People who are unemployed, underemployed, or just trying to get their own business off the ground face some unique problems in today's economy. At times, looking for a job can seem hard, if not impossible, because it takes a lot of motivation and creativity to keep going. To increase your chances of getting the job you want, it's important to have a flexible, "power" networking plan that requires "out of the box" thinking.
Here is a list of things you can do to start a successful marketing plan for yourself, which is what networking is all about. Most of them will cost you little or nothing to do, which can help a lot if you are short on cash. I wrote these ideas for business flight attendants, who have, understandably, been through a lot since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. You can easily change the ideas to fit your own area of interest.
- Go to aviation job fairs and bring lots of copies of your resume and business cards.
- Join an employment group.
- Send your resume to a service.
- Put your resume online to get more attention.
- Go to the retirement parties of people you used to work with.
- Act as a link between the local airport and the nearby community.
- Take a class on how to cook
- Start a local networking group.
- Attend meetings.
- Go to other events that have to do with aviation, such as medical seminars, safety and security symposiums, dinner, golf outing, barbecues, fund-rising events, and 10k races.
- Volunteer on a committee that has something to do with aviation.
- Help out the Corporate Angel Network by giving your time.
- Be open to other kinds of jobs at the company you want to work for, like dispatcher, sales, customer service, etc.
- Write an article about some part of corporate aviation and post it online.
- Set up a wine tasting seminar in your area or talk to a local caterer or vineyard about being their aviation representative. Be ready to give them a lot of free publicity.
- Work for a short time as a caterer who specialized in service on planes.
- Start a side business selling something that business pilots need.
- Finally, this type of suggestion could be helpful for a smart flight attendant. Hang out with other people who work in aviation at the local bar or pub after work. Find out what the company's culture is, who the important people are, etc.
Some people might say that you are a shameless self-promoter as if you had a disease that people could catch from you. Let them think bad things about you while they're at home worrying about work and you're flying all over the place.
Don't give up, but start thinking outside of the limits you or others have put on yourself. Your goal is to get a job, and your name is "Golden." Because of this, "Gold" needs to be in the forefront to get the attention (a job) that it so richly deserves.
