The Search

Recently I had the pleasure of returning to my Alma Mater on Homecoming weekend.  It is something I do just about every year.  However, with the economy and the job market being what it is, I couldn’t help but reflect back on how I chose to be an alumnus of this particular institution and compare it to how one goes about finding their next “project”?

By using the word project, I mean next job, next client, next endeavor?  Is it word of mouth, networking, social media, etc?  If so, think back to when you started your college search.  You were in high school, going to class, preparing and taking the SAT or some other test.  At any point were any of the methods described above employed in your search for a college?  I am going to say they were not used.  Not because the technology was not available to employ them or even because your teenage mind was not exposed to the concept of them, but rather it wasn’t the way to go about it.  Unless you were an amazing athlete, colleges were not seeking you out.  You had to search for them on your own.  And here you were not searching for a major or a program, but you were searching for an institution.  Searching for your next “endeavor” or project is no different.  You shouldn’t be searching for a position or a job, but rather a company.

Think about it.  When you started your college search how did you go about it?  You started by knowing there were about 3000 colleges.  How did you narrow it down?  There are large public and large private colleges (in the business world you might want to consider this equivalent to the Fortune 100).  There are mid sized public and private colleges and there are small, private schools as well.  While geography and finances may have played a part in your selection, it probably came down to what the right fit was for you and your personality.  Did you choose a large school for the challenge of becoming a big fish in a big pond, or for the anonymity you preferred in the large setting?  Did you choose the small school to be a big fish in a small pond or for the intimacy you found in smaller groups?  Whatever made you select the school of your choosing, remember that you selected them before they selected you.  So shouldn’t the same apply here?

Based on your personality, do you thrive in the city or in the country?  Do you like the benefits and cutting edge technology employed by larger firms or would you prefer to make an impact at a smaller firm?  Do you like being a part of a big machine or the family atmosphere of a boutique firm?  There is no right or wrong, but the similarities in how one searches for a college and a firm are undeniable.

Instead of finding a position and trying to fit into something that isn’t exactly you, why not start with the type of company you prefer and work your way into an opportunity.  To that end, would you want to be at the “main campus” or a “satellite campus”?  Do you want to attend Penn State at Happy Valley or Penn State Altoona?  Publically traded firms can be found on any number of lists.  Want the large, multi-national, equivalent of the Ivy League, then look at the Dow 30 Components.  Want a large business, look at the Fortune 500.  Want a small business, look at the Russell 2000.  Want private firms, seek out Dunn & Bradstreet lists or members of your greater city chamber of commerce.  You can make a list out of any qualifier; market cap, revenue, geography, industry, etc.  That being said, you can seek out a job or position by creating a list of few hundred, actively seek 10% of them at a time, and choose the one that is right for you.  If you have a product or service to offer, then create a list of a couple thousand, pursue a small percentage at a time, and you should wind up with a client list of 3,5 or even 10%.

Bottom line is that you sought them out before they selected you.  You didn’t just answer an ad, you created a need for them to want you.