Finding work

​Wow. November. To be honest, not sure how I feel about it. I hope everyone is attempting to keep busy. I have several projects on the burner and spend a good portion of my day working on those and generating new opportunities, which brings up this week’s topic: Generating Leads.
 
I think Mother Superior, Sound of Music MS and not Trouble of Angels MS, summed it up best: “When God slams a door in your face, he sneaks around to the side of the house to break a couple of windows.” Or something like that. I may have paraphrased. The point is, opportunities are all around. You just have to look for them. It may be in the form of some sort of writing completion, a chance to work on a fellowship, or hell, even a side gig of stealing cars for Nicholas Cage. But, trust me, they’re out there. Even Linkedin can spotlight a job or two that very well maybe in your wheelhouse. 
 
And a word of caution. Try not to pay for them. I know that there are a few sites out there that will basically tease you with one or two free leads, hoping that you will pay for a whole page. I’ve done it. But here’s my take. The odds are about the same. Paid or otherwise, for every hundred leads, you get one or two interested responses.
 
There are a few things you can do to be ready. Have some writing samples polished and ready to send.  Have a readable resume that is both concise and accurate.  Occasionally go deep and look for something that you may not be all that comfortable with just to mix things up. And keep trying, for god’s sake. Be persistent. 
 
Dedicate specific time for searching. If you do not have a blog, start one. It is a good reference for any interested parties.
 
Kenny Rogers said it best.  “The more cards you have in your hand, the more chances you have for a hand worth betting on.”  Or  something like that. I may have paraphrased a bit.