| Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Get a Job |
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by
Alex Freund
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Don’t misunderstand the title of this blog. It’s not
about sexual preference. It’s about networking. Every
morning, when I take my walk, I observe groups of
teenagers waiting at street corners for their school
buses. Two things are common to these groups. The kids
are not talking to each other, and the majority of them
have their ears plugged with MP3 players. They choose to
live in total isolation despite the fact that these are
the same kids who mingle with each other every day.
Now, why is this? Because in the American culture—in
contrast with other cultures—one is not to approach
another person until the two have been introduced to
each other by a third party. This cultural habit is
practiced by adults, and therefore their kids perpetuate
it. In many cases, even after being introduced to
someone, the kids lack the confidence or skills to
communicate, connect, and possibly be of mutual benefit.
Plainly put, to network with each other.
For people in transition, such behavior amounts to a
tactical hindrance to their advancement toward getting a
job. It’s commonly known that 60 to 80 percent of job
seekers get their next jobs via networking. However, if
lack of communication is practiced from childhood and if
communication skills never get developed or encouraged
to improve on later on in life—especially in times of
need such as being in transition and letting the world
know about your availability—that’s of course a major
obstacle.
More and more people nowadays are letting me know they
have landed. This is a very encouraging sign, indicating
that companies have started hiring again. I always ask
what led to the job offer, and invariably, the answer
proves two things: first, that the lead came through
networking, and second, that the person had prepared
extensively for the interview. After all, winning in a
tough competition takes not only skills but lots of
practice. Have you ever thought how many hours an
Olympian practices before the competition?
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