CNN Money has a great article featuring the story of Kevin Nichols, a legal professional who got hired helping other job seekers find work and by thinking outside the box.  Nichols had worked as a paralegal for 11 years when he was laid off in July.  Although his job search initially produced dismal results he was not discouraged.

The article said:

“…Nichols devoted much of his time to networking, both in person and through sites like LinkedIn. He reached out to former colleagues and acquaintances and made new contacts. Though still out of work, he even started a San Francisco networking group near his home in Oakland to help others as well… And he takes pride in their successes. So far, three other members of the group Nichols started have also been hired.”

Nichols did eventually find work, not paralegal, but as a sales person for a company that sells software tools to litigators. Nichols used his legal experience and knowledge as leverage to secure a position that was not directly related to his previous work history. Not only does his new job match the salary he earned at his last job, with commission earnings he has the potential to make a lot more money. 

Despite Nichols’ job search success, his commitment to helping other job seekers hasn’t stopped. 

He offers these job search tips:

·       Face-to-face networking is a powerful tool. Don’t depend completely on online social networking. While online social networking can be used effectively to make connections, it is not a substitute for in face meetings.

·       Reach out to other job seekers.  Job seekers should not handle their search in a selfish manner. Be willing to pool resources with other job seekers and share valuable connections.

·       Network consistently. Networking is not something that should be done sporadically.  Networking should become a daily habit, complete with goals and tracking of progress.

(source: http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/11/news/economy/_networking/index.htm)