Career change often starts with information search. That’s a good thing.
But before you start, take a few minutes to study how to accomplish this goal.
Here’s an email I received from a well-meaning changer. See how many mistakes you can spot:
I hope you are well and I’m sorry for bothering you. I found you online and was intrigued.
I’m currently researching business opportunities/ideas with the hopes of finding something I can do from home full-time. Your business sounds interesting – could you tell me about yourself and how well you’re doing in your present business?
(1) Never, ever open with an apology.
(2) Personalize your query. This letter doesn’t make any mention of me, my website, or my business. I get the feeling the sender was emailing the identical message to thousands of people. So why should I bother?
(3) Do your research. Type in “work at home business.” Try “WAHM” for “Work at Home Mom,” even if you’re not a mom. There’s no rule that says you must be a mom to run those businesses. Once you’ve done some research you can prepare specific questions that directly relate to your goals.
(4) Never send a request to a service business owner unless you are prepared to pay. We sell our time., so..
(5) Get introduced. Occasionally I might help someone who’s a friend or relative of a friend. As a minimum, get into LinkedIn and get introductions from your own friends.