How I got my job as a consultant

by Matija
(Croatia)

I got my job by saying hi a few times a week.

I've been working for a few years now as a project manager in the IT industry. Every day while walking to work I would walk past a president of one of the big political party. One day, just for fun, I said hi, and walked by him. Of course he greeted me back and went on with his business. We continued to greet each other for the next month or so.

One day I was feeling a bit blue, so I didn't greet him, but he greeted me anyway. I greeted him back and asked if he had time for a coffee. He said yes, we started talking about IT and civil administration and the next day I had a new well paid job working as a full time consultant for the whole county.

This strategy worked because people like being treated nice, but not with a hidden objective.

Find Job Leads in Unexpected Places

Sometimes you can find job leads in the most unexpected places.

These stories submitted by readers describe how being friendly and competent when they were not job searching helped them to meet people who helped them secure great jobs.

I Found My Perfect Job while Waiting Tables
Nicole
Grand Rapids MI USA

I was waiting tables at a chain restaurant right after I finished my college degree. I was down on my luck since I had graduated with a bachelor of science from a Big 10 University, and I was still waiting tables for a living.

I was working the lunch shift, and we get a lot of business people in for lunch meetings, or office lunches during this shift.

I was waiting on a table of 4. They were very nice and asked me if I was attending the local university. I told them I had just graduated and was looking for work.

We got to talking about my degree and they asked me a few questions, and then told me to come in and sit down with them the following week to discuss some opportunities that they may have for me, and I for them.

I went in the following week, sat down with them, and accepted a job offer they offered the next day.

So even if you are not working your ideal job at the current time, if you have a good attitude and can make yourself personable, something else could come your way. If I was not friendly, outgoing, and easy to talk to I am sure the conversation and the later job opportunity would not have happened.

I have been with that company for the past 3 years now, and love what I do.

I was not really looking for this job, and I think that is when the best opportunities come, sometimes when you are not looking.

Out of Work for a Long Time

I was let go in the banking sub prime mess and in my area their were hundreds of the same type of people from that industry that were left high and dry. All of us had the same type of education, MBAs and had enjoyed a fairly nice standard of living.

After a couple of months I could see that finding a position similar to my last position was fruitless in this economy.

As the bills began to mount I "lowered" myself into a job at a Ace Hardware as this was a major blast to my ego. However I found the team mates very decent and it was nice environment.

While working at Ace a gentlemen came in and asked me to help get the rusted bolts off his license plate holders of his BMW. I went out to help him and noticed that he had the name of my college on the back of his window. I told him my tale of woe and he said he would do what he could to help.

I never thought I would hear from him again as he thanked me profusely for my help on the license plate.

About a month later he stopped in and gave me the name of a person to call, and a month later I was back working in my field.

Luck and not letting one's ego get in the way to get you in the pool of meeting people paid for me, and I am most appreciative.