When I was a child I tried fishing in the water puddle in front of our house. When the sun dried it up I could see there were no fish there.
At college I saw a video of a man fishing in one of the larger fountains there. When people asked how the fishing was, he pulled up a nice string of large trout. That made for interesting conversations, but no one believed him. They could see there were no trout in that clear fountain water.
On a Scout outing John and I were lying on a creek bank and looking down into the water. We could see 3 nice trout in the tree roots. When a fisherman came by we asked how he was doing. Only one fish so far. John told the man to cast his lure at the tree root. In a dozen casts the man caught all three fish.
To catch fish you have to cast your lure where the fish are.
This applies to new jobs and promotions
A recruiter can be that kid lying on the bank of the creek looking into the water. He says “Cast your resume over here and you’ll get a job.” He knows where the jobs are.
Ask your friends and acquaintances who is hiring. They may have a good idea where to go. Look at the financial news stories and find out what industries are “going public” in the stock market. Ask what companies are growing the fastest and look for a job in that industry.
Your mentor at work will tell you, “Volunteer for that project. It has great visibility. Avoid Jill Montoya, she’s poison.” The mentor knows where the rewards and pitfalls are hidden.
Always be looking to the future. Where are the jobs being created? What do you need to learn to be in a high demand field?
Fish where the fish are. You’ll have better luck.
Something to do today
Ask the people you respect most in your profession where the jobs are and where the industry is going.
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Later: Mirrored windows