A Fine Line Between Being Persistent and Being a Pest
I’ve already mentioned that I’ve told everyone and their brother that I’m looking for work. Good friends ask how my search is going and I can be honest with them. But what about mere acquaintances? How do I remind them that I still need their help without being an annoying pest?
Sometimes they will ask. I tell them that I’ve had some leads but nothing has panned out and ask if they’ve heard of anything recently. If they don’t ask, I wait for an opening in the conversation and kind of slip it in that I’m still unemployed. For example, I make chain maille jewelry and sell it at the Lynchburg Community Market. When I talk with other vendors, I might admire some of their work and say that I can’t wait to get a job so I can buy it. It’s a compliment and a request for help at the same time.
It’s a little harder online. Conversations are generally much shorter, especially on Twitter. It’s really annoying when all someone tweets about is their business and, right now, finding work is my business. If that’s all I tweeted, I would lose followers fast. I try to follow people who are interesting and funny as well as being helpful. I try to comment on some of their tweets and always reply to replies, direct messages and retweets. I’m still getting my CindyBurns identity going, but I still have my cindyqueen Twitter account. That was my original and I use it primarily for fun and promoting my jewelry. I’m still trying to figure out how to manage all the tweets and I’m under 200 people that I’m following. I have no idea how people actually follow thousands!
How do you handle reminding people that you still need their help? Do you just come right out and ask if they’ve heard of any openings? Do you wait for them to bring it up? Share your strategies for keeping your contacts aware, please.
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One Woman's Job Search 
January 22, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Goodness, you’ve done it again! Though I certainly don’t want to make light of the comparison I’m about to make, my responses to friends and family are like my having a chronic disease with no cure in sight. I have the exact same feelings you write here…as I said before, I am blessed with a husband to support me through this period. I thanked hime today and he said “For what?” I’m very lucky indeed. ~*~
February 9, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Hi, cool site, good writing 😉