When I give talks around the country about social media, I always try to mention what I call the primary intangible about these new tools … the opportunity to connect with new people, folks who are often in a position to help a younger person find their way within any industry. I’ve met people both inside and outside of the aviation and marketing world that I would never in my wildest dreams ever had the opportunity to connect with if I had not started my new career a few years ago as a blogger, Tweeter and podcaster.
I’d like to introduce you to one young fellow I recently met through Facebook, my least well organized social media tool by the way.
Art Ramey’s, a junior at the University of Alabama. He’s an aviation junkie like so many of the rest of us, but he’s not planning on storing all his career eggs in a single basket. It took me much of my life to really understand the need for a career duality to make a living in aviation. Art apparently had the right mentor because he’s also focused on Operations Management and Global Business in Tuscaloosa.
Art tracked me down at work a few weeks ago because he was searching for a little career advice on how to break into the business side of aviation before he graduates next year. He was persistent too and mentioned he’d called a number of people he didn’t know for advice. That’s drive. Cold-calling is one of the hardest chasms to cross when you’re searching for the right opportunity. Most students avoid it like the plague, in fact.
It didn’t take too long on the phone for me to realize that Art’s an atypical student. Despite the state of the aviation industry, Art wants in and is willing to do whatever it takes to get one of his shoes in the door. And he’s not going to take no for an answer. Most importantly, he’s not complaining about the industry is not at present, nor is he sitting around waiting for someone to deliver him the career he believes he wants. [Read more…] about Finding a Job is not for the Lazy: The Primary Intangible