Dirt bag
Bernard Madoff is one of the biggest dirt bags in history. He bilked individual investors out of their life savings. He bilked retirement funds out of money to pay pensions. He bilked noble charities out of every last dime they had.
I cannot imagine ever learning anything from a low life such as Bernard Madoff. All the same, when he wanted to be someone’s investor he had no trouble getting the interview and then getting the job. As a mentor to job seekers, it is incumbent upon me to assess how he was able to get one job offer after another.
1. Madoff had a track record of success. Consistent returns year over year. Granted, Madoff was not good at being an investor. The returns were all a pack of lies but in the absence of being arrested or being outed by someone who did their due diligence his track record was accepted at face value. Does your resume reflect your success in your professional capacity? Are you making sure that your references are attesting to your talent? Are you mentioning those commendations you received from your superiors?
2. Everybody knew that Bernard Madoff had the outstanding track record. Because he blogged? No, Madoff’s returns were public and he paid on his returns as well. Sadly, he didn’t pay from yields of prudent investments, but paid out using the money of new investors. Our message is that Madoff was visible. Personally, I had never heard of Madoff until the scandal broke out, but in the investment community he was a superstar. Is there something you as a job seeker can be doing to make yourself more visible? Are there articles you can contribute to magazines or online forums that can heighten your visibility as a knowledgeable professional? Have you considered blogging in your area of expertise?
3. He networked very well. Madoff did not win new clients with fancy ads on TV or in the newspaper. Madoff was connected to the people who could help him advance his agenda. He was a was a member of the Palm Beach Country Club among many others. He hobnobbed with the rich and famous and he milked his network for all it was worth. Are you connected to people in your area of expertise? Are you respected in that network? Are you offering to help others as well as asking for help?
4. He exuded confidence. Madoff had the grace and charm of of a pedigreed royal. People wanted to be associated with him. He smiled. He was cool, calm, collected, and confident. Would that describe you? Are you crying in your beer or are you beaming with optimism because you are so jazzed about those seven jobs you applied to just yesterday? Are you helping others feel better about themselves and encouraging them to be positive? Are your actions and your words in sync?
5. He did not disqualify himself. Madoff was running a Ponzi scheme, yet accepted billions from investment firms, banks and otherwise prudent business people. Wouldn’t investors with this kind of money have armies of accountants and financial analysts descending on Madoff’s firm every quarter or at least watching his every move given they had billions invested with him? Obviously not. Madoff did not disqualify himself from managing the resources of financial juggernauts even though he was completely illegal. Assuming you are a law abiding, hard working professional, are you disqualifying yourself from jobs could be applying to? Are you rationalizing as to why they will never hire you? Are you disqualifying yourself from applying to jobs you find exciting? Are you afraid to put your best foot forward and let them know how good you are at doing what you do?
In closing, Bernard Madoff is a good-for-nothing crook. If he had been legal he really would have been a superstar investor. The scrutiny that the media has put on him shows exactly how he would have attained that success. If you are good, people know you are good, you are well networked, you exude confidence and you will not impose limitations upon yourself; you can take control of your destiny and get any job you apply for.
John Coffey is the President of JobTabs, LLC. Through JobTabs Job Search & Resume Builder, thousands of job seekers have taken control of their destiny in finding new and fulfilling careers. JobTabs Job Search & Resume Builder motivates job seekers by making the job search easier by a huge order of magnitude. John Coffey can be reached via his website at JobTabs Job Search & Resume Builder, by email via jpcoffey at jobtabs.com, and by phone at 404-255-0248.
