Top 10 Ways to Get a Job

In his book Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters, Jay Conrad Levinson suggests that getting the job you want is not a matter of luck, connections or the best résumé. "At the core of every job search lies one individual who will determine your success: You." Here are some tips for creating your own job-hunting success.

1. Tune up your attitude. Keep your focus on how you can add value to the organization. Self-assess to get clear on what you want and what you have to offer.


2. Research. This is critical! Research the industry and companies. Know the needs and goals.


3. Target your networking. Don’t wait for others to refer your name; make the introduction yourself after speaking to current and past employees or industry colleagues.


4. Prepare for your interview. Anticipate questions, prepare your responses. Keep the focus on how your skills and experience will solve problems.


5. Listen more than talk. Ask thoughtful, powerful questions that show you know the industry/company/department and its needs.


6. Return to the value proposition. Keep conversations coming back to the company’s goals and how you can contribute to them.


7. Look to your body language. Have an "open" posture. Lean forward, make eye contact and smile naturally. This language speaks volumes.


8. Ask to do a demonstration. Come in for a day, or work briefly as an independent contractor or consultant. Sometimes it’s better to show than just tell.


9. Cultivate a can-do attitude. Show past work examples of being a problem-solver and a smart worker.


10. Send a thank-you note. Make sure it’s personal and interesting. Handwritten is a bonus.

Problems or Possibilities?

When approaching a decision most people fall into one of two camps; they either focus on the obstacles or problems, or they focus on the many ways to accomplish what they seek, or the possibilities. I’m not trying to make anyone wrong here. I’m also not some genius social scientist with the latest answers from science. I’m simply inviting us all to take a look at what camp we naturally gravitate toward and examine how this may affect our lives in general.

For myself, I naturally gravitate toward the obstacles. My belief is that it’s part "hard-wired" in my brain and part upbringing. Allow me to explain. As part of my self-discovery journey, I took the Strengthsfinder assessment from the Gallup organization. One of my top strengths is strategic thinking. When I look at a problem or decision, I naturally view the tactics I will use, and for me part of that strategic thinking involves looking at the obstacles and examining the tactics I have available to overcome them. It’s just part of my overall strategic thinking strength. (Notice how I am not making myself wrong.) Of course I had no input into my upbringing but I do have control over how I respond to it. If I notice myself going into "problems versus possibilities" I simply need to remind myself that I can choose to see the possibilities. I can choose to see a limitless amount of possibilities.

If you naturally gravitate toward possibility thinking, congratulations! That is a tremendous gift and one that I hope you will nurture and grow. You probably are naturally optimistic and view the world as a place of abundance. When you view life through the lens of possibility, any goal is attainable. Whatever you set your sights on, you view as inevitable.

The truth is, whatever camp we naturally fall into, we can choose to view life from abundance and possibility. When we nurture our possibility thinking, we are expanding what becomes attainable for us in life. It also allows us to remember that what is possible for us is also possible for others. It’s not a competition where I get all the goods and you don’t. When we are not competing with each other, we naturally become more generous. When we are more generous with each other, the world becomes a better place.