The first part is about the role luck plays. Luck is a big part of why anything happens in our life. But we need to meet luck halfway.
Things that you can do are:
- Go public with it. Own it.
Tell everyone you know that you're looking for a job and own your skills. I got my current job by making it known that I was searching for a permanent job and by saying, "Yes, I am a writer!" When a key Exec asked if I knew how to write.
- Practice.
Whether you are a writer, an actor, an IT professional, a teacher or whatever - use your job skills even if you aren't getting paid. Write a blog, act in a community production, participate in IT forums online, teach Sunday School or volunteer in your own industry. This will not only keep you sharp, it will give you some leverage when you're in an interview. "Why, yes, I am actively teaching children right now in a volunteer setting."
- ABN: Always Be Networking.
Create or join opportunities to meet strategic new people. Whether its a meet-up, a blind coffee date with your aunt's friend's publicist, or a trade show where you collect business cards, make sure that your friends and family aren't the only ones that know you're available in your industry.
- Expand your options.
So you're an actress. You want to get paid to act, right? Well you might have to "volunteer" your acting skills for an unpaid production and run coat check at a comedy club to offset your acting habit. Don't limit yourself to a specific job description or industry. Be flexible and trainable. Show a hunger for learning and be the first to say, "I'll try it!" I stuffed envelopes, made coffee, washed walls, moved furniture, and other non-glamour jobs while working my way to a fulfilling career.
- Take care of yourself.
I mentioned in the "Luck" edition of this post that it matters what you look like when it comes to getting a job. To an extent, it is out of your control what you really look like. You can, however, give your best impression and win over your interviewer/coffee date by taking care of yourself. Get enough rest, drink enough water (keep in mind that for every caffeinated/alcoholic drink you have, you need to have an extra glass of water to flush out the sugars!), take time for yourself between meeting people so that you can come into each interview with a fresh 'hire me' spiel. Trust your gut. If an interview with a prospective boss is awkward or worse yet, unlawful (like one guy asked me if I was planning on having kids soon... he totally can't ask that!), trust your instinct to walk away.
What do you do when you're on the job hunt? Did I miss any key actions?
