Day 24 - the offer letter

Today started like most others and I started the day:

• Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
• Check e-mail
• Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
• Update blog

I had a lunch meeting set with my recruiters from Vaco, TJ & Carrie. I had picked a place to eat, only to discover that it was closed on Monday - note to self: Make sure you pick places that are actually open. We quickly picked another place and began talking shop.

As lunch was ending, my offer letter came in and a quick review showed it to be acceptable. High fives and handshakes later, we left to go and review the document more closely.

After a couple of very minor tweaks, we are agreed and I am about to be "Gainfully Employed". The company is First ROI in North Austin and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work.

General lesson learned...

To be successful in searching for a new position, one needs to take charge and engage fully in the process. There is not a firm or recruiter that is going to do this for you. Sure, a good recruiter will put opportunities in front of you and help you once you get into the process, but the real work is before that.

You have to figure out what you want, and be prepared for it when it comes along. Do not sit on the sidelines and wait for the phone to ring.

Network, network, network.... Make those connections - new ones. Get out of your comfort zone. People you already know will likely hear about the same opportunities you do - you need to get past that and learn about other opportunities.

Use social media - LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter just to name a few.

Lets take this opportunity. This one came along and a person who knew both my recruiter and me saw it. The third party mentioned "hey, this sounds like something for Will". The recruiter agreed and if you have been following along, you know the rest.

If I had just been sitting like a hermit at the house moping along, I might have missed this. Tell everyone you know and even those that you do not --- "Hey, I am a great person with great talent and I am looking for a job"; and tell them often.

Be ready with a catch phrase when you are asked that question "what do you do". I came up with "I manage IT people who fix broken things". It is corny I know, but this is what will get a conversation going so you can elaborate.

I want to thank all of the people who have supported me through all of this. Hearing "you will be fine" & "I am sure you can nail it" helps.

Keep this in mind as friends and colleagues go through this; they need your support.

I hope my little trip through the land of the unemployed has helped - good luck out there!