Something happened in my network recently that stopped me in my tracks.
More than one woman in my network – capable, experienced, intelligent women who’d spent decades in corporate roles – posted on their personal Facebook pages asking if anyone knew of work for them. Not a LinkedIn announcement. Not a polished professional pivot. A personal plea to their friends and family.
These women aren’t ready to retire, they don’t want to retire, they just can’t get a look in, despite doing all the right things like updating the CV, applying through recruiters, etc.
The worst thing about bad things like this happening to us, like not being able to find a job when we want one, is that it’s hard to be objective and not take things personally and feel like we have nowhere to turn when the no’s keep on coming.
I don’t pretend to have the solutions to all their problems, but I’ve got a couple of suggestions that could help move the needle. Maybe in the same direction they’ve been heading or maybe a slightly different one but all with the same goal – getting some money – and a bit of confidence coming in.
Can you get part of a job, rather than the whole thing?
Two or three part-time income streams aren’t as tidy as one salary, but they’re a lot better than zero. If the corporate world isn’t hiring you full time, it might still be willing to buy specific pieces of your expertise. Think about what you actually do well, and whether any of it can be packaged as something a business could bring in for a day a week, or a project at a time.
Small businesses can’t normally afford someone like you. That’s the opportunity
A small business owner who’s been running on gut instinct and spreadsheets doesn’t have access to the kind of experience you’ve accumulated. They couldn’t hire you as an employee – you’re out of their budget range – but they might very much want to. That gap is where you fit.
Don’t wait to be found
This one matters. Identify the kinds of businesses that could genuinely use your skills and approach them with a specific proposition. Not “I’m available for consulting work.” Something more like: “I’ve spent fifteen years writing tender documents that tick all the boxes for the government facility managers” or “I know what system to put in place, to help your business manage bigger projects.” Specificity opens doors that general availability doesn’t.
Lead with what’s in it for them
Your CV lists what you’ve done. What a small business owner needs to know is what you can do for them – save money, bring in bigger clients, get the right systems in place, avoid expensive mistakes. Using specific examples to help decisionmakers see how the cost of hiring you could more than likely pay for itself – well that’s just smart thinking.
Look sideways, not just forward
Chances are you’re not the only one in this position. If you know others in the same boat, don’t just commiserate – see if there’s something you could put together between you. Two complementary skill sets, one proposition to the market, shared costs. It’s not the obvious path, but it’s a real one.
Reach out to your network with your proposition
The people who are most likely to hire you or recommend you, are people you already know. Reach out to your LinkedIn network, your Facebook network, your Instagram network and email everyone you’ve ever worked with, telling them about what you’re thinking of offering. As hard as it is, the best skill you can work on, is being okay with the no’s or the silence, until a yes or two comes along. You don’t need a million of those, you just need one or two to get the ball rolling.
The dream, of course, is that someone calls and offers you exactly the right role at exactly the right moment. It happens. But if it doesn’t look like it’s happening, the alternative isn’t just to keep waiting. There’s quite a lot you can do to create your own version of it.
I’ll leave you with this thought. People who succeed at new things aren’t the ones who get everything right the first time. They are the ones who learn to be okay with the failures long enough to see progress.
