My friend Paulina started a new job a few months ago, and I’ve been meaning to write about it for a while. Paulina says my blog inspired her with her job search, which is great news! The post about Covert Networking was especially helpful to her during an interview, and after she got the job offer she texted me to tell me the good news.

As much as I would like to pat myself on the back (ok, maybe I will a little bit – it is Miss Maven Muse’s first success story after all ), Paulina did it herself. Yes, my blog inspired her during the interview, but to get that interview she had to work hard for it.

Before I even blogged about it, Paulina was already asking for job leads as part of her job search. She emailed her friends to tell them she was looking for a job and asked them to email her if they heard of anything. She told them briefly about her experience and attached her CV.

Marketing your self in that way can be intimidating, and kudos to Paulina for doing it. She received job leads from two friends. One of them, from a friend in Mexico City, was for a position in the UK office of a Mexican company. She applied and as the clichéd expression goes, the rest is history.

Now, before you go and send a mass email to everyone in your address book, make sure you put some time and effort into the email, its contents, and most importantly, who you are going to send it to. Don’t be afraid to send it to your dad’s golf buddy or even to your neighbour (both of which I have done), but do be wary of sending it to your colleagues at work! Make sure your CV is flawless (do I even have to tell you that typos are a big NO-NO?) and to articulate the kind of job you are looking for. Integrate this step into your job search and you will increase your chances of success, as my friend Paulina did.

Congratulations Paulina! Now you get to be an inspiration to others.