshop, the leader said, “Call strangers. Ask questions. They’re bored and they’d love to help you.”
This strategy was fine until a few million people read the Parachute book. Now executives were fending off eager callers.
With the economy doing a tap dance, it’s time to take a look at some contemporary strategies.
(1) Go virtual.
Link up on Facebook and LinkedIn. But be responsible. Never share anything online that you wouldn’t share with your grandmother, pastor, boss, and most back-stabbing colleague.
When you “friend” someone, make sure you have a legitimate connection. If you don’t have a direct connection, go through an introduction. Recently I was asked to introduce two people on LinkedIn, and it was my pleasure.
(2) Introduce yourself by positioning yourself as a problem-solver.
Some time ago a professionl looking woman told me she worked for Company X. “I’m just a creative director,” she said.
Erase the word “just” from your introduction vocabulary. This woman could have said, “I help clients spread their message in the new media when the traditional solutions don’t work anymore.”
(3) Respect other people’s tme.
I cringe when a well-meaning career advisor says, “People enjoy being interviewed about their careers.”
Well, I for one am happy to be interviewed…by a reporter or teleseminar leader. These days mentors don’t come free. When you call someone who sells time as a self-employed professional, you won’t get far without an introduction. Otherwise we’d be talking to people 20 hours a week and we wouldn’t be able to do the work you’re interviewing us about.
I would stay away from those stylized elevator speeches. But you can present yourself as a successful professional, even if you’re underemployed, unemployed or feeling you’re not moving fast enough.
