Master Minding and Job Searching

Guest Contributor: Debbie Lousberg
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I recently spoke to a Career Transition Club for managers and executives on the "Nuts and Bolts of a Successful Job Search". I offered them a wide variety of ideas for beefing up their searches and staying motivated during their time of transition. While I like to think that I offered some great ideas, the real benefit to them being in that room that night was exactly what we find by being part of a Master Mind group. There is incredible power available when two or more people gather together for the same purpose, in this case, looking for a job.

As they went around the room giving their 2 minute introductions, each person included what type of job and industry they were looking for and passed around their resumes or business cards. At the end of the meeting, they had time to ask each other questions as a group, and then spent the last half hour mingling and having one-on-one conversations. As an observer, I immediately saw the results - support for one another through the sharing of leads and ideas and the simple act of being in the same room with others who were in the uncomfortable position of being unemployed.

I overheard a biologist talking about his ideas for finding investors and starting a research company with someone coming from the banking and finance arena. I listened in as a project manager talked about her dream to work in a "green" industry in order to help with environmental issues with someone from a sales background pursuing the same industry. I saw the exchange of resumes, cards, contact names and numbers, and even smiles and handshakes at the end of the evening. How's that for successful master minding?

Think about what you get from your group, whether it be for small business owners, for following a spiritual path, for parenting, or for...you name the focus. Its true benefit comes from the support and camaraderie that develops from knowing you are not alone in whatever situation brought you together in the first place. If you've been thinking about joining or starting a group, keep this example of unemployed, potentially downtrodden people leaving that room with new colleagues and friends, filled with hope and new ideas for their bright futures. It's as simple as pulling together 1 or 2 more people looking for the same thing as you, opening up to sharing, and being ready to enjoy the amazing results. Happy Master Minding!