Career Check - If Somebody Left You on the Street with $10,000

Although, my firm specializes in sales and marketing,She was so off and she did not appreciate it when I
we get contacts through our website from people likecontinually told her that this is not an article that she
what I am about to show you. I have changed aroundshould put up. It was irresponsible on levels it would
the minor words and taken his or her college outtake me pages to describe.
because that would not be fair as I'm sure you wouldThe same goes for your majors. It doesn't matter if
not want someone to do it to you. Here it is:you major in film or chemistry. There is a difference if
"I have a Masters Degree in Computer Science fromyou would like to be a doctor, maybe an accountant or
(Confidential) in (This person was a recent collegesome type of niche major I personally don't know
grad). I am writing to you to look for potentialabout. Think law school is the answer? I could shoot
opportunities for full time."you 50 emails from lawyers looking for work. I once
Applicants contact us through our website and they fillhad a potential client who was in an industry (I stopped
out a form. That is how most of our applicants contactlistening to him and I'll get to why) where he would find,
us as we cannot get on the phone with them; themore or less, "sales leads" for attorneys.
majority of the clients call. I think I got three like theseDo you know what he said? "You always want to find
today. I saved them in a folder to show you thatleads that consist of people looking to sue because
nothing is a sure bet. I don't always get this manytheir baby was disfigured during birth. Lawyers will pay
because you would think that someone who holds aa lot for these." His business model (if you can call it
Masters in Computer Science would be able to readthat) was that he would post ads strategically on the
the large logo that we do sales and marketingweb saying such things like "has your baby been
recruitment.disfigured, click here." This is the real world for you.
Look even further. This person spent around (yourThen, he would discuss the case with the potential
career center person would know better than I)party who wanted to sue and then he would sell that
maybe $150,000 on an education and is looking forlead to the highest bidding attorney in that particular
"full-time employment". If you have a Masters Degree,state. His words: "The best types of leads are from
you should not have to specify whether it is full or partuneducated states where you can get them to sign a
time work. Don't always listen to the media when theycontract right away. That's where we make money."
give you averages and numbers and, blah, blah. I haveThirty years ago, if you majored in law, you stood for
had around 20 of the NYTimes and those guys callsomething. Nowadays, and you will find this out, people
me over the five years I've been doing this.will do anything for money. There are industries out
They have not once quoted me. Can you guess why?there that I could tell you about that would make your
The way the media works is that someone on theskin crawl.
executive level tells a journalist to do a story on let'sThe problem is that the web has separated the men
say, "How much young engineers are getting paid andand the women from the boys and the girls. Major
how well they are doing."doesn't matter. You see, you can never hide behind a
Then, doing his or her job, the journalist begins to callmajor and think you can make money. If you listen to
companies like mine. All my competitors give them thethese polls, and make your educational decisions
song and dance because they hope to God that a bigbased on perceived stats or what you see on
time newspaper will quote them. I'm not too worried asMonster, you're not going to be successful.
I've been brought in by one or two of these companiesThe successful people are the ones who make smart
to discuss how to teach their marketing departmentdecisions, keep learning (instead of an hour lunch
social media.break), have drive, learn that people are going to push
So, when they call me, they expect me to say whatyou around in the corporate world and learn how to
they want about the employment industry. 20 out ofdeal with it. You can see above. Nothing is a sure shot
20 times, they have been so off that you could notthese days. The only sure shot you have is to rely on
even imagine. I write for a few blogs and there wasyourself, gain confidence in yourself (this takes time),
an article that people with the above qualifications arebecome the best at what you do and enjoy it.
making $65,000 and are in such high demand.Otherwise, you'll be emailing me with a $200,000
I do always talk with the journalists; they are veryeducation asking for full-time work. Think of yourself as
smart and interesting people. Whenever you area resource, be smart. Right now, you are at point A,
speaking with an interesting person, no matter whatyou have to get to point C, how are you going to be
field they are in, ask questions. Being smart, thedifferent as to executing B.
journalists attempt, at very strategic points, to get youHere's the best exercise I can give you: If someone
to say what they want. To be good at persuasion, youtook everything away from you, your home, the nice
must be subtle.clothes you like, your TV, watch, etc., then gave you
A writer for the NYPost is not stupid. However, they$10,000, put you on the street, how would you handle
have a big weakness. They get frustrated when theythat situation? Come up with a plan for this and you're
can't get the answer out of you that they want. Forahead of the Bio Tech or Sci guy who emailed me
instance, someone called me about a month and a halftoday.
ago and gave me some percentages as to how 50I would buy books.
year old professionals were getting jobs these days.