Congratulations on your new job! Think of it as contract work where you get paid when you are finish the job… which of course is to go shopping 7.5 hours a day for a new job! Make the most of this time to also learn and grow as a person and contribute by sharing what you learn with others. Many unlucky people feel that they are stuck in jobs they don't like for years. This is a real opportunity for you to lead others by example. You got this! 🙂

Tip: Check your local library or book store for a book called "Book yourself solid" by Michael Port. If you don't like reading and are perhaps more visual, there is an illustrated edition too. He makes the whole process of marketing yourself to targeted employers a lot easier and more pleasant.

Some people have come back to me and say "But Michael, I am not looking for clients, I want to be an employee!" This is a matter of perspective.

Think of yourself as a product and potential employers as potential clients. Is there really that much of a difference between a client who is an employer and multiple clients? Either way, you are working for the people who are paying you. When you start to see yourself as a product that you need to sell to clients, you start to change the way you think about presenting yourself and start to realize that blindly submitting your resume on a website or by email is the equivalent of receiving junk in your mailbox. It might work but most of it will end up in the recycle bin.

A big part of Book Yourself Solid is about developing relationships with people, learning about your business including finding out what clients are looking for. Only when you have understood your potential client's pains and needs can you effectively market yourself in a way that will be meaningful to them. Networking has multiple advantages. First, you get to speak with people who wouldn't even consider interviewing you. This gives them an opportunity to get to know you and you to know them. If you ask the right questions, you can learn about their business including when and where they will need someone like you in the future so that you can be in the right place and at the right time. By the time you apply for a job, you'll be so far ahead of other applicants because you will already have a relationship with the employer. In fact, they may even contact you instead of posting the job. Did you know that 80% of available jobs are never advertised? This is why.

The choice is yours. You can either be part of the 80% of people competing for the 20% of advertised jobs or you can be part of the 20% of people going after the 80% hidden job market.

By the way, if you are going to spend time looking for a job anyway, why not look for a job that you can really enjoy? It requires about the same amount of effort and you, and your new employer, will be so much happier.

I am not affiliated with Book Yourself Solid or Michael Port. I just really like his approach to developing long term relationships instead of trying to sell yourself. Developing genuine relationships feels much more comfortable and, in the long run, is much more effective. It is a good practice that I recommend even if you are employed.