The Reluctant Entrepreneur: Turning Dreams into Profits

HOW DO YOU FIND THESE PEOPLE?

Think about what executive recruiters do. When they call Person A with a job opportunity and Person A is not interested, they end up with three phone numbers or e-mail addresses for people Person A knows.

So when you have a job opening, think about all the people you know, especially when you’re looking to fill a middle- or upper-level position. If none of them are right for the job, call them anyway. They may know someone who is. Keep collecting names and numbers and making more phone calls.

If you are looking for more of an entry-level employee, try advertising in a trade publication. But do some research first. Read the ads the publication normally prints and make your ad better. Make your position sound rewarding and exciting. If there is room for advancement, mention it.

You can also use Career Builder, Monster, eHire, and other online job search engines. You’ll probably have to sift through hundreds of applications, 99 percent of them useless. But you may luck out.

Even better than advertisements … and far better than online job search engines … is networking. I look for possible employees everywhere I go.

When I attend industry events (which I often do), the cocktail parties are my favorite networking places. (You get a real feel for the personality and style of the people you meet.) When I give presentations, I tell my audience that I am available to talk about job opportunities. When my kids were younger, I’d talk to other parents while attending ...