When Someone Offers Help, Accept It
August 14th, 2008
I was talking with a junior colleague recently. He can’t find a job. I offered to help network with him. He said no, he’d look for a job himself.
Big mistake. If someone offers you help networking, take it! No matter who you are, how many years of experience you have, how sure you are you can get a job by yourself, take the help.
Entry Filed under: candidate, network
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4 Comments Add your own
1. Joe Grossberg | August 14th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Yeah, I’ve never understood that. The only scenario in which it makes sense is one where you don’t want to be associated with the person (e.g. an unethical recruiter or someone with a bad reputation, who could tarnish you by association).
2. Cecile Moseley | August 15th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
You do have to be careful when building your own credible reputation but at the same time, we all know that the old adage still holds true - it is not always what you know but who you know!
It is always a good practice to network, network, network - it can NEVER hurt you under any circumstance! I watch my husband when we go to his Army Special Forces Reunions and it is amazing to see how many business cards he comes home with! If he lost his job tomorrow he would have no problem securing another!
3. janya | August 19th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Yeah, that’s a foolish mistake.
There is one situation where I can imagine this would happen (although it would still be a mistake) - if a young person in question is your kid.
4. Bill M. | October 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I recently did this. I interned for a company that my mom was president of. Upon completion of the internship, I was promoted to the ranks of technical recruiter. 3 years later my mom quit, and 6 months after that I was “let go”.
I was offered all kinds of help from my co-workers, but I declined because I needed to know that I was worth whatever offers I could muster on my own. 2 months and a dozen interviews later, I landed at a great company making more money than I did before.
It was important to do it on my own.
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