http://www.physicstoday.org/daily_edition/singularities/understanding_hidden_career_opportunities?goback=.gde_2075027_member_257085207 

 

Singularities

Understanding hidden career opportunities

Effective networking can uncover job openings, forge partnerships, and raise your professional profile.

July 10, 2013
Published: July 10, 2013

By Alaina G. Levine
I recently participated in a lively discussion on LinkedIn about the hidden job market, a subject I have touched on, but not yet detailed, in a previous column about social media. The virtual conversation reinforced for me the significance, power, and extent of hidden career opportunities in an overall career plan, no matter what industry you desire to join.
Understanding, accessing, evaluating, and ultimately harnessing hidden career opportunities are keys to surprising professional benefits for both you and your coworkers. You must constantly be alert to these finds.
But before you start looking into every nook and cranny for hidden jobs and other advancement opportunities, there are a few key aspects of hidden career opportunities that you must comprehend. First and foremost, know that game-changing career opportunities are everywhere, and come in many forms.
A career opportunity could be as direct as an invitation to apply for a job, or something that requires more cultivation, such as the chance to collaborate on a short-term project, serve on a committee, or simply engage in conversation.
Don't dismiss an invitation to go out for a cup of coffee as less valuable than an offer of a job itself. On the contrary, the chance to discuss mutual interests with a colleague can help you craft a strong partnership. As I discussed in my column on networking, such alliances can and do lead to actual jobs.
Sometimes an opportunity that appears open, such as a vacancy advertised on a company or university website, is in fact hidden. Many jobs are promised to candidates "under the table," but due to legal or other constraints, the organization must publicly advertise the position. The practice becomes noticeable when, for instance, a job ad is posted and then removed within a week. Did the organization really find and hire a qualified applicant in seven days? It is more likely that the successful candidate found out about and landed the position through the hidden market.
Here are some principles for entering and exploiting the arena of hidden career opportunities:

1. Don't try to quantify the hidden job market. Resist the urge to develop a statistics-based approach for pursuing and applying for jobs. Depending on which career expert you consult, you'll probably hear a different number as to what percent of the total job market is clandestine—anything from 40% to 95% of jobs and other career opportunities. My hunch is that the right number hovers around 90%, based on my own experiences and other factors (see below). Instead of spending valuable time trying to analyze exactly how much the hidden job market encompasses, I recommend that you simply recognize that it exists alongside the open job market.



2. You access the hidden market only through networking and reputation management activities. To find out about hidden career opportunities, you must make yourself and your brand (promise of value) known in your community or industry. Networking can do this. It is designed to build win–win relationships between parties, and the more you know about each other, the more you will realize what hidden opportunities exist that you can both seize. For example, you might meet someone at a conference and ask him out to lunch. While chatting over tuna salad, your lunch partner learns that you speak Spanish fluently. It turns out that he has a project in Buenos Aires and he is looking for someone with your technical talent and linguistic acuity. You have now uncovered a hidden career opportunity that you might never have known about. Look for opportunities to network and to demonstrate your experience, skills and expertise, such as giving talks, volunteering on committees or reviewing journal papers. As people get to know you, they will begin to offer you hidden opportunities.



3. You contribute to the hidden market, too. Like any other scientist, you have access to information, ideas, people, collaborations, and actual jobs. Given that networking entails exchanges of value between parties, you can provide access to hidden career opportunities for the people in your network. Doing so will help establish your reputation as a thought leader in your field and will encourage others to want to network with you. I discovered this firsthand recently after I learned about a number of fellowships for scientists and science writers, two of which included a $10 000 prize. I perused my groups on social media to see if anyone was promoting these and was surprised that others had not heard about them. (I had only accidentally discovered them myself while web surfing.) So I shared them on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. People thanked me for communicating these hidden opportunities. As a result, I could connect with people I might not have encountered otherwise. I could also demonstrate my commitment to my community, thus solidifying my brand.



4. The hidden market can allow you to create your own opportunities. Don't forget that the ultimate hidden career opportunity, the one that may bring you the greatest return on your investment of time and energy, is the one you create yourself. Bill Gates didn't apply for an advertised job – he made one himself and launched an industry. You should always be thinking entrepreneurially. If you need an opportunity, ask for it. If it doesn't exist, create it yourself. You may just start a revolution.

Every opportunity you uncover or create may lead to another, often better opportunity. I have seen this myself throughout my own career. Many years ago, I volunteered to serve on a committee, which led to be being elected president of the committee, which led to an invitation to apply for a job. Yes, it can be that simple!

Alaina G. Levine is a science and engineering writer, career consultant, and professional speaker and comedian. Her new book on networking strategies for scientists and engineers will be published by Wiley in 2014. She can be reached through her website or on Twitter at @AlainaGLevine.

對孩子最好的保護就是 不保護

文/洪蘭
一個朋友的孩子大學畢業半年了，沒有去找事，窩在家裡，白天睡覺，晚上上網。
最近跟他父母要錢，想去美國遊學，朋友來問我該不該讓他去？我望著他蒼蒼的白髮說：「你如果真的要為孩子好，讓他去，但是不要給他錢。」我想到了我妹婿的 故事。我妹婿是美國人，從小就想作水手，嚮往外面的世界，想先環遊世界再回學校念。 雖然他父親是醫生，家庭經濟環境許可，但是父母並不給他錢，他也沒向家裡要，高中一畢業就先去阿拉斯加伐木存錢。因為阿拉斯加夏天日照很長，太陽到午夜才 落下，三點多又升上來了。

他一天如果工作十六小時，伐一季木的工資可以讓他環遊世界三季。他在走遍世界兩年之後才回大學去念書。因為他是在自己深思熟慮之下才決定念的科系，所以三 年就把四年的學分修完，出來就業。他工作得很順利，可以說平步青雲，一直做到總工程師。有一次，他告訴我一個小故事，說這件事影響了他一生。
他在阿拉斯加打工時，曾與一個朋友在山上聽到狼的嗥叫聲，他們很緊張的四處搜尋，結果他發現是一隻母狼腳被捕獸器夾住，正在號嚎。他一看到那個奇特的捕獸 器，就知道是一名老工人的，他業餘捕獸，賣毛皮補貼家用，但是這名老人因心臟病已被直升機送到安克瑞契醫院去急救了，這隻母狼會因為沒有人處理而餓死。他 想釋放母狼，但母狼很凶，他無法靠近，他又發現母狼在滴乳，表示狼穴中還有小狼。所以他與同伴費了九牛二虎之力找到狼穴，將四隻小狼抱來母狼處吃奶，以免 餓死。他把自己的食物分給母狼吃，以維持母狼的生命，晚上還得在母狼附近露營，保護這個狼家庭。因為母狼被夾住了，無法自衛。一直到第五天，他去餵食時， 發現母狼的尾巴有稍微搖一搖，他知道他已開始獲得母狼的信任了。
又過了三天，母狼才讓他靠近到可以把獸夾鬆開，把母狼釋放出來。母狼自由後，舐了他的手，讓他替牠的腳上藥後，才帶著小狼走開，一路還頻頻回頭望他。他坐 在大石頭上想，如果人類可以讓凶猛的野狼來舐他的手，成為朋友，難道人類不能讓另一個人放下武器成為朋友嗎？他決定以後先對別人表現誠意，因為從這件事中 看到，先釋放出誠意，對方一定會以誠相報。(他開玩笑說，如果不是這樣，那就是禽獸不如。）因此，他在公司中以誠待人，先假設別人都是善意，再解釋他的行 為，常常幫助別人，不計較小事 。
所以他每年都升一級，爬得很快。最重要的是，他每天過得很愉快，助人的人是比被助的人快樂得多。雖然他並不知道聖經中有「施比受更有福」這句話，但是他的 生活證明了這一切。他對我說，他一直很感謝阿拉斯加的經驗，因為這使他一生受用不盡。的確，只有自己想要的東西才會珍惜，下過霜的柿子才會甜，人也是經過 磨鍊了才會成熟領悟到對孩子最好的保護就是不保護如果一個人大學畢業了，還不知道自己要什麼，那麼應該要讓他去外面磨鍊一下。不要給他錢，讓他自食其力， 重要的是父母要捨得放下！給他一個機會去證明自己、體驗人生，相信他也能從中得到一個對他一生受用不盡的經驗。如果不能使工作少一點，就讓快樂多一點！

經典八問

孩子犯錯了，不用批評，只要和孩子講八句話就可以了2013-5-28 05:56 閱讀(23) 轉

孩子長大的過程中，免不了會遇到各種問題。作為家長這時不要急著插手，可以先問孩子八個問題，聽聽他們有什麼想法。而往往問不到幾個問題，事情就已經很清楚並得到解決了。家長不妨可以一試。
第一個問題是：“發生什麼事情了？”
這個問題看起來不起眼，但是非常重要。許多成人碰到突發狀況時，會習慣性的太快下判斷：“一定是你先打他，他才會打你。”“一定是你做錯事，老師才會處罰 你。”如果我們不讓孩子從他的角度說說事情的經過，很可能冤枉孩子。況且，讓孩子有機會說話，即使真的是他的錯，他也會因為有機會為自己辯解而比較甘心認 錯。

第二個問題是：“你的感覺如何？”
事情經過是客觀事實，當事人心裡受到的衝擊純然是主觀的感受，無所謂是非對錯。很多時候，我們只是需要把自己的感受說出來而已。一旦說出來，哭一哭，罵一 罵，心情就會好多了。腦科學研究表明，當一個人情緒強烈的時候，外在刺激不容易被腦部吸收。也就是說，當一個人還有情緒的時候，別人說什麼他都會聽不進 去。總要等到他心情平靜下來，才可能冷靜思考。所以如果我們希望孩子能夠聽得進去我們的意見，我們就需要先同理他的感情，讓他的情緒有個出口。
孩子夠冷靜之後，可以問他第三個問題：“你想要怎樣？”
這時不管孩子說出什麼驚人之語，先不要急著教訓他，而是冷靜的接著問他
第四個問題：“那你覺得有些什麼辦法？”
在這個階段，不妨跟孩子一起做腦力激盪，想各種點子，合理的、不合理的、荒唐的、可笑的、噁心的、幼稚的……腦力激蕩的重點就是允許任何看似無稽的想法。這時候不論聽到什麼，都暫時不要做批評或判斷。
等到再也想不出任何點子的時候，就可以問他
第五個問題：“這些方法的後果會怎樣？”
讓孩子自己一一檢視，每個方法的後果會是什麼？你可能會很訝異的發現，大部分的孩子都明白事情的後果。如果他的認知有差距，這時候就可以跟他好好討論，讓他明白現實真相。這是一個很好的親子溝通機會，但是要避免說教，只要陳述事實就可以了。
然後問他：“你決定怎麼做？”
孩子一定會選擇對自己最有利的狀況，如果他了解後果，通常會做出最合理、最明智的選擇。即使他的抉擇不是成人期望的結果，也要尊重孩子的決定。成人一定要 言而有信，不能先問他怎麼決定，然後又告訴他不可以這麼決定。這樣子，他以後再也不敢信任你了。何況，就算他選擇錯誤，他從這個錯誤中也可以學習到更珍貴 難忘的教訓。
接著問第七個問題：“你希望我做什麼？” 並且表示支持。
等到事情過去之後，問他最後
第八個問題：“結果怎樣？有沒有如你所料？”
或是“下次碰見相似的情形，你會怎麼選擇？”

讓他有機會檢視自己的判斷。
如此練習幾次，孩子就會有自己解決問題的能力，不需要我們操心了

經典八問：
第一個問題是：“發生什麼事情了？”
第二個問題是：“你的感覺如何？”
第三個問題：“你想要怎樣？”
第四個問題：“那你覺得有些什麼辦法？”
第五個問題：“這些方法的後果會怎樣？”
第六個問題：“你決定怎麼做？”
第七個問題：“你希望我做什麼？”
第八個問題：“結果怎樣？有沒有如你所料？”
或是“下次碰見相似的情形，你會怎麼選擇..........