Tough economy? Don’t run with the pack.

I wish I could say that times like these are all bad, but they’re not. 

These times remind me of when the electricity goes out, and after a while people begin to come out of their homes like zombies.  And you meet some neighbors, the people you’ve been waiving hello from afar.  You realize how busy you’ve been, and so you share some candles and chat under a full moon, maybe do some networking. 

Speaking of networking, maybe you’ve been laid off recently.  You’re now competing with a thousand others for the only such job available within thirty miles. And so you hit a few dead ends until you realize you need to get out of your comfort zone.  You begin to get creative, use alternative means to find that elusive opportunity, that dream job. 

That happened to me a way back.  I was once watching TV and saw the city Mayor talking to the CEO of company where I wanted to work.  I’d tried to get a job there, but no one would even pick up the phone and cover letters with my resume never even got acknowledged.  Assuming they weren’t hiring, I gave up-- for a while.  Later learned they’d just been busy, after I decided to just show up and ask for the job. 

I still remember that day.  I came out of the elevator and recognized the CEO from TV, walking towards me with his entourage in tow.  “Do you have a minute?” I said.  He looked at me, confused, and inside that moment of hesitation I told him who I was and why I was there. 

“Come with me,” he said walking back in the direction of his office, where he handed me a file.  “I need someone to take this on, do you think you can?” I was so nervous I had no idea what I was reading, but I nodded. “You got the job,” he said and left.