This appeared today on Gloria McDonough-Taub's CNBC blog
Bullish on Books!
Gloria McDonough-Taub is the senior producer here at CNBC responsible for the booking of all things books. She reviews the books that come in to CNBC and works with the shows to decide which author has a good enough story to be featured on our air. She has nearly 30 years of TV experience including local and national news, documentaries, talk shows and syndication. She's interviewed presidents, pundits, and pampered princesses. Now she just wants to kick back and read a good book.
Today's Guest Blogger: It Is "WHO" You Know
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The Power of Who
With unemployment being at its highest since 1992 and millions in fear of losing their jobs, I’ve reached out to Bob Beaudine, author of
"THE POWER OF WHO" to be my guest blogger today.
His message – one that cannot be understated: People Hire People–Not Resumes.
In this Bullish On Books guest post, Bob offers advice on what to do and what not to do in this down market to find a job.
In a very challenging and uncertain marketplace, who do you think is more likely to help you find a job--a career website, someone who doesn’t know you, or someone who is a personal friend that knows your talent, energy, drive, and ambition first-hand? You already know the answer! With unemployment at almost 8%, and 11.6 million people desperately seeking work; faceless websites, business cards passed out to near strangers and mass emails sent out to Dear Sir, To Whom It May Concern, and Dear Recruiter are all considered spam! I know, because after 25-plus years as a top executive recruiter, I’ve been on the receiving end of way too much of it.
Let me give you some insight that I recently share in my book
The Power of WHO as to what executive recruiters and prospective bosses are thinking about when they interview you. Knowing this is like getting the test answers before the test. It should change the way you market yourself.
Here are the 4 questions going through their mind as they meet you:
Do I know you?Do I like you?Do you understand my needs?
Are you the best for me and my particular situation?
Since all the candidates being considered will have great qualifications for the role- the first question is the key!
Do I know you? What they’re thinking is how do I know this person? Who recommended them? Why? Because references, endorsements, testimonials are your biggest allies to win the job. Over 80% of jobs placed are through a friend or a friend of a friend. So a strategy of finding one friend who is friends with the decision maker and would give you a positive reference before your meeting is gold!
You Already Have a Powerful NetworkIs it possible that someone you already know, someone who likes you, can actually help you find your next job? Yes, Absolutely! One of the greatest mistakes in business today is that most people never reach out for help, never lean on their "Who" (friends) in times of need. These friends undergird you with a power you don’t have on your own. They’ll ask their “Who” to help you get where you want to go. They’ll open doors that you couldn’t open alone and get you connected. All you have to do to get started is to implement the 3 R’s- Remember, Reach Out and Re-Connect!
Remember- Your best asset in times of crisis is the relationships you already have. Can you name them? The reason so many people are confused about who their true friends are is simply because they’ve never declared it. So make a list of your 12 friends, 3 close and 1 best friend. These 12 are your “inner circle” of greatest influence. Next, make a list of your old friends you knew at school, church, teams, neighbors, clubs, charities etc. Finding new friends is always good, but keeping the ones you have is more important.
Reach Out- Call these friends! Tell them you miss them! These are people who would drop everything to help you. Don’t worry if it’s been 20 years since you talked--one of life’s pleasant little phenomena is that once someone holds a place in your heart, they never leave. Expect to hear: “Where have you been—I missed you!”
Re-Connect- Almost everyone would agree that we all need friends. But what good is having friends if you hardly ever talk to them? We need to start doing life once again with friends-investing time with them, reconnecting, nurturing and building these relationships because in the end—it’s all about “Who!” How many people do you really need to know this year to find that job you desperately need? Probably just one.
Most people never get what they want for three simple reasons:
They don’t ask. No one can help you if they don’t know what you want.
When they do ask, they ask the wrong people. For some reason, people are uncomfortable asking their “Who” for help. As a result, they’ll ask most anyone except their friends, who are the only ones with a motive to help.
You’re vague. Even if I’m motivated to help a friend, I can’t do it when I don’t know what he or she wants. As Jerry McGuire would say: “Help Me—Help You!”
You Already Know Everyone You Need To KnowWhen you consider that each of the people in your circle of friends has great influence with their circle of friends, you can begin to grasp the true power of “Who!” To find your job and achieve your dreams, learn to appreciate your friends, ask them for help, and give them help in return. You’ll be amazed at the results, but more importantly, you’ll grow closer to the people who should matter the most – your friends.
Bob Beaudine is the author of The Power of WHO: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know (Center Street, January 6th 2009). He is also CEO of Eastman & Beaudine, one of the nation’s top executive recruiting firms in the country. Learn more at
http://www.powerofwho.com/ &
http://powerofwho.blogspot.com/
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