Be a Human, not a Machine #1: Serendipity, the human art of getting the best jobs you can imagine!

Do you fancy a job at Apple, but you don't have 20 years of experience? Be graphic designer for a fashion brand/magazine but not have the very best portfolio? Apply at tens or hundreds of jobs applications but get turned down each time... It is time to do the unexpected and utilise the phenomenon 'serendipity'.

Looks like an ordinary chit chat, small talk conversation at the coffee machine... but is it?

So what is this serendipity thing? Dictionary.com says: "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident" or "good fortune; luck". Oxford Dictionary: "The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way." 'Networking' is the closest you can get in the professional world, and forms the stepping stone to serendipity. In normal words: "An unexpected occasion that provides a unique chance or outcome in a positive way."

(source: Richtopia, nice post on Serendipity through social media, you can find the link below)

As with all things in life: If you know where you want to go to, you can optimise the route to your end goal. Want to find a job? The traditional route is to look for job vacancies, either at the company's website of job search platforms, and apply for them. But what if someone from a company is asking (inviting) you to work for them? Doesn't that sound great? Welcome, you have experienced serendipity!

So, how do you do this? Here is a step-by-step guide based on my experience and how I have been able to grow a network and work at the best companies I have dreamed off! (listed below)

1. Know your (professional) identity.

Describe for yourself: Who am I , what is my passion/dream in life and what makes me unique?

Only the people that can differentiate themselves from others, are able to get picked out. So describe for yourself, based on your background, experiences and desired future, what makes you a unique person and therefore the best qualified(/motivated) person in your industry. But keep it at a modest and honest level, don't make a marketing campaign for yourself ;)

Once you have this on paper for yourself, you have an simple reference to introduce yourself to others and talk with confidence about yourself. take a look at 'elevator pitch', well known in the start-up industry, for more references and examples.

2. Know your target (industry).

Understand the world you are living in, know the trends, events and people/companies that are of interest.

In step 1 you have found 'yourself', the second step is to find others. Since no one can have the exact same resources as Apple, to create an equally as powerful company instantly, you need to find others to help you. Steve Jobs (rip) couldn't make the first iPhones by himself, he asked others to help him develop his ideas into reality. The same counts to you, find others to help you to reach your target. And by understanding the industry, 'knowing the landscape, you would be able to find the right people you are looking for.

3. Prepare yourself to explore the world.

Preparation is the starting point of every action you take. Having confidence and avoid common mistakes will show a professional attitude to others.

First things first: have a representable e-mail address (so not [email protected]), make/update your LinkedIn profile, etc. Facebook, Twitter are possible if you meet people of the right age, but should be avoided (in my opinion) for professional use. LinkedIn is the place to be for keeping track of people you have met and maintain contact with them.

Trading business cards is the most common and accepted way of getting someone's phone number (... okay, keep it professional). Even if you don't have a business, make one for yourself! Just put your name on it, contact details, your expertise and something to catch the attention (photo, design, quote etc.). Don't overdo it, but let it reflect your personality and profession. No one wants be be dull, so avoid simpel black Times New Roman or Comic Sans text on white printing paper cut to 3.5x2" (8.9x5.1cm). Find a company in your country that can make hundreds of business cards for cheap, it will have a great return on investment ratio!

(just a random pile of business cards for inspiration, but non of them are dull)

4. GO OUT THERE!

Show yourself to the world and meet people that can help you.

Industry specific events
Obviously, the best place to meet people in the area of tech is at tech events, for fashion at fashion events, Steemit at crypto events such as SteemFest (organised by @roelandp) etc. By getting to know the world (step 2), you will get an understanding of the big events in the world, but you might also find local events that might be more applicable to you. These events can range from congresses, seminars, meet-ups, hackathons etc., depending on the area you are looking for. There are also various universal network meetings where 'random' people attend. A perfect place to test your networking skills and to broaden your knowledge, there might be a chance to meet someone can help you further to your target (There is serendipity again :) ), but chances are slimmer than at specific industry events, of course.

About 99% of the people attending these events are there to meet others, so it is very easy to step up to others (or they to you) to share a conversation with. Simply introduce yourself (see step 1), talk about shared interests and if you have met an interesting person: trade business cards and keep the conversation going after the event.

Flex & Co-Working places
A semi-formal way to meet people is at flex working or co-working places, such as coffee bars (who haven't seen a StarBucks with MacBooks lined up in the windows? ;) ). In the Netherlands, Seats2Meet (www.seats2meet.com) provides a services and locations where people from various backgrounds and industries can meet each other. Best practice is for freelancers or start-ups, to meet people that can help them. But individuals might have a bit of luck as well. They are expanding internationally, but perhaps there are similar services in your country as well.

Family, Friends, Neighbours?
Going to events and looking for people is a great way to chase your dreams, but why not let people around you do the work for you? As long as you spread the word what you want to do and people remember it, they can tell that to the people know (their network). Does your uncle work in Apple repair service and knowns the representative of Apple corporate? Does your friend, a photographer, work occasionally for a fashion magazine you'd like to work at. It is amazing how efficient it is to talk for 5 minutes with someone (at a birthday party or so) that could save you hours of finding the right people.

Meet Berlage in Amsterdam, part of Seats2Meet

5. Fingers crossed

It all sounds so easy, yet so difficult at the same time.

So, you are showing yourself to the world now and keeping your fingers crossed waiting for a call or e-mail for an appointment and/or job interview... Sometimes you are lucky at your first shot, sometimes you talk to 10 people and non of them are interesting for you, it is an ongoing journey of growing your network and maintain relationships with those who are interesting for you. Step by step, you increase your chances to end up where you want to be and maybe, you'll do something even more amazing than working at Apple corporate or so :)

6. Why not turn it around, help others!

Give and take, who doesn't know this saying?

If you do something nice for someone, they are willing to do something in return more easily (they owe you something). Maybe you know a great accountant that can help a start-up you have met at an event with their finance, a yoga teacher for Vinyasa yoga someone is interested in (and go together, have a coffee afterwards. Easy networking :) ). Even if they are not 100% into the direction of your target, perhaps you could end up with a nice friendship. They will get to know you better and chances are growing that they will share your ideas/business card to others they might thing could be helpful for you.

7. KEEP ON GOING!

Increasing the chances of a serendipity moment means GO, GO, GO!

The chance that you will end up at Apple right after finishing school is slim, very slim. Taking the right steps in between (e.g. from local software developer to national software developer, national app developer, international app developer to end up at Apple's swift project) will hopefully get you there. At the same time, working with colleagues and meeting clients is also increasing your network.

Most important thing to remember: Do things that are beneficial for the scope of your target and in parallel gain experience to show you are capable of working on new/greater projects. Experience is the most valuable asset in job interviews, so find the best opportunities you can find (via others?) and build a strong CV.

8. In summary

"I know ..., He is an expert in ..., talk to him for this job", those are the phrases you'd like to hear, right?

If you show/share the professional identity of yourself often enough, people will remember you as 'that guy/girl who wants to ... or knows everything about ...". Than you have reached the perfect starting point to let the process take off (by others) for something amazing to happen, either directly or indirectly

"Take a look at this guy, his is an expert on this topic. You should give him a call"
Just imagine such a conversation on this random photo on the internet ;)

Read more on serendipity:

• Richtopia (https://richtopia.com/effective-leadership/the-insiders-guide-to-serendipity) nice post on serendipity via social media
• The Serendipity Machine (http://serendipitymachine.com/) website and app that illustrates the process perfectly

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About the journey of my career

I am 25 years old sports enthusiast and my goal is becoming a sports product designer, primarily running footwear, using new technologies such as 3D printing. I have a background in Human Kinetic Technology (Bsc, technical human movement sciences) and currently doing a masters in Sports Technology. I have been running for 9 years, working for 7 years in retail in a running speciality store and currently working at a running electronics start-up for the last 3.5 years.

My serendipity moment:
During my bachelor I have been writing applications to all major sports brands for my second internship (approx 20 letters in total), no luck what so ever... A few weeks before my second internship period would start, I went to a sports innovation hackathon event, just for fun and experience (first time), nothing intended. I met an employee of a technology company who was working on running electronics and is very well connected in the sports industry in Europe. Thanks to him, a few weeks later I was in England doing my internship at one of the top research institutes (ironically, for one of the first companies I wrote a letter to), and a great project in Luxembourg as well. Just by meeting one single person, I am currently work with him at his start-up company for years now and I have been able to grow my network massively, primarily focussed on the sports industry. I am currently doing my master thesis at Adidas, which came by via one of my lecturers, who used to study with the current manager of Adidas' innovation department...

So am I just a lucky kid or did I try my best to search for serendipity to help me towards my goal? With a good story, backed up by a strong CV and network, chances are very likely to get the jobs I desire in the near future. I started quite young, but networking is of all ages, all professions and available for everyone to do and to find better opportunities in your (working) life..

Life all depends on the people you meet by occasion and the people that know your story, so show to world who you are! A serendipity moment might me around the corner for you.

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About me:
I am Daniel, a 25 year old Dutch student in Sports Technology, exploring the practical applications of digital technologies and the interaction of products on the human body. By turning focus on the (sub)concious behavior of the human body rather than the latest and greatest technology, my articles provide practical, directly usable (and somewhat unconventional) tips & tricks that can make a (positive) change in your working and daily life. So upvote if you like the article, resteem to your desire and follow my blog "Be a human, not a machine" for future content