“Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.” – Ghandi
The job search can be the toughest job you will ever have, sometimes despite “Positive Thinking”, great marketing, resolve, determination, focus on your goals and vision, doubts jump into your thoughts. Go ahead, admit it.
Pause and think about how you FEEL about building and connecting with your network and how you ACT and interact with your network. It does dictate how your network grows and how fast your search moves forward.
Sometimes when you reach for the phone or start to type an email, that inner voice or doubt begins to chatter. “Why, would this person be interested in hearing from me, we’ve not talked in 8 years” or “what will this person think of me, I am unemployed and begging for help” or “this person doesn’t like me” or “this person doesn’t know me” or “this person wants the job I want or is my competition” or “my dream is gone, I am so unhappy, why am I doing this”.
We all have inner doubt at one time or another. The way we feel directly impacts the actions we take, especially in marketing ourselves, our value, and what we can do and with whom we are willing to share information. How we feel directs the action we take. Also how the person you contact is feeling directly impacts their actions.
What we choose to do (or not to do) will determine the opportunities we have and find. Our actions directly impact the results we achieve, our income and our success. The choice of what we do will also impact how we FEEL and ACT this afternoon and tomorrow.
In times of doubt, how we feel and act may not be moving us in the direction needed to change the status quo. Marketing yourself requires building your network, and ensuring your network knows who you are and what you do.
Why? So when opportunities present themselves you are thought of as a solution to the problem or a person who may be able to help. You don’t just need a network when you are looking for a job you need a network and a “Book of Business” as it is called in the sales world, to connect you and keep you connected with people and opportunities all of the time.
If you feel and act like you just want to connect NOW because you NEED a miracle to show up TODAY, what do you think the impact of that is?
What would happen if you feel and act with positive expectation?
What would be different if as Ghandi suggests in the quote above, you grow into the faith that connecting or re-connecting with each person will bring good things to you and to them?
You and I already know intellectually that you have significant value to offer. I also know that there are no accidents, and that if you are considering the contact you should act on it because it is the first step to connecting with an opportunity and allowing that opportunity to show up in due time. My bet is that you know that too!
What action will you take? Yes, I know it takes a lot of courage to BELIEVE that results actually do occur based on our actions or lack of action, unless you stop to think intellectually about cause and effect.
It is much easier to listen to the voice of doubt, or the media telling you there is nothing you can do things are just BAD. It is easier to take no action than it is to have the courage to listen to the REAL call to action and actually do what you need to do.
Everyone wants life and success to be easy. Me too! I would love it, if I could just wait by the phone or open the email and someone would agree to hire me and pay me giving me wonderful work to do. However, without marketing, connections, contacts and demonstrating my value in many settings and in many ways, time and time again. I don’t land the job and neither will you.
Grow into faith, grow your network, nurture your vision have the courage to BELIEVE that the results are indeed coming based on your actions, and be a magnet for success and prosperity in your search. FEEL confident about your value, skills, and the job you can do, be willing to ACT. You must take action and be aware of your feelings or you will miss opportunities that are available to you by connecting with your network.
Assess your network. Take inventory of the people you know. Inventory your network now. As in any business, inventory is an asset and will impact your bottom line.
The network of people you know is a component of your social and business capital. Who are your critical connections? Who are the critical connections you need to add to your network?
Create a plan to connect and stay connected. Who knows you? Who likes you? Who trusts you? Who will you contact with this week? How will you stay connected?
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