Autumn is finally here! Much as I’ve enjoyed the Indian Summer, I wondered how long it would last. Now, we have brisk days, a low sun, and beautiful fall colors.
I listened to Career Tools (a podcast about professional behavior) as I drove in to work this morning; I’ve been catching up on early episodes I either missed or skimmed. This morning’s episode focused on early layoff advice–what to do when you hear rumors of layoffs or an actual announcement of impending layoffs.
Their advice: keep doing your work, look for another job quietly (in a way that doesn’t impact your current responsibilities), and listen to rumors (but don’t pass them on). In their section on looking for another job, they recommend reaching out to one’s business contacts.
It reminded me of one of the books I’m currently reading, Well Connected. It offers the unconventional suggestion that one should connect deeply rather than broadly. Instead of broadcasting out to dozens of people, focus on trying to connect with one or two. Build up a campaign, essentially, of trying to reach the best person (and that campaign doesn’t mean trying to contact that best person immediately).