Two great questions: #1
I gave a seminar at the library down the street yesterday. A fund raiser for a good cause. It was fun but I was nervous, because, after all, I’ve got to see these people in the supermarket and at school every day.
After I finished, there were some spirited questions.
The best question was in response to my story about my sister’s quest to create a remarkable resume, something that short circuits the, “Mail my resume to 1,000 companies that would scan it into the HR database and promptly reject me” approach to finding a job.
Sharon pointed out that in addition to creating a remarkable resume, my sister was also putting the recipient in a spot where THEY had to be remarkable. In essency, being ‘risky’ was the safest path for my sister, but didn’t it require that the recipient take a risk by interviewing her? After all, they’d be breaking the rules by voiding the faceless HR shredder.
“Of course,” I grinned. “You’ve got it!” Sharon had cut through a lot of my blather and gotten to the essence of the Purple Cow. The only way you’re product or service grows is when people who are willing to color outside of the lines take a chance on it. The only way you get a job interview outside of the status quo is when an interviewer takes a chance on it.
The thing is: if someone isn’t willing to take a chance, YOU’RE GOING TO FAIL ANYWAY. Krispy Kreme grew when people willing to take a flyer on a new donut bit one. The folks who were Dunkin Donut fans, unwilling to try a taste of something new are invisible no matter what, right?
In other words, the only growth, the only breakthroughs, the only new customers and great jobs come from people/customers willing to go out on a limb a little bit. So WHY NOT cater to those people from the start?
If you cater to the ignoring masses, they will ignore you. That’s what they do.