How to Promote Yourself in This Economy

You once had a great job, or at least one that paid well, and despite your best efforts, you still find yourself out of work. You have been attending every event you can, getting together with people for cappacinos, you pass out your business cards, you get Linkedin. You are promoting yourself just the way your Career Advisor suggested.  But you aren't getting any interviews.

Here's one more thing to try. A little humility. What does that have to do with getting a job? Sometimes everything. I'm not saying this because I have done such a great job of it, and you should learn from me. I'm just telling you what I have seen. I get to learn from my clients every day.

I have a client who has always owned her own business, continues to have her primary paid work in spurts, but not fast enough to meet all of her financial needs. She has a TYPE A ++++ personality, so I was quite surprised when a few weeks ago she said she would be willing to do a $10-12/hour job including call centers. We immediately stripped her resume of nearly every accomplishment, which was easy for her to accept, given her high level of self esteem. She immediately went about applying for entry level jobs. I got an email from her last week asking if she should wear an apron to her interview for a cashier position she found in the food court at the mall. After discussing, she settled on khakis and a white shirt (like what they wear) and a cardigan (to make it a little different). She was offered the job as a supervisor...at $9 an hour. I asked her if she was accepting, pretty sure she would have encountered a heavy dose of second thoughts.

"Are you kidding me?" she replied. "I have a heater to replace this winter. I'm taking it. They are going to try to get me $10." Here is a woman with self esteem, ability to read and adapt to culture, who can take of herself. A woman I have greater respect for who is more likely to come at top of mind when I see appropriate job openings.

What does humility have to do with getting a job. Maybe everything. What does it have to do with being a better person? Definitely everything.

"Humility is at the equilibrium of ego. When we're at the center, we manage our ego rather than it managing us."- Steve Smith

"Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right." - Ezra Taft Benson

I am fortunate enough to be working. Besides that giving me the opportunity to share this woman's story for the benefit of others, I also need to ask myself...

How do I get in my own way? Where do I need to show more respect for others? Where do I need to forget about who is right?

I hope you ask yourself these questions too.

This isn't all going to change the high rate of unemployment instantly. But it will make this a better time to live.

What is one place where you could show more humility in your life?