Take a gander on LinkedIn and you will quickly see how many workers are between opportunities and are having issues finding one. How can you differentiate yourself from the competition and the crowd? In todays economy, finding that great gig might be a bit tougher than years past so here’s a few tricks that I learned whilst toiling for 30+ years in the game of sales. In sales, especially technology sales, one eeks out a new opportunity every few years due to disorganized management, crazy quotas, wacky policies or all of the above….let’s face it, it’s usually poor management. So, here’s 3 tidbits from a weathered peddler.

Where do the industry people socialize? Trade Shows!

Trade Shows are a goldmine of leads, opportunities and connections. If you are between appointments or the new manager is putting the screws to you, find out where a solid trade shows is and attend. I learned this trick from a recruiter when I was between gigs. He notified me to attend a tech trade show in the Bay Area. I was living in Los Angeles at the time so it’s basically a road day. Get on the early bird and hustle the floor all day. Bring resumes, business cards, power bars and a kick-ass attitude. I did exactly what he said. I met a plethora of players. I was looking for a territory sales gig in LA and at each booth asked for sales management. Most were in attendance and happy to speak. After a brief chat, we would exchange business cards and from there I would follow up on every card or note I wrote to myself about the transitory encounters. From that activity, I had many interviews, connections and scored a gig that lasted more than the usual 3 years. Wildly, after cleaning out my home office desk years later I found the stack of business cards and perused through them seeing the notes on the back such as “Looking for rep,” “Good guy,” “This guy actually knows me” etc…. Many of the people I met from that event are household names and/or their companies are as it was at the beginning of the cybersecurity boom.

What are the industry county clubs? Professional Organizations!

If you want to be one of the cool kids in your industry, join one or a few professional organizations and get to know the players in those groups. Speaking about the tech industry, there were many professional organizations. They would have chapters in most major cities and if not they were always game to expand. I found a few in tech and determined which ones to attend for networking. Please understand, I was in sales and didn’t like tech but it’s how I made $$$ so you have to suffer through the gibberish in the hope of befriended the CTO, CIO, CXYZ…..whomever to get the chance or hope they let your engineer and you in the door for a business meeting. On the flipside, if you enjoy your field these are your new best friends as you all love being an accountant, actuary, archaeologist etc….. If you are the new kid on the block and an introvert, see if they need help and you can be on the leader’s team, taking notes, organizing meetings, whatever is needed. This gets you more in the door in your field and these people will know the scuttlebutt about what’s new and exciting with opportunities, ideas and what’s next on the plate. This will pole volt you to a trusted advisor within your team at your company as you will learn more than the associates not attending these events for other social activities. Associations are where the leaders in the field go to learn what’s happening in their industry.

Wow, you wrote an article? Get published!

Most resumes are the same bland nonsense. You did x, y and z. You went to great college x, y or UMass. And, of course, “References upon request.” So, you don’t stick out? As my favorite salesman Tom Freese says in 1% selling, “Be 1% better than everyone!” or something like that.

Here’s an idea as well as an ego booster on how to distinguish yourself from the crowd plus it will shows that you are solid at the soft or professional skill coined “Communication.” If you can’t get published in a trade magazine, then go after anything for that one line item on your resume as it will lead to an interaction as such: Hiring Manager: “Wow, you were published in Field and stream? Cool, I too enjoy fishing,”

When it comes down to hiring, it’s who you know and who you are connected to but if not what separates you from the herd? Why you are any different than the next person with that sharp LinkedIn profile or spiffy resume? It’s the 1% pieces that will help out; You met at a trade show, you are in the same professional organization but in different cities, you are a published author…..so that’s 3%. Many sporting championships were won with less, many executives were chosen with less, all we are hoping is, your competitor has less.