Power of the Ask

There's a process to job searching and its pretty universal. It goes like this: Create resume/cover letter. Search for openings. Apply for jobs. Wait. During this process there can be multiples of other people doing the exact same thing, even applying to the exact same job as you. The waiting can be rough. And you sweat it out wondering, is my resume good enough? Is my experience what they're looking for? Am I what they're looking for? Sometimes you may get an interview call, and sometimes you may not. All of this process can make you feel like a sitting duck, not in control of even one tiny part of the process. Some people end up feeling defeated. I'd like to bring forward an idea that doesn't get talked about very often. And it's something tangible and proactive you can do while job searching.

In between sending in resumes, use the power of THE ASK. Ask people you know if they know of any openings that might suit you. Ask business owners to think of their colleagues and keep you in mind for relevant openings. Talk to businesses you a

re interested to work for and ask if they have any openings or some coming up. Literally ask for people to think of you and reach out if they hear anything that might be a good fit for you in your goals to move forward. By nature, people like to help others. But the funny thing is that we often just "expect" our family, friends and "circle" to know we want them to help us, but may not take the step to ask. It takes courage, but it can be so worth it.

If your portfolio is lean, work on it. Ask for letters of reference that you can have at the ready. Don't simply wait to have a chance to list these on your resume for when a prospective employer may call them. Be proactive and have this leverage available for whenever you may need it. Try these new steps to help you get more traction in your job search.