Failing Forward

The job search process is difficult especially when we go through a long rigorous interview process and we are not successful in securing the position we want. As an Executive Recruiter I worked with a candidate for almost 5 months and in that time he participated in 4 interviews, a written assignment and was not successful in securing the job. Although he was disappointed, during our debrief we talked about the best way to move forward. Upon reflection, he realized mistakes he had made along the way and I was able to re-map his next steps. Sticking with me throughout the journey prevented for him what we in the business call “Job Search Paralysis.” The key to failing forward is momentum: as soon as you take action after a failure, you are virtually guaranteeing by that action that you will find the right thing and you stay galvanized to do what it takes.

In his book “Failing Forward: Turning mistakes into stepping stones for success,” author John Maxwell talks about key differences between average people and achieving people as being their perception of, and their response to, failure. In an effort to be perfect we all want to avoid mistakes, but failure is unavoidable – sooner or later everyone fails.

Here are a few examples of “Famous Failures”

• Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.
• Winston Churchill failed sixth grade. He was subsequently defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister at the age of 62. He later wrote, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never, Never, Never, Never give up.”
• Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was “sub-normal,” and one of his teachers described him as “mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams.” He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He did eventually learn to speak and read. Even to do a little math.
• “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

Think of a time in your life where you failed? What did that teach you? Take some time to journal your reflections. Consider using a professional coach, such as myself, to assist you in your next job search because the best antidote to the paralysis I mentioned above is to have someone available to you to strategize and re-strategize along the way until you land where you want to be.

Let Kevin Bacon Help You Find the Work You Love.

Give me the name of any movie star and I can map the shortest path back to Kevin Bacon. I am a movie buff – especially an 80’s movie buff – so I find great satisfaction in playing this game and will happily rise to it any time a challenge is throw down. If you have never heard of it, the Kevin Bacon Game is based on the “six degrees of separation” concept, which states that any two people on the planet are six or fewer acquaintances apart.

So how can Kevin Bacon and I ultimately link you to a job you will love? Though I cannot get him to come personally vouch for you during a job interview, I can use the concept of the game to search out the best position for you. How? Over 80% of jobs are never advertised. You can’t rely on website postings to find work you love in a company you want to work for. What I do is compile a list of your contacts and leads in order to start mapping out the shortest path to your dream job.

We begin with a shortlist of job ideas/companies/sectors you are interested in. Then we use the concept of 6 degrees of separation to source people inside these companies or with this job to help you pursue your goal. Many employers ask their staff to recruit people from their networks because of how effective networking is in finding future employees.

There are many ways to build out your circle of contacts. You can do it the old-school way and get a piece of paper and build your network by identifying contacts, and by linking and expanding those contacts. Spend some time brainstorming important contacts in your network. Make a list that includes the following people connected to your:

• interests, hobbies, social activities, clubs, associations,
• health, appearance, sports and fitness routines,
• spiritual or religious affiliations,
• children,
• children’s interests or clubs,
• family, friends, personal relationships,
• former work supervisors, coworkers,
• former school friends,
• contacts in training sessions that you have attended.

Having trouble? Here are some ideas help you get unstuck:

• review your email address list,
• review your list of Facebook friends,
• think about the people you come in contact with on a daily basis,
• develop a list of job ideas, companies, sectors you are interested in and who you know in those industries.

Now that you have your list of contacts, begin to talk to people about what your needs are. Networking and Sourcing Leads is a key component of your job search. It involves connecting with people and discussing the type of position you are looking for. It is up to you to determine the best way to make initial contact. You can connect with people via phone, email or by meeting with them in person.

And, while you’re at it, put the concept to the real test. How many degrees lie between yourself and Mr. Bacon? It might be fewer than you think.