How do you find a job you love? It boils down to 5 benign words that sound radical when strung together:
Make friends with the world.
Consider these two little-known facts about landing a job.
- 1 out of 100 people land a job without a referral
- 1 out of 7 people land a job with a referral
Most people innately know this. Have you heard these words recently? I got beaten out for that job by someone who was friends with the (insert job title) there! I didn’t stand a chance.
Yet still, many people, with fingers crossed, send their resumes to job boards without knowing anyone at the company to which they’re applying.
This is where I can help you.
In 2006, my own job hunt stalled. Then I rolled up my sleeves and did what the good people at job clubs and WorkOne Indy told me to do (I also did unconventional stuff I made up. More about that another time). Within three months of making friends with the world, I landed a great gig.
Since then, I’ve learned hundreds of ways to build your referrals. Today, when I speak with a disillusioned job seeker, I’ll ask: Have you set up an informational interview with people in your industry? No. That makes me uncomfortable. Are you on LinkedIn? Oh, I’ve tried that. It does nothing for me. Where do you volunteer? That’s a waste of time, it never leads anywhere.
How do you reply to these questions? The irony is that by committing to just these 3 activities above, you shorten your job search by weeks, even months.
What I love to do is introduce you to a range of referral-building and job search strategies that get results. These strategies are tailored to introverts and extroverts, creative or linear types. I have a grand arsenal of specific activities that will connect you to a job you love faster.
Why is making friends with the world so important? Here are three main reasons:
1) Life is impermanent, including your job.
By building your network with people who like you, and admire and respect your work, you position yourself well for that next advertised or unadvertised job.
2) It makes you feel invincible in any job market, and builds a rock-solid confidence.
Yup, that’s a bold statement. Building a solid network is a life-long responsibility, as important as exercise, eating right and being nice to your mom. Many people make the mistake of beginning to network when they are unemployed (I know I did!). By continuing to expand your network while you’re employed, you position yourself beautifully for a new gig, whether you’re employed or not.
3) You position yourself to give others a leg up.
Because you are friends with the world, you get to boost others who are unhappily employed or unemployed. Too many people dislike their jobs, which isn’t good for our world. As Howard Thurman wrote: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” That’s my mission: To make friends with the world and while doing it, help people come alive.
Coming Alive Career Coaching 
Thank you for this great article. Building your network of contacts is so important. Employers want to hire people they know and showing your involvement in the community is so important. It is about showing the world your ability to get along with others. This is vital to the job seekers success.
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Tonia, yes! With the littlest effort, you can engage with new people, paving the way for new conversations.I agree, it’s vital to a job seeker’s success. Thanks for sharing!
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