Getting visible. Up close and personal. That’s the best way to get hired. Networking. Events. Informational interviews. Coffee dates.
It feels like a
ll eyes are on you.
Which is why many people don’t reach out. (It’s safer to stay behind your computer, and it’s definitely less effective.)
What will people see when they look at you?
Someone who is scared and nervous, worried about making an impression? Someone who is full of questions but doesn’t have answers about what she wants to do? Someone who mumbles and stumbles when it comes to introducing herself?
Or, someone who is stepping in and committing to her job search, trying to get information to find the right field, to learn about organizational culture like, to lay her eyes in your workplace, what you wear at work, the expression on your face when you’re talking about what you do? Someone who has practiced a short introduction and knows how to smile and breathe when she talks? Someone who sits in her seats and gets present?
The truth is, all eyes are pretty much never only on you. We tend to be a self-conscious lot and we’re hung up on ourselves.
So take a breath and remember that it is a fairly level playing field. Your job is to see beyond your ego or your navel.
You want to proceed with eyes wide open when you’re reaching out and looking for connections and referrals. Open to possibilities. Discerning, attentive, and outwardly focused eyes.
Getting hired requires getting outside yourself.
So, get your eyes on someone else. And get visible.
What others will see is a person committed to herself and a smart job search.