It’s not about what you know OR who you know...
As we get closer into the “real world,” everyone
seems to have advice on how to find a job after you graduate. One line keeps being stated over and over
again: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Well, that is not necessarily true.
Last year I was at Huntington Beach, California,
recruiting for the USD softball team. As
I got done early one day, I took a day trip to Laguna Beach to see the
sights. While I was walking on the beach
I ran into a man there. He was an older
man in his 60s enjoying his nightly walk with his dog in the sand. As we got to talking, I learned his whole
life story: a farm boy from the Midwest that came to California to pursue a
dream. The man now owns a steel company
in California and a multimillion dollar home on Laguna Beach. When I told him I was in my last year of
school the first thing he told me was this. “People will tell you ‘It’s not
what you know, it’s who you know,’ but those people are wrong. It’s not what you know OR who you know. It’s all about who knows you.”
Here are some points on how to get people to know
you:
·
Leave
a lasting impression.
Do something to be remembered. If
you have something concrete and memorable about you, it may come in handy later
on. If you add meaning and value to a
person, they will remember you later on.
·
Be
persistent. Talking to
someone once many not be the answer.
Keep in contact. Even if it just
someone in your town or a neighbor, the more you talk to someone, the closer
you become. If you are persistent enough
they will remember you. Also, use the
person’s name. People like hearing their
name said and may also help them remember your name as well.
·
Ask
questions. When I say ask questions, I don’t just mean
questions with simple answers like “yes” or “no.” Instead, ask questions that will spark a
conversations or lead to other questions.
Ask people about themselves. If
you seem interested in their personal life, later on they may remember
connecting with you on a stronger level.
If you have a meaningful enough conversation, they may remember it down
the road when you are asking them for a favor.
Perhaps, a job?
So, remember as you leaving the classroom: be
memorable. You can know all the people
in the world but it won’t get you anywhere if they do not know who you
are. Being a fly on the wall won’t get
you a job. Again, it’s not what you know
or who you know. It is all about who
knows you.
This is great advice for us soon-to-be graduates. Everyone does always say "It isn't what you know, it is who you know" and it is refreshing to hear a different perspective. I am not a very talkative person and just like to go with the flow most of the time, which makes me blend in to the background and not really get noticed by others. I know this is something I need to work on if I want to be remembered after an interview or meeting a potential employer. On the other hand, I also think it is important to have a filter and know when to speak/what to say because it can be just as harmful if you're remembered for doing the wrong thing.
ReplyDeleteGreat info, Alexa and Steph. I have heard this before, but it is easy to forget sometimes when everyone is saying 'it's all about who you know.' I do agree with Steph in that is important to speak up, but also not overstep or leave the wrong impression either. This goes with Alexa's point of asking questions. People love to talk about themselves, so asking them what they do, where they're from, etc can spark a lot of conversation. Asking questions can help you find something you have in common with them, creating a better connection for now and the future.
ReplyDeleteAlexa, I think you hit it on the head about the importance of who knows you. In the world of college volleyball, coaches who need to fill a spot turn to their friends and former coworkers to ask if he/she would know of anyone that would be good for the position. It is important to create relationships with many different people so when these conversations come up, my name can be thrown out. I have been lucky enough to have a couple of coaches tell me they will be thinking about me when December comes and all of the turnover starts to happen. I also agree with your comment about knowing the person on a more personal level to foster a relationship. Like you and I both know, we have lives outside of our job, so it is important to make those connections on a personal level as well.
ReplyDelete