Our Opportunities

by Rob Llewellyn

This is no era to sit back and say, “you get all the luck” to people, especially when there are so many opportunities awaiting everyone. Over the last few years, I have not applied for any of the assignments that I have undertaken. All my business has come from a valuable network of people. So far, the same applies to my Recruitment Business where I’m filling management roles across the Gulf, into Turkey, up into Greece then further north in Finland.

One of the most valuable and effective networking tools available to us all for free is LinkedIn. But it’s one thing to know about LinkedIn and another to use it to it’s full capacity. You need to spend time getting to know it, but from my own and other people’s experience, it can be incredibly helpful in finding new work opportunities, whether you’re a consultant or looking for your next permanent role. In fact I met Paul Byrne (see my previous posting) on LinkedIn and I have helped people into new roles through LinkedIn.

But use it with care. Don’t accept invites from every Tom, Dick and Harriett who are out to set the world record for LinkedIn connections. You’ll find that Recruiters are also trawling the depths for potential candidates en-mass. Only connect with people who you know and trust and who are connected to your line of business.

But LinkedIn is just one example of networking. I actually made inroads to EDS by overhearing someone talking in a bar near my home in Prague. That chance meeting (or perhaps the cheek to turn around and introduce myself as a Programme Manager) resulted in a profitable few months in the UK and then another few months in Abu Dhabi.

Value the people you know, be good to them, and make that bit of effort to keep in touch now and then. It’s a “nice thing to do” actually, and if you’re lucky, you or they might even benefit from it some day. Good luck! – and by the way, my LinkedIn profile is at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/robllewellyn

If you’ve never read the book, here’s a good little summary of advice that many people could learn from.

And remember, “be nice to people on your way up, because you meet them on your way down“.