RadioShack has just announced that they are closing as many as half of their stores. The chances are high that much of the office structure in Fort Worth will be moving somewhere else (depending on who ends up owning the company) and many people will be out of a job. That leads me to the question I always ask…”What can I do to help” Here are 4 reasons you should help your friend find a job.

1. This is your friend and friends support each other. So, it is the right thing to do to help your friend find a job. Helping is one of the primary reason you should have friends. It is what our social structure is built on. You are there to support each other, to give comfort, and to listen. And, if you don’t help them find a job eventually they will end up living in your extra bedroom (and then you won’t have an extra bedroom) and who wants Alan (Two and a half men) living in their house for the next 10 years or so. A little humor in a not so funny subject.

2. Finding your friend a job in your current company will help advance your career. By finding your friend a job at your current company she will be appreciative and work hard to make you look good. Management will recognize that you are looking after the good of the company (doing good while doing well) and may consider you for advancement.

3. Finding your friend a job at another company will help increase your personal network reach. If one of your suppliers is looking for a good person, recommend your friend. When they successfully begin their new job it will shine a light on you. The supplier may come back to you when they have another job opening - leading, perhaps, to a step up for you.

4. Reaching out to your contact list is something you should do on a regular basis. It will keep you aware of what is going on around you. You will be the first to know when one of your contacts gets promoted, moves to a new company, or retires. You will become “Top of Mind” from a brand perspective. And, what could be a better reason to reach out to your contact list than to help a friend find a job?

You can also suggest that your friends look at Axcelora to see if this is a good fit for them and their Rolodex.

Helping your friends in their job search is much more than just doing the right thing. By doing good, you are doing well. If you know anyone at RadioShack, reach out to them today and offer to help them find the next great place to live their work life. It won’t take much effort your part and the rewards are great.

Ok, you have just left your job. It could be for many different reasons. You just got tired of working there, you did not like your boss, your job was eliminated, the company closed down – it really doesn’t matter, the fact is that you are not going to work anymore. So, what should you be doing when you wake up in the morning?

Unless you are independently wealthy (and if you are, why are you reading this) you are eventually going to have to find work. Now, that may be after you take some time off to hike the Sierras, travel Europe, get closer to your family, write the great novel (hope it gets published) or take a baking class, but you will eventually have to find something to do that will pay the bills.

Whether you are working to find a job now or preparing to find a job later there are certain things you have to do.

1-Organize Your Contacts. The best people to help you find a job are your contacts that have a job. You have many things in common or they would not be in your contact list.

In the past several months I have spoken to many people about their contact list. Most people think their contact lists are up to date...and then reality sets in. Many of their contacts have changed jobs. Either they have new responsibilities with the same company they were working for, or they have changed companies.

To get your contact list up to date, use LinkedIn and reach out to people that you know. Send them a note and make it personal. This is the most important and fulfilling thing you can do while you are waiting. You will be surprised how focused this exercise will make you.

2- Define exactly what you are looking for
Be precise. “Work in the hospitality business” is not specific. “Work toward a career in hospitality where I can interact with consumers on a daily basis” is pretty specific but still gives you flexibility to look at many different opportunities. 
Once you have defined your ideal job, go back to the contact list that you have so carefully developed and see who has access to that field of work. It might be a two step program. That is, you may have to send a note to some of your contacts to see who knows someone in your field.

3-Define the 100 contacts that you have that are really contacts. This should be the people that will actually respond to you, not the people on LinkedIn that are just building lists. Monday through Friday of every week send three of them something interesting you have found in THEIR field. It should have nothing to do with you, and everything to do with them. In 8 weeks you will have been in contact with your top 100 list telling them something interesting or exciting about themselves and move yourself higher up their list of recall. This will pay dividends as you wait for a job.

4- Get involved in something you are passionate about that allows you to give back. This can be anything from a religious organization, your child's school, the environment, those less fortunate than you, cleaning a park or working in a community garden. This exercise will ensure you don’t start feeling sorry for yourself. It will clear your mind and will keep you in motion. Remember, a body in motion tends to stay in motion. (Sir Isaac Newton)

5-Think about things you can do that will not diminish your value while allowing you to monetize yourself until you find the right job. Consider consulting projects, temporary executive jobs or even starting a business coaching practice. These are all legitimate opportunities. Additionally, you can participate in Axcelora’s Partner program.

All 5 of these ideas are activities that will help you become better prepared for that job while you are waiting.

Click here to learn more about Axcelora's Partner Program