Hint: Don’t Hustle.
I HATE the word hustle. As a salesperson, I hear this irksome term thrown around a lot. What does it even mean? According to Merriam-Webster, Hustle comes from the Dutch word husselen, meaning “to shake,” reflected in the earliest use of the word in English, as a verb, with much the same meaning.
Um…why are we encouraging our workforce and peers to shake themselves? Can’t you just say “work hard?” If anyone tells me to hustle, I am going to give them a death stare and ask them what they think hustling actually means. This rant will never end, so I might as well continue with apportioning some competence.
Technology sales have encompassed about 5 years of my career, so I know a thing or two about cold outreach and how to get people to notice you (without being annoying, in my case). The skills I’ve cultivated from the FinTech and Marketing Tech industries have been invaluable, so much so that I’ve been asked to train and to create templates for email marketing for various organizations. I’ve even helped Biochemistry majors score internships with these techniques. Relationship building is my thing, and I take immense pride in continuing this work.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or you’re a recent graduate in this dismal economy, I’m here to help communicate some smart outreach mechanisms which have worked for me.
- Use your network: Yes, you have one. Your next-door neighbor? Your relatives? Start easy, with your family and friends and let them know you’re in the market. Be specific about what you are looking for. For example: “I am a recent graduate with internship experience in Investment Banking. I am looking for a full-time Financial Analyst role at a technology startup in San Francisco.” You’re not begging for a job, when you’re asking for help, you’re simply putting yourself out there. People want to feel good about themselves, so they’re going to try to help you. Please don’t make your mom call your relatives. Grow up, kid! Keep it simple and avoid the spiral of overthinking. To curb your anxieties, I have written several articles on meditation, check them out.
- Step 2 to putting yourself out there: After you tailor your resume to apply for the job online, connect with your potential future manager and team. Make sure to send them a personal message explaining WHY you’re excited about the role. Everyone will say they’re excited, you will explain WHY. Bonus points if you figure out any mutual connections, and can score a referral. Try this: “I am excited about this role because I have been looking to apply my skills of ____ to help solve the problem of ____for your org.” A great speaker named Carlton Gates once said to GET MAD. Your passion to help improve the status quo will help you stand out.
- Reaching out to folks to chat: Use this pandemic to your advantage and to build your team of mentors. I suggest looking for someone whose career path you’d like to emulate, 5 years out, and sending them a message to chat. People love talking about themselves and respond to flattery (the genuine kind). Again, be specific in your ask. Be polite, not aggressive about it. Try this: “Are you flexible next Wednesday, 12/30 at 4 pm PST to have a 20-minute chat about your role at Nielsen?”
- Ask for Updates: If you are connected with a hiring manager on LinkedIn, politely ask for an update every 2 weeks. Set a reminder on your calendar so you’re prepared to conduct your outreach.
- Track Your Job Apps via Google Spreadsheets: This will help you stay organized. My tracker includes the following data points: Date Applied, Position, Company, Pay Range, Hiring Manager, Location, App Update Check-In (Approximately 2 weeks out).
- Get your mindset right: People want to help you. Most often, employees get PAID to refer you to roles at their organization. Plus, if you’re scared/anxious, you should probably go ahead and send that message. The worst that can happen is that you’re going to be ghosted. Move on. #doitscared
- “Thanks in advance:” If you’ve ever emailed me, you’ll notice I will have signed off with thanks in advance probably 95% of the time. I’ve found that this method of email sign-offs prompts a call to action, resulting in expedited replies.
- Launch Networking Chats on your LinkedIn: This concept is credited to Noah Askin of INSEAD. Basically, you really put yourself out there. Here are the steps I’ve learned:
Create an account on Calendly, and block some time out every week or bi-weekly for 2–3 months.
Publicize your Calendly on LinkedIn and send out a friendly message to your network. This is akin to “open virtual office hours.”
Noah’s example: These are *open to anyone* who wants 15 minutes to discuss/ask something about organizations, networks/networking, creativity, music, management, getting a Ph.D., your career, my product executive program, life, or whatever. ** (add your interests here)** You can also find out more about me and what I teach/research at noahaskin.com.
The point of conducting networking chats is to help others and to make connections with “weak ties.” Don’t try to chat with your besties here. If you think you’re not going to get anyone to sign up for a chat, you’re probably incorrect in that thought. Everyone possesses some kind of knowledge that can help impact lives. Use this to your advantage.
Well now, I have given you a fair amount of my tricks of the trade. I hope you’ve benefited from this information. Again, I am looking to share my interests, thoughts, tips with you through writing every day during these 40 days. Have a lovely holiday time, if you’re in the mood to celebrate. I’ll be working ;).
