Tania Jones’ job search lasted ten months, one week and five days.  She counted each one of them.  Unexpectedly laid off in the depths of the 2009 job slump, she was diligent and proactive in sending out her resume and seeking out contacts and opportunities. But, apart from one potential job that was pulled as she was about to receive an offer, the landscape was forbiddingly bare.  That was until January 22, when she found a listing on a job site.  (At this point, it may be appropriate to plug job sites as  credible sources of potential employment opportunities : – ) )

Long used to the black hole that usually swallows the resume sent off without a networking contact to shepherd it to friendly eyes, she did not have high expectations for response.  But, to her surprise, she was called within the week and invited to an interview on January 28.  Before she had time to send a thank you note, her phone rang, and she was invited back for further interviews and to do a presentation before a group of managers.  Excited at this turn of events, she went to her regular job networking group and told her story.  As luck would have it, someone who interviewed for the same position and had been rejected was kind enough to share what she knew about the questions she had been asked and the specific values and concerns expressed at her own interview. So, our heroine was well prepared.

Not content with just that information, she dug further by going onto LinkedIn. There, she asked her contacts for an introduction to an insider who showed up as a second degree connection and who could give her even more insight into the company and the people who would be interviewing her.

Prepared within an inch of her life, she gave a presentation she was proud of (along with name tents, handouts, interactive exercises and a skillfully put together powerpoint deck). Then, she went on to ace two of the three interviews. She stayed calm through the third even though the interviewer was challenging.  By February 8, she received a note from the recruiting manager asking for references which she gave along with a link to the 23 references she had solicited about herself on LinkedIn. On February 12, she received an offer.  After a little negotiation, the deal was signed on Valentine’s Day, a sweetheart deal if ever there was one.

The whole process took 21 days. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

But, when I interviewed Tania, I saw the “swan effect” in action.  That’s when it looks as though someone effortlessly glides from one place to another, but if you look beneath the surface, you see they are paddling like crazy.  Luck really does favor the prepared mind.

Let’s unpack some of the hard work Tania did during the previous months that enabled her to be perfectly ready when the right moment arrived.

And, let’s see how her actions reflect the model about which I’ve written in previous blogs:  Take care of the four important Re’s (Research, Relationships, Resume, Resilience), and the Results will take care of themselves.

Research

• Tania kept an open mind about the industries in which she could work.  As it turns out, she was able to make a switch from financial services to non-profit health care.
• She diligently kept her functional skills fresh and attended webinars, classes and lectures making use of the many free or low cost options available.
• She not only relied on “passive research”, ie: scouring job boards, but she also kept an eye out for organizations she thought might be growing or could use her services. She then proactively contacted them through LinkedIn (no, they are not paying me!), requesting informational interviews.

 

Relationships

 

• Tania never abused informational interview or networking opportunities by directly asking for work, but she made clear who she was and for what she was looking.  Her primary focus was to build relationships, and she did it with consummate skill.  The secret?  Pleasant, low-key conversations over coffee and regular, but infrequent, stay-in-touch emails.  
• She became the Queen of LinkedIn by actively and frequently using it.  Also, not only did she make herself ask people for recommendations, but she also generously wrote unsolicited recommendations for others.
• As an Introvert, Tania also had to make herself attend networking events, speak to people and proactively ask for and follow up with contacts.  By the end of the ten months, she felt a great sense of personal development and growth in this arena as she learned to actually enjoy building relationships.   

Resume

 

• In addition to a strong, well put together resume, Tania also compiled a portfolio of documents to which she could refer in the interview as evidence of different kinds of work she had done.
• She was very selective in the use of this powerful tool by only offering to share something if it came up in the conversation and if it seemed totally relevant.   

 

Resilience

• Tania was lucky to have a supportive family and friends, and she made a conscious choice to enjoy the time she was able to spend with her kids.
• She took her knitting wherever she went.
• Whenever she did have the rare phone screen or face-to-face interview, she made a list of the questions she was asked and prepared answers to each one of them.  By the end, there was no question for which she was unprepared.
• She had a few confidantes to whom she allowed herself to vent when she felt miserable and frustrated, but she refused to allow herself to wallow.  She insisted on staying upbeat most of the time and trusted that one day her fortunes would change.  And, they did!

Fredia Woolf , founder of Woolf Consulting, blogs to help people improve their workplace effectiveness and optimize their careers.  As an organizational consultant and leadership coach, she works with clients to increase insight, inspiration and impact. She can be reached at fwoolf@woolfconsulting.com.

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Last updated on April 20th, 2010 at 01:40 pm