Fork in the Road? What Job Seekers Can Learn from Entrepreneurs
Hint: Focus on what you can (actually) control.
“Fork in the Road.”
The now-infamous subject line of the email from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, offering deferred resignations to the federal workforce at the outset of President Trump’s second term. And a harbinger of a sudden new reality: Tens of thousands have since been laid off with plans for hundreds of thousands more.
Whether you’ve been “DOGE-d” or are just plain skittish about job security or your skill set amidst the rapid embrace of AI and recessionary fears driven by tariffs and corporate belt-tightening, it can feel like you’re simply at the mercy of larger forces.
But this is an external locus of control – things happen to me. Rather, in times like these, it’s helpful (if hard) to adopt an internal locus – sure, the only certainty may be uncertainty, but there are plenty of things I can do in the face of it.
There’s a special class of professionals who has this kind of positive proactivity – not simply Pollyannaism – in spades: Entrepreneurs.
And job seekers would be well-served to apply their perspectives, and their proficiencies, to managing their own careers. Now’s the time cultivate entrepreneurial resourcefulness, resilience and re-inventiveness.
Because entrepreneurs don’t wait for things to happen to them – they find opportunity in times of change and disruption, even tumult. The best way to recession-proof yourself? Stay ahead of a recession.
Piloting the Plane: Control Amidst Uncertainty
So how do successful entrepreneurs think?
The seminal study on this was done by Professor Saras Sarasvathy of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. She found a few commonalities, from which career transitioners can draw inspiration.
One of these findings is that they don’t waste time trying to predict – much less hand-wring about – that which can’t be predicted. And the thing about the future? It’s definitionally unpredictable. (Even with ChatGPT.) Entrepreneurs don’t bury themselves in market analysis or trying to extrapolate trendlines. Instead, they focus on creating the future they want to live in using what they already have. Sarasvathy calls this the “Bird in Hand” principle.
What strengths, abilities and access (to people and employers) do you have at your disposal? (It’s very likely more than you think.)
Successful entrepreneurs also weave a “Crazy Quilt” of potential collaborators, customers and even competitors in constant, voracious search of partnership opportunities. They know the true value of a network is its size.
Recognizing the power of weak ties – and that the majority who get hired are a product of internal referrals instead of cold applications – think not just about who you know that could help you get in the door at a new organization, but who they know.
Putting Principles into Practice
Here are a 3 practical job-seeking strategies that mirror how entrepreneurs see the world.
Don’t settle.
There are 4.5 million open jobs right now in the U.S. – including some 250K in the public sector alone. The March jobs report was significantly better than expected, and we’re still sitting at near historically low unemployment.
Build your crazy quilt before you (really) need it.
A broad network is an insurance policy against tightening in the job market. Not just because of sheer volume – but also because of the diversity that comes with that. And you want diversity in your network to limit your exposure in any one industry, employer or geography.
Most people aren’t getting the full benefit of the ripples that a large network provides because they have an artificially high standard for connecting. Mine is: Do I know you IRL or could you potentially be of some value to me in the future? The answer to the second part of that question is almost always a resounding yes.
A healthy network isn’t just broad and diverse, it also has selective depth where it most matters. You get elevated in recruiter search results when you are proximate to the people they are connected to. So it’s imperative that you’re connected to both lots of people and the right people.
Turns out, referrals from current employees are the best candidates. They make up only 7% of applicants, but 40% of those who get hired. Why? They’re less risky, stay longer and perform better. Every employer knows this (hence those handsome referral bonuses!). So your best shot at getting actual humans to look at your resume is to get someone on the inside to vouch for you. You should never apply cold to a job.
But what if you don’t already know an insider? The good news is that having a network that can go to bat for you is no longer only available to Old Boys Clubs. Anyone can build it on LinkedIn, which is why I call it The Great Opportunity Democratizer.
You can find exactly who you’re looking for – a good place to start is recruiters, who are the best network nodes – using Advanced People search, a free tool which allows you to filter on things like industry, past or current employer, shared connections, job title, and those who are actively hiring.
When you reach out, add a personalized note leading with your shared affiliation (school, connection(s), etc.), flattering them (vs. monologuing about yourself), and asking for a Zoom chat next week (which is always better than this week!).
Start where you are.
Just like “effectual” entrepreneurs who focus on their available means instead of unknowable possibilities, think about the assets you already have as you consider your next move.
The main one? Your current or recent employer.
The easiest job to get (and the one you can most thoroughly vet for fit) is another one inside the organization you work for now.
Managers prefer to hire from a known pool than incur the recruiting cost and ramp time of bringing in a net new person. So if you have a job and don’t despise your employer, you have a leg up.
Keep an eye on your internal job board and set job alerts on LinkedIn for public postings, but also remember that up to 70% of jobs posted aren’t actually truly “open.” They’re posted with a strong candidate (usually internal) already in mind, or for compliance reasons. So your task is to network your way in, ideally before that perfect job description for you is even written. Again, LinkedIn is your go-to resource, more accurate and comprehensive than any company directory. Just search for your employer (or former employer) and, on their Company Page, check out the “People” tab. Click the rows to filter and scroll down to view the actual colleagues who you can turn into career advisers, mentors (which everyone loves being asked to do!), and hopefully eventual hirers or referrers.
As you weave your crazy-yet-purposeful quilt inside and outside your organization, just like the best entrepreneurs, you’re always selling yourself. But that doesn’t mean you should get too transactional too quickly. It does mean you’re genuinely curious about what and who they know, how you can build an offline relationship, and how you might provide value to them as well.
Combine these strategies with an entrepreneurial orientation and there’s plenty of reason to remain hopeful in trying times.
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Omar Garriott is the Executive Director of The Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and Co-Author of the bestselling career book, Linked: Conquer LinkedIn. Get Your Dream Job. Own Your Future.