I sent the link to this blog to Michael J. Madison, University of Pittsburgh law professor and author of Pittsblog (http://pittsblog.blogspot.com/), commending him for his sharp, insighful commentary on the state of affairs in the 'burgh, and asking him if he had any suggestions for finding a job here.
Bless his heart, Mike replied promptly and suggested that I do the following:
1 -- Network with Pittsburgh's intermediary institutions. Have to introduced yourself to the gang at Innovation Works? Have you gone to Entrepreneurs' Thursdays? Met the folks at the new SBDC at Duquesne? Somewhere on my blog there's a list of most of these organizations -- economic development firms, agencies, etc. etc. There's a networking event on the North Shore next week -- the HELP launch. My blog has links and details -- just about anyone who has juice in Pittsburgh will be there.
2 -- Can you leverage the blog itself? I'll post and give it a tiny nudge, but if you can manage a post or two a day, and include some that are personal (not too personal!) and a few that are more detached and analytic, then you might build yourself a brand in Pittsburgh: The go-to person for strategizing a new professional career in the reinvented Pittsburgh. There's no way to guarantee yourself a job this way, but it's a voice that Pittsburgh doesn't have right now.
Great suggestions, both of them. (And that Mike didn't suggest Pennsylvania Careerlink earns him an even bigger gold star.)
1. I am in the process of following up with these intermediary institutions, per Mike's suggestion.
2. His other idea, to leverage the blog itself, is less appealing to me. While I have been urged by others to blog professionally, I started this blog as a way to get hands-on experience with blogging in general, and to vent about the miserable experience of trying to find a job here. I would prefer to not be the poster child for Pittsburgh's gawdawful job market.
Mike, thank you for your great suggestions and for getting back to me so quickly.
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1 comment:
Your blog is providing a vital service, a voice about a job scene that is cloaked in mystery. However, you should post more for selfish reasons. Your blog is a great (and innovative) way to promote your talents and land a job that will allow you stay in Pittsburgh.
Take the initiative and seize the opportunity that is now right in front of you.
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