“I would rather die than engage in public speaking.” A common refrain about the fear of public speaking.
I understand the trepidation of public speaking. I remember my personal journey to become comfortable speaking in front of a group. I saw public speaking skills as a career development opportunity. Competency as a public speaker is generally considered a key component of success. So, I worked to become proficient in this area. That skill has served me well.
I have, however, learned that there is a corollary to public speaking phobia. Apparently, for many, writing articles for publication is more frightening than public speaking. Writing is not only important while you are gainfully employed. Writing skills are required to support your job search. General correspondence, including intro letters, biographies, and resumes, is a critical component of a job search. Additionally, professionals can effectively reduce their time in a job search by writing articles and blogging. This kind of writing expands the candidate’s exposure to potential employers. It also provides one’s network with material to facilitate important introductions. The failure to use this skill is an unfortunate, lost opportunity. Wise professionals employ their writing skills to shorten their job search. The lack of writing articles while seeking employment will likely result in a longer job search duration
Temporary unemployment is not a crime. Unless you’re unemployed because you committed a crime. That is another matter altogether. Temporary unemployment carries no stigma. There is no shame attached to temporary unemployment. For most professionals, it is a natural part of the modern economy. Mergers and acquisitions, organization restructuring, new technologies, and other cost-cutting measures are common reasons for turnover. Job loss under these circumstances is beyond the employee’s control. Most professionals understand this phenomenon. They have experienced unemployment during their careers. Most are willing to help others reconnect. They are grateful for the help they received when they were between jobs. They understand the value of “paying it forward.” It is the job seeker’s priority to minimize the time between jobs. In this regard, the job seeker must help their network help them.
Writing provides a legitimate opportunity to ask a potential employer to contribute to your articles. Executives have a large body of knowledge, and they are willing to share their learning within ethical boundaries. My experience is that, given their time constraints, Executives are open to providing their thoughts on industry matters. Most are happy to contribute, including interviews within certain boundaries. They appreciate being credited for their thoughts in the article. It is a win/win. You initiate a non-threatening networking contact while helping that person enhance their industry reputation. The obvious benefit of writing articles is an increased awareness of your accomplishments. It helps reinforce your professional acumen. It improves your ability to gain access to key executives.
One of the many benefits of my coaching practice is to help my clients regain employment. I advise them to take a systematic approach to their job search. I advise job seekers to engage in extensive networking, to send resumes to prospective employers, and to make time to enhance their professional skills. These three job search strategies seem to be obvious, and they are. I recommend that they create a mailing list of friends, relatives, business associates, and other networking contacts. Then, to keep these folks updated on their job search, with periodic updates. Believe me, your network wants to hear from you so they can be helpful. You are not an annoyance. At some point, we have all been in the same situation. However, some activities I recommend may not be obvious components of these strategies. One such activity is writing articles, blogging, and/or reacting to other published articles. ITB Partners helps job seekers craft relevant articles, publish them on our website, and further distribute them through our network marketing platform.
Conclusion
The three primary strategies for a successful job search are extensive networking, sending resumes to prospective employers, and sharpening your professional skills. Networking is about building a team to help you. Sending out resumes to prospective employers is about getting in the queue for their internal recruiting process. Sharpening your professional skills improves your marketability. Publishing articles is a proven technique to shorten one’s time in a job search. It is a difficult concept for many to accept. The lack of confidence as a writer may increase the duration of your unemployment. ITB Partner’s platform is designed to help distribute articles
Thank you for your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
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