One thing I know from speaking with people in job search is that many are frustrated and discouraged because they can’t get “meetings” with people. They’ve heard the best route to finding a job is through the hidden job market and they are trying to ask for informational meetings and striking out, big time.
Why do you suppose someone wouldn’t want to meet with you?
- They don’t know you
- They don’t have time
- They don’t know how they can help you
- They generally don’t understand or believe in networking
- You haven’t given them a reason to WANT to meet with you
These are not real reasons, they are excuses for their underlying fears. Are you going to ask them for a job? Do you have some other hidden agenda? Fear of the unknown value or outcome of the meeting? None of these objections are insurmountable.
On Jason Alba’s JibberJobber blog, he shared a slide deck (by Sheila Scarborough) cautioning consultants and entrepreneurs not to meet with people who want to pick their brains. Why? Because these meetings typically take away from the income generating opportunities the business owner should be working on.
I am sharing Jason’s post containing the slides with you so that you can understand the objections as to why someone isn’t willing to meet with you. It doesn’t mean they won’t. It means that you have to be more convincing or offer to solve some problem of theirs for it to be worth their precious, billable time.
The more you understand these reasons and the more you understand the way employers are thinking, the better you will be and circumventing their objections. That means you can secure more meetings!
The ultimate lesson is
- Be genuine and authentic
- Offer something in return for their time
- What benefit is it to them to meet with you
- Be courteous and sincere
No guarantees, but at least you understand, right?
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
