The current economy and lack of employment opportunities has led many individuals to hang-out a shingle, create a blog, make a website, develop some business cards and proceed to provide advice to entrepreneurs, job seekers, and others trying to navigate the new economy. Many of these "experts" may have some basic insight when it comes to a particular field, but their actual knowledge base may be limited to a specific job function or industry. In other instances, an expert's vast knowledge of one industry may not be transferable to a variety of fields or industries.
For example, a person with experience in construction may not be able to provide job search advice to a person seeking a position in merchandising. They may be able to give some input on how stores and malls are designed and constructed to enhance foot traffic and flows. They may also be able to provide some basic information on negotiating for supplies or store fixtures. However, when it comes to actual suggestions on what is best to wear to an interview for this type of position, the types of questions that may be asked during the interview or information on current retail trends an expert with a background in construction may not be the best option for advice on how to land a merchandising job in the retail industry.
Moreover, a person who worked in the customer service area of a business for several years may not have any idea on how potential clients are identified and pursued or price points for services. This person may be an expert in relating to customers and resolving complaints, but they may not be able to provide a person who is considering starting a customer service business with information on critical issues that they may need in order to make their business successful.
Below are a few suggestions on what to consider when seeking the advice of an expert whether it is for starting a business or looking for employment:
- Remember not all experience is transferable
- Determine if the expert's experience matches your needs
- Find out if they belong to a professional organization and ask about their credentials
- Check-out the credentials and the credentialing body
- Ask for references
- Ask how long they have owned and operated their consulting business
- Use your best judgement if they offer some information for a small fee, but promise to give you more and better advice if you are willing to pay more
- If you call for a consultation, pay attention to how the phone is answered, is the name of the business or full name of the owner used
- If your current methods are producing some results, do not totally scrap your way of doing things, take time to determine if the expert's suggestions actually produce more and better results
- Make sure that you are totally comfortable with the advice being provided
- Keep in mind, there may not be anything wrong with your resume or cover letter you may not be applying for the right jobs
- You may not need to make changes to your marketing materials, you may need help in locating your target market
Whether you are seeking information on employment or starting a business, free advice from experts is available. A few suggestions on where to find free assistance is provided below:
- Local One Stop or Workforce Office
- Resume Workshop at Owl Purdue Online Writing Lab
- College Career Office
- Local Library
- SCORE
- SBA
