The 123s of Connecting During Job Search

The 123s of Connecting During Job Search Hindsight is a wonderful thing! It provides us with the wisdom and honest criticism to evaluate our actions.   Too deep or profound?   Then let me ask you this?   When you look back over the things youve done and the people youve met during your job search, what have you learned? Number 1:   Love at First Sight Do you remember how and when you met your best friend or spouse/partner?   Did you love them immediately? Or did you like them enough to meet with them again?   Often I hear people say it was love at first sight, but was it really?   Or was it after the relationship blossomed that you were able to say you knew from the first moment you met them, they were it? Or how about this scenario.   Did you ever see a job posting that was the perfect job for you?   You applied and interviewed and what did you find out?   Sometimes things are not as they appear. It often takes a second encounter to sway your decision. Number 2: Part Deux I bet you dont remember all the details of your second second meeting or encounter with your partner/spouse/best friend, but there certainly was a Part 2.   Most likely, this second meeting and all subsequent meetings cemented your emotional attachment with them.   You continued to discover new things you had in common. It felt natural or you were compelled to meet with them again and again. When interviewing for a job, you most likely had a second interview.   During this interview you meet a new round of people for the first time.   You begin to solidify your relationship with your initial contact or not. PS: Sequels are seldom as memorable as the first episode! Number 3:   Third Times a Charm I love this saying.   It gives me the courage to move forward and continue to try.   It is along the same lines as the saying, If at first you dont succeed, try, try again! Persistence is an attitude! You either want something so badly that you try and keep trying or you know it isnt worth pursuing! Putting the 1 2 3s Together Where I am going with this is that you cant expect immediate results. The other point I am trying hard to make is that you should try to replicate these phases of relationship building with each person you meet.   In job search, your first encounter sets the tone and can influence whether or not the person you have met will want to meet with you again.   Dont overlook this fact. Be positive, be optimistic and put on your A game when meeting someone for the first time! I can think of numerous occasions when Ive met someone I didnt want to meet again.   Nothing clicked and in most cases, I never met with that person again, either because they didnt reach out again or because I didnt.   If you dont take that relationship for another test drive, youll never know. 1.   Put on your best you 2. Find commonalities 3. Be Persistent These are the 1 2 3s I am talking about! As you look back on your job search, what have you learned about yourself or others?