The Hustle Plan: Getting America Back To Work Permanently

(This is a follow up to previous post that received much interest.)

I agree that the government needs to put policies in place to encourage companies to make investments to hire more employees.  However, I believe we the people have more power on the economy than companies or government. We can do more to encourage companies to hire us.

Story time.  April of 2009 I was part of an IBM Resource Action and was among the jobless.  Instead of sitting at home sending hundreds of resumes to black holes of job sites, I got out of the house and met with people I knew.  I didn't ask, "Do you have a job for me?"  I was really looking for a company to buy.  Instead I landed a job as an investment banker.  No jobs were posted on the bank's site, but there was a position that the CEO was thinking about.  Timing could not have been better.

Based on that story and almost every other story about those who land jobs, here's the way to find a job:

1. Create online portfolio including updated LinkedIn profile.  This is in addition to a resume.
2. Develop pitch to potential employers of how you can add value
3. Attend events in your industry.  
4. Schedule meetings with decision makers who could potentially hire you.    
5. Pitch decision maker on how you will add value and grow their organization.  

Unfortunately most schools are still set up to teach traditional job search strategies of resumes and job fairs.  To ensure our generation is ready to compete in the marketplace we need to teach "The Hustle Plan."

While the TV Show Shark Tank is dramatic and not an accurate view of reality, it does represent the environment we are currently in.  Whether you are launching a new venture or attempting to find that dream job, you are going to have to hustle.  Usually you will need to pitch yourself LOTS of times before you find the right fit.

I propose that secondary educators adopt "The Hustle Plan" as outlined below:

1. Create Project Based Learning Program where students work with business to consumer organizations ( (Eg:  restuarants, churches, dental clinics, barber shops, retail shops, non-profits, etc)
2. Teach curriculum that specifically teaches students how to help organizations grow (eg. Blogging, Social Media, White Paper, Cold Calling, Web Marketing, etc)
3. Prepare students to pitch small businesses on how they would benefit from a student intern
4. Require students to pitch to teachers several times before they approach business owner
5. Students schedule meeting with business owner via phone or in person to present plan
6. Business owner agrees to spend one hour per week with student to review progress
7. Students spends at least one full semester (10 hours/week) working with the small business owner 

How will this get Americans back to work permanently?  

• Students are taught they are in control of their destiny to find a job and not wait for a job to find them
• It enhances their ability to present and sell themselves
• They experience their first real world experience with real customers.  Too often their first real world job is when they graduate college.
• Curriculum is more applicable to what they will face in the real world

Why am I confident this will work?  The concept has been developed and partially validated through the Startup High summer program (see Success Page).  

May we as Americans teach our high schoolers to create their own opportunities.