So you’re moving forward in your search, but you feel like you’ve tapped your existing network for support and introductions. With the knowledge that 85% of jobs are landed through networking, what else can you do to position yourself for success?
You got it: more networking (I know, queue agonizing scream...).
There are many reasons why people don’t like reaching out to someone they don’t know: It’s uncomfortable. It’s scary. It may result in silence or rejection.
But here’s why you should: There is nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain -- an introduction, an interview, or a job offer -- if you do it right.
My clients who use this template see 60-70% of people they reach out to responding positively. Pause and think about that for a second: From your desk, you could send 10 brief emails and make 6-7 new connections, and then wow them with your dynamite informational interview skills. That’s 6-7 new advocates to help you succeed in your search.
So how do you do it?
The goal is to show this person you don’t know that, in fact, you’re already connected.
You want to show that through some shared experience, passion, or aspect of your identities, you are not strangers, but allies. As a stranger, you are easy to ignore amidst the busy working day and inbox overflow. But as an ally, you are someone worth making time for -- especially when you show her that you will use her precious time wisely and create value for her in return.
Take a look at our template and steps to craft your perfect cold email. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes to write once you master the technique.
If you read our recent article on how to knock your interview questions out of the park, you’re 90% of the way there on dominating the “weaknesses” curveball. Because you know that all questions boil down to the one and only question you’re ever really asked in an interview: “Why should I hire you?”
So how do you respond to the “Why shouldn’t I hire you?” question with a “Seriously, you should hire me” answer?
1. Let this sink in: they will want to hire you because of how you address your weaknesses, not because you don’t have any
Some people think the point of this question is to share that you have no weaknesses, or that you only have a little weakness that’s smaller than other candidates' big weaknesses. Queue a big whoppin’ Donald Trump "wrong." (Too soon?)
The point is to demonstrate how you address less-than-perfect situations in the workplace. If you follow the below response template, your interviewer will want to hire you because you’ll show her:
- You are aware of your weaknesses -- you’re a self-aware candidate
- You are already working to address them -- you’re a proactive candidate that solves problems instead of creating them
- You will continue to address and leverage these weaknesses when hired -- you’re a candidate who turns weaknesses into strengths!
So you interviewed for a job, started to see yourself in the position and feel it within your grasp, and then didn’t get the offer. This article will share step-by-step instructions on how to get the best insight out of your rejection and increase the likelihood of getting to “yes” next time.
There must be thousands of articles on typical interview questions and how to prepare for them. Mostly, the advice tends to center around “be specific!” or “do your research!” or “make eye contact!” All good stuff. But I haven’t seen anything yet that shares the secret to interviewing, and the number one trick you can use to knock it out of the park, every time.
So here’s the secret:
So you’ve figured out who you want to speak with to move forward in your job search, and you’re getting ready for an informational interview.
What would make this conversation a success?
Some people mistakenly think informational interviews are informal and all about relationship-building. But the real opportunity in an informational interview is to convince someone to become your advocate, by getting you an interview or another introduction in the right direction.
A 2016 survey revealed that 85% of jobs are found via networking, and experts tend to agree that only 30% of all jobs are posted online. Master the informational interview, and this can become the key to landing your next gig.
Here's how to convince someone you’re worthy of a little effort and a little risk, by making sure they leave your conversation thinking:
- “He knows what he wants.”
- “He came prepared with reasonable expectations.”
- “I know exactly how to help him.”
- “I want to help him.”
The vast majority of professionals cite “purpose” as one of their top priorities at work.* Yet, even among executives and students at Harvard Business School, fewer than 20% report having a strong sense of their own individual purpose.** In sum, purpose is something most of professionals want, badly, but few of them have found -- and sadly, not having found it often leaves them feeling lacking, behind, or lost.
Yes, there are hallmarked examples of individuals finding their life’s work in the blink of an eye, like Newton with his apple or Edison with his light bulb. But recent research has shed light on how creativity and insight are generated via exploration, learning and action, rather than waiting for lightning to strike.***
So here are the two simple steps we’ve found that anyone can take -- today -- to find purpose at work:
Identifying your values is an important step in understanding what motivates you in and out of the office.
- On the chart below, circle the top 15 values of most importance to you out of the 150 values listed
- Once you have your top 15, strike 5 from your list to find your top 10
- Once you have your top 10, strike 3 more from your list to find your top 7
- Now rank your top 7 values from most to least important. This will help you evaluate potential opportunities and how to take the right step in the face of challenging decisions in the future.
Once you have completed this exercise, you can move on to our career direction diagnostic to help you define your purpose at work.
A strong, positive relationship with your manager is one of the most critical components of loving your job.
You are not expected (or likely) to thrive working under any manager under the sun; all managers have different approaches to leadership, communication, defining and evaluating success, work-life balance and mentorship--as do you. Just like finding the right partner in love, fit is important.
What you are expected to do, however, is work hard during your interview process to learn as much as you can about your prospective manager in order to make the most educated guess as possible about whether you will fit and thrive working together.
Of course, you’re also half responsible for making your relationship with your manager great after you’ve accepted the job (fit doesn’t mean everything comes easy!). But that lesson is for another day. First, let’s focus on concrete steps to helping you evaluate your prospective manager before you get so excited about your offer that you forget to do your due diligence:
- What to research about your prospective manager before meeting her/him
- How to develop your question list for your in-person meeting
- Reflection questions for after your meeting
