Everybody
prospects. Whether
you are a professional
in sales building
long-term relationships
or now in the
process of seeking
your next full-time
position, you
are still required
to continuously
explore for
and qualify
new people to
meet and talk
with concerning
your business.
For
job seekers
who are not
used to this
activity, this
can be a daunting
challenge—hence
the explosive
growth of networking
groups and events
everywhere.
This doesn’t
even compare
to the proliferation
of online social
networking.
Yet, there are
quite a few
lessons that
the job seeker
can take from
the sales profession.
However, I believe
that one stands
out as most
important:
“Don’t
look for a job—search
for a need.”
Sales
professionals
are expert observers
and listeners.
Their “job”
is to ask questions
and look for
signs that point
to business
opportunities.
In other words,
they look for
needs—needs
which they can
fill better
than anyone
else.
Job
seekers must
take the same
approach. “This
can be a challenge
for job seekers,
who often have
immediate needs
of their own,”
comments
Ken
Lazar,
managing director
of Manpower
Professional
and founder
of the Scioto
Ridge Job Networking
Group (in
Columbus, Ohio).
“When
you are networking
and meet a new
contact, you
must realize
that it’s
not about what
they can do
for you…it’s
about what you
can do for them.”
How
does this advice
help the job
seeker?
Look at it this
way: Most of
us agree that
most jobs are
acquired through
personal relationships
or, in many
cases, being
in the right
place at the
right time (The
technical term
for this is
luck.).
This
begs the question:
how can you
possibly plan
for those opportunities?
You can't. But
imagine how
many job seekers
go about their
day, are in
the right place
at the right
time, but
don’t
ever realize
it. You
must be able
to recognize
the opportunity
when it presents
itself—and
the opportunity
typically exists
in an unmet
need or an unsolved
problem of
someone else.
As
you network
and meet other
people, don’t
be too insistent
on telling others
about yourself,
what you
are seeking,
or what your
needs are. That
chance will
come—and
it will fall
on much more
receptive ears
if you invest
yourself and
become engaged,
rather, in listening
and inquiring
about the needs
of others.
Let's
say you are
attending a
business gathering,
and while pouring
yourself some
coffee, you
start talking
with Beth, who
is in the retail
merchandising
industry and
is seeking a
new job. You
converse with
her and exchange
information.
Then a while
later, you encounter
Jim, a recruiter
who has a client
that seeks professionals
with retail
merchandising
and marketing
experience.
Remembering
your discussion
with Beth, you
track her down
and introduce
her to Jim.
Congratulations!
You just filled
a need, and
made two new
friends! The
more you learn
about and respond
to others’
needs, the more
people you help!
As your network
grows, so does
your capacity
to connect people
with others,
and help them.
When you help
others, you
strengthen bonds,
build relationships,
and help yourself.
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Do
You Have
a Kid
in College?
Before
I wrote
Prospect
&
Flourish,
I assembled
these
lessons
for college
students
in my
book Don't
Wait Until
You Graduate
(which
is now
in its
second
edition
and has
also been
translated
into Chinese).
For further
information,
feel free
to visit
my new
site DontWaitUntilYouGraduate.com.
It (finally!)
went live
this weekend!
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