www.theladders.com
Yeah, I know what you're thinking.
That job you applied for in September... there's no chance anything's going to happen there. When you talked to the nice woman in Human Resources a couple months ago, it seemed like the SVP wasn't sure whether she wanted somebody with more experience or not. It's probably not the most likely gig for you.
So even though it's still on your Excel spreadsheet of opportunities that you're reviewing, you're feeling pretty "iffy" as to whether there's a real chance at that firm. So perhaps you won't call today, you know? Maybe just wait and see what happens?
Now, look, this is a pretty common way of thinking... and it's dead wrong.
Of course you're going to come up with all sorts of excuses to justify why you're not going to pick up the phone and reach out to her.
That's the natural state of the job-seeker, the professional, the average human being... you.
Really, who wants to put themselves out there and risk rejection? It's unpleasant. It's unnatural. It's unenjoyable.
But, like it or not, when you're in a job search for your next $100K+ gig, you've got to do it. You've got to pick up the phone and reach out to all your contacts and job opportunities.
Because even if she doesn't have something for you right now, perhaps her old friend at another firm was asking her just last night if she knew of anybody like you. Or maybe a recruiter she was speaking with last week was asking for referrals for another job. Or perhaps somebody just left to take a job somewhere else and she is, in fact, desperately in need of somebody like you. Right now.
While the likelihood of any of these circumstances is small, you have to take a lot of small chances to get one big job.
You have to play the ricochet, work the rebound, pounce on the bounce. You need to create your own luck, and the easiest way to do it is to keep following up, urgently, relentlessly, religiously, with the recruiters and HR departments who have, or have had, opportunities that are right for you.
Because you never know where your resume might end up after those calls, those networking lunches, those follow up meetings.
Keep things moving this cold December morning, Readers!
That job you applied for in September... there's no chance anything's going to happen there. When you talked to the nice woman in Human Resources a couple months ago, it seemed like the SVP wasn't sure whether she wanted somebody with more experience or not. It's probably not the most likely gig for you.
So even though it's still on your Excel spreadsheet of opportunities that you're reviewing, you're feeling pretty "iffy" as to whether there's a real chance at that firm. So perhaps you won't call today, you know? Maybe just wait and see what happens?
Now, look, this is a pretty common way of thinking... and it's dead wrong.
Of course you're going to come up with all sorts of excuses to justify why you're not going to pick up the phone and reach out to her.
That's the natural state of the job-seeker, the professional, the average human being... you.
Really, who wants to put themselves out there and risk rejection? It's unpleasant. It's unnatural. It's unenjoyable.
But, like it or not, when you're in a job search for your next $100K+ gig, you've got to do it. You've got to pick up the phone and reach out to all your contacts and job opportunities.
Because even if she doesn't have something for you right now, perhaps her old friend at another firm was asking her just last night if she knew of anybody like you. Or maybe a recruiter she was speaking with last week was asking for referrals for another job. Or perhaps somebody just left to take a job somewhere else and she is, in fact, desperately in need of somebody like you. Right now.
While the likelihood of any of these circumstances is small, you have to take a lot of small chances to get one big job.
You have to play the ricochet, work the rebound, pounce on the bounce. You need to create your own luck, and the easiest way to do it is to keep following up, urgently, relentlessly, religiously, with the recruiters and HR departments who have, or have had, opportunities that are right for you.
Because you never know where your resume might end up after those calls, those networking lunches, those follow up meetings.
Keep things moving this cold December morning, Readers!
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