Remember that 1976 movie 'Network' with Peter Finch ... where he expodes with "I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking it anymore".  There's no doubt being made redundant can feel like that.  But it IS a wake up call that you have to stop 'taking it', and start 'MAKING IT'.  Making your own destiny instead of going cap in hand looking for 'jobs'.

All too often I hear formerly top execs - now made redundant - tell me how they are unable to get work, often with a tinge of bitterness that they were loyal employess, working their tails off making someone ELSE wealthy. I tell them to get a bit of that Peter Finch adrenalin happening.  There is a way out.  And it's a far BETTER life anyway ...

OK, so where do you start?  Let's break it down into logical action steps:

1. You need to sit down and figure out not only what you're good at, but what IMPACT you've made during your career/s. What impact did your initiatives have on saving money, increasing productivity, reducing costs, retaining key clients, lifting sales values, increasing the conversion rate of proposals to sales ...I could go on and on.

2. Next you need to quantify and 'dimensionalise' those attributes that allow you to add value. Get specific.  Document the five stage process you developed that delivers a predictable outcome.  Document the outcomes your 'systems' achieve.

3. Next is to 'package' that expertise ... no, make that 'your ability to produce results', into a document that showcases the problems you solve AND the outcomes you produce.  Note I did NOT say, that showcases 'you'.  Blowing your own horn won't achieve anything.  However, demonstrating what your abilities can do in terms of outcomes and results for a PROSPECT ... now that will have them sitting up and taking notice.  A common method of 'packaging' your ability to produce results is via a White Paper.  (Big topic for another blog!)

4. Next comes promoting your package of solutions. You need to figure out whom you want to approach - ideally pick a small number of prospects and FOCUS on them rather than trying to reach thousands.

5. Get 'permission' to introduce your solutions to them. That may sound strange.  But unless you want your golden information to end up in the bin before it gets opened, it's far better to make initial contact, explain what you'd like to send, briefly outline the benefits to the recipient, then get permission to follow up afterwards.

6. Send your White Paper with a covering note reiterating the phone call and that the recipient expressed interest in seeing it.  (This will not only remind them, it'll help you get past the 'screening secretary'.)  Reiterate also that you will be following up in a few days.

7. Follow up. There's a whole protocol here as to what you actually say.  But your objective is to get the recipient engaged in the THOUGHT PROVOKING content that ideally will have 'put a cat amongst the pigeons' in their day.

8. Set up a series of next steps ... to agree to meet, to agree to provide an 'audit' of their operation ... Again, there's a whole protocol around pulling this off.  But when you get it right, you not only get lots more opportunities to generate business, you go in as an 'authority', NOT someone trying to sell themselves.

Eight steps to a new consulting career.  Sounds too easy.  Nothing worthwhile as they say, is 'easy'.  But it is a disarmingly simple process, once you understand the steps and have the mindset to pull it off.  Not in the way Peter Finch did if I remember the movie correctly! ... but by controlling your own future.

Delve into this more at www.ageofexperience.com.au

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