If you’re in the market for a job, you’ve likely been advised a hundred times on things like what to do in an interview, how to write cover letters, where to look for openings, and where to network.
If you are on the hunt, the “where to network” part is everywhere. I do mean everywhere.
Recently, I was in an elevator at a medical conference in downtown Atlanta and started up a casual conversation with a sharply-dressed man. Turns out, he was the perfect candidate for a position I was actively recruiting for. I placed him the following month into this position that almost doubled his yearly annual income.
Another recruiter told me of a chance encounter at a nail salon that led to a fabulous placement. While getting her nails done, the recruiter overheard a conversation between a customer and the manicurist and quickly determined the customer was a stellar candidate. An interview was set up and the candidate was perfect for a job in medical device sales in women’s health, a niche she had always had a keen interest in.
Or, what about this true story: Earlier this year, a new college graduate stopped into a Starbucks in San Francisco for a latte. She had been knocking her head up against the wall trying to find a quality job by sending out scores of resumes to online job postings. Like any other day, she engaged in a conversation with a complete stranger at the next table. You guessed it—that stranger was a recruiter colleague of mine! Yes, the grad was hired.
What would have happened if the person in the elevator had been unprofessionally dressed or non social? He certainly wouldn’t have gotten the position I was recruiting for.
Or, if the nail salon customer was dressed in sweat pants and wasn’t in job-seeking mode? Or if the college grad decided to surf the Internet and listen to her iPod instead of talking to the stranger?
Some lessons:
- Try to be social—even in elevators.
- Act and look professional—even at nail salons.
- Know the Internet will never replace real-life networking.
- Never wear sweat pants out of the house—unless you’re looking for a fitness trainer job. That’s also good fashion advice.
- Understand that opportunities can and will happen when you least expect them…so always be prepared.
-Kate Miller
CEO 
Accounting & Finance 
Medical Sales 
Chief Development Officer 
Elevators, Nail Salons and Coffee Shops—Why It Pays to Always Be On Your Game
If you’re in the market for a job, you’ve likely been advised a hundred times on things like what to do in an interview, how to write cover letters, where to look for openings, and where to network.
If you are on the hunt, the “where to network” part is everywhere. I do mean everywhere.
Recently, I was in an elevator at a medical conference in downtown Atlanta and started up a casual conversation with a sharply-dressed man. Turns out, he was the perfect candidate for a position I was actively recruiting for. I placed him the following month into this position that almost doubled his yearly annual income.
Another recruiter told me of a chance encounter at a nail salon that led to a fabulous placement. While getting her nails done, the recruiter overheard a conversation between a customer and the manicurist and quickly determined the customer was a stellar candidate. An interview was set up and the candidate was perfect for a job in medical device sales in women’s health, a niche she had always had a keen interest in.
Or, what about this true story: Earlier this year, a new college graduate stopped into a Starbucks in San Francisco for a latte. She had been knocking her head up against the wall trying to find a quality job by sending out scores of resumes to online job postings. Like any other day, she engaged in a conversation with a complete stranger at the next table. You guessed it—that stranger was a recruiter colleague of mine! Yes, the grad was hired.
What would have happened if the person in the elevator had been unprofessionally dressed or non social? He certainly wouldn’t have gotten the position I was recruiting for.
Or, if the nail salon customer was dressed in sweat pants and wasn’t in job-seeking mode? Or if the college grad decided to surf the Internet and listen to her iPod instead of talking to the stranger?
Some lessons:
-Kate Miller