Recommendations

I know this blog is supposed to be about “Real Networking”. There is nothing more real than making a connections with someone which is what this blog is about. Although most of my posts revolve around technology, the underlying theme is using technology to make connections.


Some of you may know that I am currently looking for a new job. In this economy and lack of bank financing available after 20 years of running my own shop I find myself in the ranks of job seekers. It has been a challenging, but interesting journey. One thing I have had to do professionally, which I haven’t had to do in almost two decades was ask for recommendations.

While the prospect of closing a two million dollar project may seem intimidating to some, this is the world which I have lived very comfortably for a long time. However, my initial anxiety over asking for recommendations snuck up on me. Ironically, with the advent of social networking, it is now much easier professionally to ask for someone’s recommendation than it has ever been previously. This, however, does not take away from the anxiety of asking for someone’s approval of work you have done.

In business, I believe that I have the reputation of being tenacious….that is code for sometimes I behave like a pit bull when trying to get a deal done. When you are the president of a company, you have an extreme amount of latitude to do almost whatever you see fit at any time. Herein was my conflict. While I have been a very tough businessman, now I have to ask for recommendations from people who I have worked with, and in some cases been a tough negotiator.

I used LinkedIn to ask for the recommendations and have been very surprised, and quite frankly, humbled by the people who have written the recommendations for me. It’s like the old adage, “you never get your first kiss unless you ask for it”. It is a wonderful feeling to get a recommendation, and in todays electronic age it is easier than ever to ask.

Often times we get hung up on what we do wrong, but never think about all the things that we do that are right. Ask for that recommendation, you’ll find it very rewarding.