I am going through an awesome video interview I had with David Perry, author of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters, and in our discussion a job coach named Juan says:
“I tell my guys that if they are looking for ‘any’ job, then they aren’t really looking.”
I totally agree.
“Can you help me find a job?”
“What are you looking for?”
“Anything, really. Anywhere.”
This means, NOTHING. I’m looking for NOTHING. I’m not even in a job search!
When I first started JibberJobber, many people I talked to would say “how can I help you?” They sincerely wanted to help, and would have. My pathetic answer was “I have no idea…!”
And so no one helped me with what I needed, because I couldn’t communicate what I needed.
“What do you want for dinner?”
“Anything. Except… whatever you are going to suggest to me in the next few minutes.”
If you know what you are looking for, you can do a targeted job search. Your network contacts will know who to introduce you to, and how to help you.
Don’t look for any job… figure out what you are looking for, and then go after it.
Not only are they unfocused, if you are looking for “anything” you have a lot more competition! I remember a conversation with someone who had been in an executive role and was complaining she couldn’t get considered for what she considered “loser jobs” (yes,she used those words) at Costco. I pointed out that for some people, Costco jobs were very good jobs indeed (my sister in law works there and loves it) and those people would have an advantage because their enthusiasm would be obvious in an interview vs her attitude that this work was beneath her. You’re much better off fishing in a smaller pool that suits you than looking for “anything” without focus.
Thank you Cleo. We could write a lot about the problems with an “anything” job search. Another is that if you tell me “anything,” I think of nothing, because it’s too vague. But if you tell me, for example, that you want to work in a financial office, or at Costco, then I start asking myself who I know in a financial office (or in the financial industry), or at Costco, or even retail in general.
Knowing what you are looking for can help you help your network know how they can help you… that looks like a tongue twister, but it’s a profound concept!