Linking In

The first "jump" is always the most terrifying ... or so I'm told. Although I have never skydived or bungee jumped which this comment would most pertain to (by the way I'm not opposed to attempting either) I still think it can be used to describe multiple non-life-threatening situations. Such as submitting your first resume. Which if you haven't done it in a while, is significantly terrifying. I finalized my resume a few short months ago thanks to Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities. They were fantastic at helping me organize all my accomplishments onto one 8x11 piece of paper. With that in hand I was ready to start the next step, actually handing it over to esteemed business professionals.

My first experience in this was dragging my friend Dani all over New York City for 5 hours as I attempted to submit resumes the old-fashioned way, just walking into various companies and handing it over. Guess what. That doesn't work anymore. After receiving many eye-rolls, dirty looks and becoming more humble then I thought possible I gave up and resorted to spending the rest of the day relaxing in Bryant Park (a much better option). Upon returning to Indiana I sat down and began learning the "down-low" on the current situation of submitting resumes.

The Answer = The Internet.

Who Knew!?!

I panicked. I always thought that I presented my qualities better in person, and now I had to rely completely on my 8x11 piece of paper to sell me to my future employer. Being a tour guide and an athletic tutor can only get you so far -- I really have a lot more to offer than that (I swear)! How was I supposed to rely on the world wide web to help me get my foot in the door?

But after much research I discovered another way to approach applying online. Think of it as a first step, not an end result. In reality it is not that different than the old-fashioned way of walking-in; the application is going to get you the interview and the interview is where you have the opportunity to sell yourself. Also think of using the various online tools as networking devices to connect you to the right people. In today's world sometimes it's who you know, not what you know. Don't be ashamed to utilize your resources (friends, family members or random strangers you happen to meet) to connect you to the right people.

So my advice? Get online! Check out Linkedin, or Monster. If you use them correctly they can only help! Even starting a blog (case in point) or joining twitter (possibly questionable) may lead you to your next employment endeavor.

Last week I officially took my first "jump" and submitted my resume to a company through the Internet. Pushing the send button was exhilarating in its own right and who knows if they received it but I finally got the first one under the belt. Now the second, third, fourth ... twentieth one will be much easier! In fact, in a few weeks time I may even consider myself a pro ;)

Oh and feel free to "link" to me!