Why, What, and Where Are You Hiding?
The other day I was connecting. You know…bringing people together with others who are looking for work. I either teach people how to connect to attract the right prospects generating more referrals, or I am connecting people to those who can give them work, as in a job opportunity. I was doing the latter, helping a few contacts find new employment opportunities.
As I have worked with these folks, many for more than 20 years, I made some interesting observations when I pulled up their contact information from cyberspace:
- Those most successful were the easiest to contact online through email, text, social media.
- They were also the easiest to access by telephone and postal mail, always posting their information on the Internet.
- The most successful have their online presence presented in exceptional ways measured by the numbers of postings, articles, and other Internet dynamics.
- Their social media was very strong through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and alternate forms of communication.
I measured their success only by what I know of them financially. The most successful are approaching a million dollar annual revenue. You can go directly to their websites where under the contact information tab there is clearly posted their email addresses and direct telephone access. Most postings were articles that spoke to their areas of expertise.
Using unique concepts can make you a winner. I have noticed for some time now a clever marketing idea where the CEO of a large big box company offers his cellular phone and/or their email on a public domain. I am sure that many consumers question the validity of the posting, text or mail to the address, actually getting a direct response from the CEO! Yet many an entrepreneur or job seeker hides in the weeds for fear that we will get a spam email or a computer virus. For some, being obscure is preferred even when hunting for their next place of employment.
Now, if you want to be obscure,follow this list of attributes of those who are the least successful measured by how needy they are, and their lack of success:
- Contact information was altogether missing, especially in the area of email. In one case there was no email and this person is the least successful of all those I am working to help at this time.
- Having to connect with a surrogate and in some cases gatekeeper was the only means of communication. Surrogates usually have less skin in the game than the primary contact, allowing for missing important communication.
- Their Internet information is poorly collected, websites look home made, with many using multiple businesses/industries to get a future employer to bite. They expect the future employer to choose a new career path from a menu of past experiences. Employers want the applicant to have a laser focus as to the next job that will appear on your resume.
- Another interesting observation was how their overall well being has directly affected their health. Most of these people operate from a place of scarcity rather than a place of abundance. They would rather get versus give. They are often sickly and use that as an excuse of being unemployed.
- Online resumes are shabby at best, lacking a clear focus posting general information
I understand the need for privacy and also the desire to create a following. When looking for a job, creating a following is needed through social media. Someone who wants you needs to have easy access to you. Being obscure can be the kiss of death and often leads to long term unemployment. Having a surrogate’s email posted on your website tells me two things. One, you are arrogant (too important) (which is true for the person I was connecting) and two, you are ignorant. People want to connect with the decision maker, which is you, the person looking for a job. What I am saying is, it is okay to have a surrogate receiving your email. Prospects want to communicate directly with the prospect they will hire. You need to have your surrogate scan your emails, forwarding those to you so you can make a decision. I lose interest quickly when searching for contact information and I am sure potential employers lose interest quickly, too. If the information I am looking for is unavailable in less than seven-seconds, I then refine my search moving to someone I can contact easily. Communication is the number one source to get a new job as an employee. When you restrict the ability for a potential employer to access you, you will be limited. Creating new successes will be less likely. Where you hide will deliver less of what you want. Most of us want more success. Open yourself to more success by allowing contact by prospective employers.
Gerry Rose runs INTEGRITY Networking Solutions in Marana, AZ. He works with people in business who want to attract the right prospects and generate more referrals. More than 10,000 businesses have been presented the INTEGRITY Networking Solutions system in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange counties, California and now in Arizona.
Gerry’s stimulating presentation Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals is ideally suited for small business owners, home-based businesses, and independent professionals who want clearer direction and want to attract more prospects, develop dynamic systems, and strengthen their companies’ accountability. Gerry does one on one consulting, conducts a range of keynote speeches from thirty minutes to full-day education workshops. His book series, Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals, are available on the website, www.integritysd.com.
Gerry has more than 20 years’ experience directing business owners how to grow their businesses. He is a networking dynamo. Those who know him will assure you that he does a great job of bringing people together—which is why he started INTEGRITY.
Involved with networking organizations since 1984, Gerry is a Distinguished Toastmaster, a member of Toastmaster International, and has chaired numerous chambers of commerce and non-profit organizations.
Are you truly committed to attracting the right prospects and generate more referrals? If so then contact INTEGRITY Networking Solutions for availability and information. You can contact Gerry by mail at 5107 W. Wild Burro Spring Drive, Marana, AZ 85658. Direct dial (760) 439-4623; e-mail to gerry@integritysd.com. For more information, go to www.integritysd.com
