Too many people ignore the importance and significance of luck in a job search. Never underestimate being at the right place at the right time – even virtually!
Yesterday I received an e-mail from a stranger suggesting that I read the announcement on the home page of my website announcing an upcoming speaking engagement at The New York Public Library. He said that he had reached my website in error. OK. I read it and reread it and then I realized that instead of “Public”…well, look at the title of this post and you’ll figure out my mistake.
Naturally, I thanked the man and basically told him that I owed him one. He wrote back and very politely told me that I owed him nothing. I then invited him to join my 23,000-first-degree-contact strong network on LinkedIn. He accepted the invitation and then asked if he could send me the resumes of four friends (well, three friends and a relative). Naturally, I was delighted to see if I could help them.
Two of the resumes were of people in finance and operations. I have no searches for which they would be qualified. But two were secretarial in nature and I am looking for an executive assistant for the president of a Brooklyn-based company. So while today I can only help two, I gained in the exchange resumes of four good professionals.
As for the two secretaries, I’m waiting to hear back from one and will be meeting with the other next week.
Luck. That’s all it was. I made a typo. Someone nice saw it, totally by accident, and brought it to my attention. Polite correspondence gave way to a LinkedIn connection. LinkedIn allowed the conversation to continue and the gentleman to ask for help for his friends. And, luckily, I was able to oblige – at least in part.
Never underestimate the importance of luck or, for that matter, being polite and considerate. (And don’t forget that Spell Check doesn’t always help!)
Employment Edification 