Paying it Forward

Paying it ForwardMost of us know that gratitude is good for soul.
            
But it's also good for your career prospects -- especially if you're going through a difficult transition right now.
            
Candidates who cultivate a genuine sense of gratitude come across to interviewers as more grounded, more charismatic, and more attractive.
            
So it really pays to remind yourself about all the things in your life that are great right now. Even if things aren't entirely perfect.

A great way to cultivate genuine gratitude is to "pay it forward".
            
How?
            
By mentoring young people in your field.
            
Think about it:
            
You have an abundance of experience and expertise -- real world wisdom that you've earned the hard way through years of hard work.
            
You've made mistakes and learned from them.
            
You've tasted the sweetness of victory and bitterness of defeat many times in your life. You've seen how the winds can change.
            
And, most importantly, you see a lot things other people miss.
            
Especially younger people.
            
What I'm saying is, you have a lot to give.
            
One way to do that is through a paid job -- and we're working on that. Yet, another way is to pay it forward by giving guidance to the next generation.
            
It's great for your confidence.
            
And it's great for your career prospects.
            
Recruiters and HR reps will see on your resume that you're making an effort to "stay in the game", sharpen your skills, and keep busy.
            
And -- especially if you're a more mature candidate -- the fact that you're spending time helping young folks climb the ladder below you demonstrates clearly that you're not "out of touch" with today's generation.
            
So, how can you get started?
            
One great way is to join a professional association. Most of these are always looking for experienced practitioners who can mentor younger members. They have formal mentoring programs for which you can volunteer.
            
By the way, let me warn you about something:
            
When you start mentoring, chances are you're going to start spending time around influential people who are well connected in your field.
            
People I call "super-connectors".
            
If you play your cards right, these super-connectors can put you on the radar of hiring managers in your field, and help you land solid job opportunities.
            
But, like I said, you have to play your cards right.
            
For example, you can't tell them that you're looking for a job (or "available for opportunities") -- not unless they ask you directly what you do for a living.
            
In Dream Job Formula, I teach a simple step-by-step process (complete with word-for-word email examples and conversations) that you can use to turn these kind of relationships into job opportunities.
            
It's easier than most folks realize.
            
And, as I've said before, this is how 85% of jobs in the United States are filled: through informal connections like this and communication.
            
It's what I call the hidden job market.
            
(This term has caught on lately, but back when I first launched Dream Job Formula, nobody was talking about the hidden job market.)

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.