First of all, for those of you that are currently looking for a job as you read this, what are you doing to try and find one?  I find that most answer this question in unison.  “Posted my resume to Monster.com”, “responding to Craigslist ads”…etc.  Most people spend about 80% of their job prospecting energies in online/newspaper ad responding.  That’s a lot of time.  Well you may argue that this is where most of the jobs are found.  In fact, it is the exact opposite.  Less than 10% of new jobs found were from responses from an online/newspaper ad.  Really?  Why on earth are people spending 80% of their time focusing on it.  That is because it’s the easiest to do.

In fact, just about 80% of new jobs acquired were done so by a referral of someone they knew.  When looking at the numbers, doesn’t it make sense that networking be the focus of your “prospecting” energies?  If you believe in statistics than yes.  So you may ask, but how do I maximize my contacts?  Here is a program that you can use, that has a highly proven success rate.  Those that have applied the principals I am about tell you, had an incredibly higher success rate in finding a job than that of the average public.  So enjoy and put it to the test.

They call it the 3 Name Rule.  Begin by sitting down and writing every single person you know personally, friends, family, old co-workers, neighbors, anyone who you feel has had some sort of professional contact to your field of interest.  Now I warn you not to pre-judge people.  You will be surprised about how many people actually have connections in your field of choice and you never knew about it.  So spend a few minutes and just write, write, and keep writing.

Now starting from the top of the list, call the contact and engage them in a similar type of dialogue as seen below:

“Tom… This is Brian, hey I know you have been around the auto businesses throughout the years.  I am very interested in the field and I just wanted to see if you can take some time out to meet with me and look over my resume and give me any advice of what I could do to make it stronger.”

Notice how the dialogue is an invitation to help you with your resume, not to see if they know of a job position for you.  This is an indirect way to get yourself and your resume in front of people that is much more non-intrusive than asking for a job interview.

Now these are people you already know, so getting the meeting should not be too hard.  When arriving for the meeting, consider the interview in your own mind as an actual job interview.  Dress to impress, bring a note pad, and conduct yourself as you would in a job interview.  What this meeting does is gets your resume in front of a successful person who knows your field of interest and has contacts in the field.  Amazingly enough, you will find that several times the person who you are interviewing with will look at your resume and notice that you fit a need that they have a their own company.  All of a sudden you just completed successful job interview and the person hiring you had no idea.  I know it seems like a far fetch, but trust me, it happens very frequently.

Now, most of the time, the person will make some remarks about your resume and that will be done with it.  That is ok, because remember, this is just your first round.  Before leaving the meeting, ask the person for 3 people they know (and their contact info) who are in your business that would be worth talking to, to help get to know more about the business in question.  If you are with the right person, they will easily spit out 3 names for you that you can contact.  Thank this person and be on your way.  Remember to keep this meeting no longer than 30 minutes, as most of these people are busy and are doing you a favor to meet with you.

From here you now have 3 contacts to pursue for opportunities.  What is great is when you first initially contact them, you use Tom, or whoever your original contact is, as leverage in saying they referred them to you.  People usually find this flattering when someone thought of them as an expert of a field.  When contacting them, use a dialogue much like this:

“Bob, my name is Brian, I am pursuing a career in the auto business and Tom Johnson told me that you were an expert in the field and someone I should contact.  I was wondering if I could come in and get talk to you about the auto business and what I can do to strengthen my resume.”

What this does is sets up another non-intrusive meeting with yet another professional in the field of your choice.  Again, the person you are meeting with has no idea your intent is to get a job with them.  The person is most likely to accept the meeting offer because you leveraged Tom.  Sure you don’t know them, but you were referred by someone they know and respect.

When meeting with this person, the meeting should go much like your original meeting did.  Have him/her give you feedback on your resume and talk to him/her about the field.  Even if you are not directly offered a job on the spot you are getting good advice about the field, building your contact base, and getting your name out there to where if a position does open up, these people will remember you.  When leaving this meeting, once again, ask for 3 people they know who are in the field that you should talk to about the industry.  If you do the math, after a few meetings, you will have quickly quadrupled your immediate network base for your desired job.

Keep repeating this process over and over again.  Every meeting is successful because you are given one more person to meet with.  Eventually, you will be in a meeting and someone will say, “you know, I have an opening that I think you could fill” or “I know a company who is looking for someone just like you.”  The opportunity will come.  Don’t get frustrated after one or two failed tries.  Know that your progressing in the program and eventually it will come.  Just remember to not leave there until you are able to get 3 new contacts to pursue.  This program has been proven to be very successful and if you continue to implement it in your own job hunt, you will find much more success than you ever had.

A personal business plan consists of the process of putting your “business” goals on paper, while providing the steps to achieve such goals.  Some of you may think that this may sound a lot like standard goal setting, however, there are distinct differences in setting up a business that makes it a very worthwhile task in your own financial planning.

First off, your personal business plan should be related to your business only.  This is not to say that you shouldn’t make goals in other aspects of your life, but for this particular plan, it should be solely focused on your personal business efforts.  The plan applies to any line of work you may be in.  Whether you are a CEO of a Wall Street firm, a pet groomer, or a landscaper, you should begin every new year with a fresh business plan.

Your business plan should break down what it takes to be successful in your line of work and how exactly you are going to accomplish that.  Kobe Bryant did not wake up one morning randomly knowing how to shoot a jump shot.  It took years of practice and discipline for him to get where he is today.  The same goes for any other occupation out there.  In most cases, people did not fall in the positions they are currently there by luck.  They planned out what it took to get there and how they themselves were going to make that happen.

Lets take, for example, an insurance salesman.  After looking at his last years call log, he finds that he made a total of 1500 cold calls to new potential clients per month (18,000 per year).  Well, as a result, he made a total of of $180,000 in commissions for that year.  So technically, this salesman can conclude that every call he makes is roughly worth around $10.  Of course this is really not the case, but for most sales jobs, performance is merely a numbers game.  Knowing that he historically performs at this $10 per call rate, he can than adjust his daily call schedule to earn his next year’s goal of a $200,000 year.  This same principle can be used in a variety of different measures.

A business plan should also include desired characteristic traits you wish to possess around the workplace, as well as things you feel you need to work one.  Take note of people around the office who are succeeding.  What attributes do they possess.  The best way to become successful at work is by surrounding yourself around people who already are.

Be specific about your monetary goals.  If you want to earn $100,000 next year, write it down!  If you don’t, it will be hard to see how exactly you get there.  The above example showed our salesman that one way he could get to his new “lofty” income goal is by increasing his daily call amount.  While breaking down your business plan, you will visually see just what it will take to earn what your goal is.

Now some of you may be saying, “well I’m stuck in a salary position and have no way of making anymore money than my contracted amount.”  Nonsense!  Within your company there are ladders of salaries.  Most likely there are people around you making the money that you desire to.  What are these people doing differently?  If you are just as qualified and talented as these people then there is no excuse for them making more money.  If you lack certain skills that they have, work to sharpen those skills.  Come to work earlier and stay a bit later.  Remember, you set the goal so it is you that needs to make it happen.  If you do have the same skills and are not making the same amount, go see your manager.  You would be surprised about how many times you are worthy of a promotion and they just don’t know it or are waiting for you to say something.  If they feel you are not qualififed, ask him/her for feedback about what you are lacking.  Then, start this process over.

Also, we live in a day of age where you can make money in a variety of different ways.  Thanks to the internet, you have access to the whole world to try and make money.  You have certain skills and traits that people will pay money to learn.  See how you can integrate that on the web for some supplementary income.

Sure, we all like to have money and success, but strive to keep it within reason.  As I have always said, money is not the definition of “success” and more important things should not be sacrificed for it.  When making your business plan, consider your other “life goals.”  If doing what it takes to earn you’re desired income only happens at the expense of acheiving your long term life goals, it is not worth it.  Consider thinking a few years out on how you consider to reach these goals, thus not burning yourself out all in one year.  Why work to make a good living, when at the end you cannot enjoy the fruits of it.

After completing a business plan, always keep it where you can see it daily.  Why spend time on this intensive document if you’re not going to reflect on it?  I keep mine in the top drawer of my office, so that when I do get frustrated, I can see what exactly I’m doing wrong.  The business plan doesn’t lie.  If done correctly, it acts as the Holy Grail of successful business practices for you personally in your business.  If you’re not seeing success, you’ve most likely waivered from your plan.  Take it out every week to make sure you’re living up to your goals.  If you are doing what you set out to do and are still not seeing success, revise your plan in way that points you in the right direction.

The power of a business plan is great.  When just asking how can I earn $100,000 a year?, it can seem distant and unattainable at the moment.  However, when really breaking it down, studying your current circumstances, and implementing a plan, you will be surprised at just how easy that road can be.  This combined with other principles discussed on the site can help you.

For me, success means joy or happiness. Sure, money can make life easier or seem more enjoyable, but it cannot be the sole source for success. Many very wealthy people of our society have shown through example that money cannot buy that happiness that everyone searches for. That is because there is more to the equation.

Success begins from inside of you. The lesson of setting goals is an essential part of finding success in our life. By planning and setting goals, we are able to define what success is in our own life. What drives you? Why do you get up in the morning? What is your passion? These are questions you should be asking yourself. Get together with your spouse, if you have one, and ask them how they define “being successful.” The point is, you should consider finding success as more than just finding financial gain.

Another important element of finding success is living a balanced life.  Call it moderation, yin and yang or whatever.  We, as humans, have many needs to facilitate happiness in our life.  It is important that we stay sharp on all aspects of life.  In my experience, I have found most happiness when I am balanced in the four following life traits: Relationships (family and loved ones), Health, Spirituality (this does not necessarily mean religion), work or education.  For me, these are the four main traits I try to balance.  Of course, some may be more focused on than others, but I have found that if I remember not to forget about building up these four traits by keeping them all continually improving and growing stronger,  I feel most “success” in my life.

Sit down and find out what needs balance in your life.  Usually, when we are continually waking up with a bad feeling in the back of our head that keeps nagging us hour by hour, it is usually because we have not kept one of our “core success traits”  in balance.  Try and find out which trait it is and how you can improve it.

As you find success, show gratitude for it.  Whether it is to God, your family, people who are struggling or other means, giving back is an essential part of enjoying success.  You will not reach success on your own, make sure to always show gratitude to those that help in that path.  Gratitude is such a big principle in my book.  I will expound on it more in another post.

When setting your goals, make sure you find out what your “being successful” definition is.  In doing so, you will place that magnet that will continually pull you in reaching your goals.  It will also make you truly happy when doing it.