Marketing Me! How agile are you?

Think you are agile? Think you have what it takes to make those lateral-upward moves in down markets?

Check out my friend Don.

I met Don when he was a technical recruiter in the height of the "dot com" days. Don placed dozens of people with my IT startup during a two year time frame. I had a good idea what he was making per placement so I know he was doing well with the technical placement company he worked for.

So what did he do?

He went solo and for a year and a half made even more money filling key job positions. Rather than do the shotgun approach, he specialized in placing minority candidates with technical companies. He made even more money.

During this time period, Don bought his first house. He saw how the real estate market worked and how home values were rising. He also was considering real estate as an investment strategy for all the money he was making in recruiting.

So, not one to go halfway, Don went to real estate school nights and got his license a few months later.

Don starting selling one or two homes a month on weekends.

Then the "dot bomb" bust happened, so Don went from part time real estate agent to full time.

Don focused on up and coming neighborhoods in older sections of town. Sure enough he hit another home run and until last year was making more sales and more money then ever before.

With the real estate market going the way it is, Don is moving back into recruiting. This time, he is reaching out to all those entry level techs he placed a decade ago and finding many of them are higher ups responsible for hiring.

Don is well placed to start picking up where real estate dropped out.

How about some personality traits of Don?

- Incredibly optimistic. Never a bad word or negative statement from him.
- Energetic and hardworking.
- Higher faith. Don has strong convictions which are reflected in his work.
- Honesty.
- Goal oriented.

Are you cut of the same cloth? Consider your options and see what you are doing to be as "nimble" as Don. Most of us follow the same old, "the company let me go - I wasn't planning on this!" lament.

Don has never waited for this to happen. He keeps his eyes and ears open for opportunity at all times.

If you don't have a similar plan for your life, why not make one today? Why not get busy on figuring your four or five plays and what fits for you?

Happy hunting!

Marketing Me! Jobs, Layoffs, Finding Work, Get excited about your work

And more..

Yes, I have been away for awhile. There are about 30 blogs I subscribe to and about half of those I read religiously.

None of them miss a few days of posting. None miss a week and none miss two weeks like I have done.

Sometimes, blogs of note, use a backup writer to compose and post fresh stories for them. More likely, however, good bloggers write several posts on slow days and save them for busy times like my recent schedule.

So what happened?

First, the third quarter ended and in the real world, quarters ending is the busiest time for me. I have to close deals, upsell an existing client or two and sometimes, have to count on the generosity of a current customer to order something extra for the quarter.

All so the company can make their numbers. That's business.

Next, my wife and I are expecting. Thank you. We are happy about it too. But we have had some complications - nothing serious, thanks for asking, but time consuming complications which have prevented me from getting more outside work done.

Never fear, in a few weeks the blessed event will be upon us and I can get back to full time employees, part time writer/speaker/presenter and full time dad. Wait, those numbers don't add up!

Next, I have been busy undertaking some financial projects which have been a real bear. They always are.

The following posts are entries I have been "head writing" for the past two weeks. Thank you for your patience.

Marketing Me!