|
The industry is a mess right now. A lot of people have been laid off. Hiring is down. Salaries are down. This isn't the first time this happened to our industry. It's not even the worst. And it won't be the last. Before I was a web developer, I worked in HR. I've seen how the sausage is made. I have some insider knowledge on how recruiters find people, how interview processes work, and what kinds of resumes actually get results. Over the next few days, I wanted to share the best of what I know for anyone who's struggling right now and may need it. Today, I want to talk about my secret weapon: coffee chats. Let's dig in! (If you don't want to wait, everything I'll be sharing is instantly available in my Go Make Things members digital garden. You can even bookmark you favorite stuff!) WTF is a coffee chat!?The single most powerful tool in my career toolkit is the coffee chat. It's a way to network without having to do "networking," because networking events suck! Once you have an idea of the kind of jobs you'd like to do next (or companies you'd like to work at), reach out to people who actually do that job or work at that company and chat with them a bit. It will give you a much better idea of what a job or organization is really like, and tell you things that a job description cannot. I call this a coffee chat, because back before remote jobs where commonplace, they would usually take place locally over a cup of coffee. Today, a Zoom meeting works just as well and opens up a much broader audience of folks you can talk with. When I reach out to someone to ask if I can have a coffee chat, I send them an email or message that says…
I've sent some version of this message hundreds of times. I've never had a single person say "no." I've gotten a lot of yeses, and a handful of folks who just didn't respond. Along the way, I've gotten to meet lots of amazing people, many of whom have become friends and colleagues. These chats let you understand what a day-in-the-life is actually like and the kinds of skills you'd need to do this job. And when you're actually ready to start applying for jobs, you'll have a huge network of folks who can help you out! What to askThere are four questions I recommend you ask during every coffee chat…
These four questions will help you understand what a day-in-the-life is actually like, the kinds of skills you'd need to do this job, and any changes or opportunities that might impact what you need to know. I also recommend ending a conversation like that with…
The helps keep the cycle going, and grows your network. What you don't want to do is say…
That puts the person you're chatting with on the spot, and turns the conversation into more of a business transaction. If you are actively looking for work, it's totally OK to say…
It's a subtle difference, but it turns the ask into more a favor from a friend rather than a business transaction. Finding people to talk toSetting up coffee chats can be a bit awkward at first, but it's easier than you might think. You want to find people who…
But how do you actually find people to chat with? There a bunch of ways!
I've messaged hundreds of people using this technique over the years. Some people have never responded, but I've never had anyone outright say no. You'd be surprised how willing more seasoned people are to help others kick-start their careers. What's next?Tomorrow, I'll talk about how to find open roles. It's getting harder and harder, especially if you want something remote. And on Thursday, we'll talk about how to write resumes that actually seen by a human and land you an interview. If you have any questions between now and then, get in touch and ask! Like this? A Go Make Things membership is the best way to support my work and help me create more free content. Cheers, Want to share this with others or read it later? View it in a browser. |
0 Komentar untuk "[Go Make Things] Finding a job: coffee chats"