I Got My Dream Job and So Can You: 7 Steps to Creating Your Ideal Career After College

By Pete Leibman

When he was only 21 years old, Pete Leibman landed his dream job working in the front office of the NBA’s Washington Wizards. He went on to become their number one salesperson for three straight seasons and was promoted to management in under two years. In this encouraging guidebook, Leibman shares his proven and simple system for career success. You’ll learn how to: think big and identify what you want from your career; network your way past corporate gatekeepers; impress highly influential people in any field; land interviews for jobs that aren’t posted; sell yourself on paper, online, and in person; and get hired faster and with less effort. Filled with the inspiring success stories of other young professionals, creative strategies for leveraging social media, and the five secrets that will skyrocket your earning potential once you are hired, I Got My Dream Job and So Can You provides you with the tools and confidence to overcome the discouraging job marketing and start climbing the ladder to success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Mar 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9780814420218

Pete Leibman

PETE LEIBMAN, despite being told it would be "impossible," networked his way into a job with the NBA's Washington Wizards right out of college and was promoted to management when he was only 23. Today, he is a popular keynote speaker, and the founder of Dream Job Academy, a career-training program for young professionals.

Book preview

More advance praise for

I Got My Dream Job and So Can You

Students and young professionals of all types should read this book. Whether or not you know what your dream job is, whether or not you know how to achieve your dream … Pete Leibman’s stories and advice will greatly help to show you the way.

—Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President,

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Pete Leibman takes a clear approach to guide you step-by-step along the journey to understanding what is possible, practical, and promising for your future.

—Dr. Nido Qubein, President, High Point University, and Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Co.

"This book will be a classic for as long as people want work that helps them make a living and a difference."

—Sam Horn, President of The Intrigue Institute and author of

POP!, Eyebrow Test, and SerenDestiny

I wish I had had this book when I began my career. It would have expanded my thinking and possibilities. This book is full of so many good ideas I’m going to make sure my kids read it when they get ready to enter the workplace. I recommend it!

—Mark Sanborn, President, Sanborn & Associates, Inc., and author of The Fred Factor and Up, Down or Sideways

"This book could not come at a better time. It provides the secrets you need to find your dream job and Make it a Winning Life!"

—Wolf J. Rinke, PhD, management consultant, executive coach, and author of Make it a Winning Life: Success Strategies for Life, Love and Business.

I GOT MY

DREAM JOB

and So Can You

7 Steps to Creating Your

Ideal Career After College

PETE LEIBMAN

Bulk discounts available. For details visit:

www.amacombooks.org/go/specialsales

Or contact special sales:

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

View all the AMACOM titles at: www.amacombooks.org

This publication is designed to provide accurate and

authoritative information in regard to the subject matter

covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is

not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional

service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the

services of a competent professional person should be sought.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Leibman, Pete, 1981–

I got my dream job and so can you : 7 steps to creating your

ideal career after college / Pete Leibman.

      p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-0-8144-2020-1 (pbk.)

ISBN-10: 0-8144-2020-6 (pbk.)

1. Job hunting. 2. Vocational guidance. I. Title.

HF5382.7.L45 2012

650.14—dc23

2011033266

© 2012 Pete Leibman

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America.

This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or

otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM,

a division of American Management Association, 1601

Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

About AMA

American Management Association (www.amanet.org) is a

world leader in talent development, advancing the skills of

individuals to drive business success. Our mission is to support

the goals of individuals and organizations through a complete

range of products and services, including classroom and virtual

seminars, webcasts, webinars, podcasts, conferences, corporate

and government solutions, business books, and research. AMA’s

approach to improving performance combines experiential

learning—learning through doing—with opportunities for

ongoing professional growth at every step of one’s career

journey.

.

Printing number

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION: My Story and Why You Should Read This Book

Why You Need This Book

Getting Your Dream Job Is S.I.M.P.L.E.

Skyrocket Your Career (B.E.P.R.O.)

Now Is the Best Time Ever to Get Your Dream Job—Seriously

PART I

Getting Your Dream Job Is S.I.M.P.L.E.

CHAPTER 1: Most Career Advice Is Wrong

Who Have You Been Listening To?

Austin Moyer Got His Dream Job with Polaris Industries

CHAPTER 2: Start (Step #1)

No Emotional Pain, No Gain

Don’t Make Excuses

Expect Doubters and Use Them to Fuel Your Fire

Job Search Q&A with the Author

Start Now

Joseph Speziale Got His Dream Job with Microsoft

CHAPTER 3: Identify (Step #2)

What Is a Dream Job?

The Right Questions Will Produce the Right Answers

Create Your Own Dream Job Description

Identify Your Target Market

Should I Have a Backup Plan?

Elissa Martins Got Her Dream Job with the Eastern District of Virginia

CHAPTER 4: Makeover (Step #3)

$40 for a Bottle of Water?

10 Marketing Assets You Need to Get Your Dream Job

Looks Matter, but They Are Not Everything

CHAPTER 5: Plan (Step #4)

Do You Drip Sweat When You Exercise?

What Is Networking?

How to Get Anyone to Like You and Respect You Right Away

Leibman’s Lexicon for Job Search Networking

Are You Taking Your Existing Network for Granted?

All Networking Events Are Not Created Equal

Crash the Party Through LinkedIn

Get Insider Information on Your Own

If You Insist on Using Job Boards

Job Search Q&A with the Author

Jennifer Davis Got Her Dream Job with the U.S. State Department

CHAPTER 6: Look (Step #5)

A Salesperson: To Be or Not to Be?

Do You Know How to Ask for Directions?

Job Search Strategy #1: Warm Networking

Job Search Strategy #2: Cool Networking

Job Search Strategy #3: Cold Networking

The Twenty-First Century Icebreaker

I Scheduled an Advice Appointment! Now What???

Job Search Strategy #4: Apply Aggressively for Advertised Jobs

Job Search Q&A with the Author

Oliver Uberti Got His Dream Job with National Geographic Magazine

CHAPTER 7: Execute (Step #6)

Six Deadly Interviewing Sins

You’d Better Do Your Homework

Be Paranoid

Five Secrets for Acing Any Interview Question

Anticipate Likely Questions

How Can I Sell Myself Without Bragging?

The Interview Is Over!

Job Search Q&A with the Author

Erick van Zanten Got His Dream Job with General Electric

PART II

Skyrocket Your Career with Step #7

(B.E.P.R.O.)

CHAPTER 8: Belief (Success Secret #1)

Success Begins in Your Head

Don’t Be Afraid to Fall at First

The 10 Commandments for Concrete Confidence

Believe or Leave

Julie Willoz Got Her Dream Job with Disney

CHAPTER 9: Excellence (Success Secret #2)

What Is Excellence?

Warning: Little Things Matter

Laura Saldivar Got Her Dream Job with Teach For America

CHAPTER 10: Performance (Success Secret #3)

Time Is Not Money

Bigger and Better

CHAPTER 11: Relationships (Success Secret #4)

The Second Most Important Relationship for Your Career

Dealing with Difficult People Is Easy

Never Stop Networking

Josiah Beam Got His Dream Job with Southwest Airlines

CHAPTER 12: Out-of-Office Life (Success Secret #5)

Take Charge of Your Out-of-Office Life

CHAPTER 13: Be an Entrepreneur

The Advice in This Book Also Helped Me Get My Second Dream Job

Do You Want to Be an Entrepreneur?

Get Help

Andrew Horn Got His Dream Job by Being an Entrepreneur

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX A: Leibman’s Lexicon—The New Glossary for Career Success

APPENDIX B: Leibman’s Lists—The Top Resources for Ambitious Young Professionals

INDEX

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, this book is dedicated to my mom, my dad, and my brother Matt. Thank you for always supporting my dreams. Words could never express how much I love you and appreciate you.

Thank you to those who shared their stories in this book and to all my friends and colleagues who shared their ideas for the book (including Allie Miller, Asha Tyson, Bithiah LaFontant, Brian Elderbroom, Brian Lee, Calvin Scott, Chrissy Mack, Darrell Bennett, Greg Turner, Jay Kreider, Jeremy Zelman, Jon Foster, Kim Foley, Laura Neesen, Marshall Brown, Matt Dershewitz, Nick Macri, Nishant Tulsian, Paayal Malhotra, Pai Dayanzadeh, Rachna Sethi, Ron Culberson, Stu Miller, and Wolf Rinke).

Thank you to Leslie Kendrick, Howe Burch, and David Cope and to the incredible staff with the Washington Wizards (especially Susan O’Malley, Mark Schiponi, Jerry Murphy, Jim Anderson, and Bill Anderson).

Thank you to Tom Chillot, Mike Murray, and the wonderful staff at TMA.

Thank you to Anne Loehr and Grace Freedson, and to the phenomenal staff at AMACOM (especially Ellen Kadin, Erika Spelman, and William Helms).

Thank you to the brilliant authors and speakers who initially inspired me from afar to pursue a similar career path (especially Anthony Robbins, Brendon Burchard, Brian Tracy, Darren Hardy, Denis Waitley, Jack Canfield, Joel Osteen, Sam Horn, and Stephen Covey).

I am forever grateful for all the wonderful people who have supported me throughout my life. It’s impossible to thank everyone who has influenced me, so I apologize to those I missed. Thank you all for helping to make my dreams come true. …

INTRODUCTION

My Story and Why You Should Read This Book

Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was.

—DAG HAMMARSKJOLD, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL AND

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER

January 31, 1989: at Madison Square Garden (six minutes before tip-off for Knicks vs. Pacers)

A ball bounced over to us, so I grabbed it and looked up. My father and I were standing right next to the scorer’s table at MSG. There were no security concerns at that time about fans being next to the court.

Chuck Person, a player on the Pacers, ran over to me and put his hands up. He looked like he was 12 feet tall.

I gave him the best chest-pass of my life. He caught the ball and said, Hey, little man, thanks for grabbing that. What’s your name?

I smiled, and in my high-pitched, meek, seven-year-old voice said, My name’s Pete.

Chuck smiled back and said, Well, Pete, this one’s for you. Then he turned around and launched a shot from where he was standing, 25 feet from the basket. It zipped through the net. Swoosh!

He turned his head back to me, smiled, winked, and ran over to his team’s bench.

That was the first time I said to myself that I was going to make it to the NBA when I grew up.

April 8, 2003: at Johns Hopkins University (in my dorm room)

I was freaking out. How had I gotten into this position?

I had done everything that you are supposed to do as a student to prepare for your career, but it had gotten me nowhere. In one month, I was going to be graduating from college, and I had no idea where I was going to live or work. Not exactly the reward I expected after busting my butt for four years.

Ever since I had been a little kid, basketball had been my obsession. When I got to college at Johns Hopkins University and learned that I could combine my love of basketball with my passion for business, I knew exactly what my dream job would be: a marketing and sales position with an NBA franchise.

Unfortunately, it looked like that dream would never become a reality.

I had spent four years maintaining a high GPA, paying my dues in internships, and scraping by with part-time jobs that barely paid minimum wage. I also spent my entire senior year applying to advertised jobs, participating in on-campus recruiting, and attending career fairs all over Baltimore and Washington, D.C. However, I still had no leads on a job with an NBA team or with any organization connected to sports.

I had come close the summer before my senior year, when I landed an interview for an internship position with the NBA’s Washington Wizards. However, the Wizards had rejected me and selected another candidate, one who I assumed was more qualified and credentialed.

Now the pressure was starting to mount, and I was really getting tired of friends and family asking what I was going to do after college. I didn’t know the answer.

As I checked my email that afternoon, I noticed that the Baltimore chapter of the American Marketing Association was going to have a career workshop for local students in four days, on Saturday, April 12, 2003. I also noticed that one of the featured speakers was going to be a man named Howe Burch. At the time, Howe was a senior executive for Fila, the sports marketing company.

A light bulb went off in my head as I thought to myself: Well, he works in sports. Nothing else has worked for me, so why don’t I go to the event and ask him for some advice. What do I have to lose?

Little did I know that simple decision would change my life forever.

Six weeks later, I found myself in a private interview with Susan O’Malley, the team president for the Washington Wizards at the time. (In Chapter 6, I’ll fill in the blanks on how I got the interview.) The following week, the Wizards offered me a full-time position in their front office, even though I was only 21 years old and had no industry experience. I didn’t want to appear too eager when they made their offer, so I waited three seconds before accepting the job.

Over the next five years, the Washington Wizards actually paid me (very well, in fact) to brainstorm and execute strategies that would increase attendance at their home games. I also got to:

  Watch games from courtside (a slight upgrade from my usual seat locations as a fan in college).

  Fly on an NBA team plane (a slight upgrade from my usual modes of transportation as a student in college).

  Mingle with political leaders, TV personalities, and multimillionaire CEOs. (It is absurd how much money these people spend.)

  Dunk on an NBA court before a game. (Some white guys can jump, thank you very much.)

  Shake hands with an ex-NBA player who was 7’7" tall. (His fingers were like bananas.)

  Scrimmage against WNBA All-Stars, including Chamique Holdsclaw and Alana Beard. (I’m still trying to catch my breath six years later.)

  Attend an NBA All-Star Game after-party with the players. (I have never felt so short in my life.)

  Have my own private office inside the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (Well, I started in a cubicle the size of a closet, but I got my own office eventually!)

While the perks were great, they were not the best part of my position. More important, my job gave me a platform to create programs that made dreams come true for other sports fans, and my job enabled me to fulfill my lifelong dream to make it to the NBA (even though I didn’t make it as a player).

I got my dream job and so can you!

• • •

This book will teach you everything you need to know to get your dream job and create your ideal career as a young professional. While this book features a number of sports analogies and stories from my life, this book is the blueprint for getting any job you want in any industry.

WHY YOU NEED THIS BOOK

Most people will spend about 5 million minutes at work throughout their lives. Yes, 5 million minutes! (Do the math: 60 minutes in an hour, 40 hours a week, 50 weeks out of the year, and 40 years at work.)

Given how much of your life will be spent at work, isn’t it worth it to spend some time to identify and pursue your dream job? It’s going to be pretty hard to feel happy and fulfilled if half of your waking minutes after college are spent working in a job you hate.

It’s so easy to take for granted the importance of being proactive with your career, especially if you are a student who has never worked a full-time job before. A 2010 Conference Board survey featured on www.USAToday.com showed that job dissatisfaction was at an all-time high, with workers under the age of 25 being the unhappiest of all.

So, why does this happen?

Well, people don’t end up in dead-end jobs because of a lack of talent or because of the economy. Instead, most people just aim way too low. Most people settle for the first job they can get, while deluding themselves into believing that they will go after their dreams later in life.

There are millions of students and young professionals out there today who are depressed or angry about the direction (or lack of direction) of their careers. You are definitely not alone if you feel that way as well. You may feel lost because you do not know what you want to do. You may feel defeated because others have brainwashed you into believing that your dream is not possible to achieve. You may feel frustrated because nothing seems to be working for you.

I have been there.

When it comes to my career, I have felt lost, defeated, and frustrated on more than one occasion. However, certain beliefs and actions have helped me get my dream job twice while I was in my 20s (first as an NBA executive and now as an entrepreneur, speaker, career coach, and published author).

I’m certainly not the first person to write a book on getting your dream job after college, and I will not be the last. However, this book is well worth your time for three main reasons:

1.  I am part of your generation, so I understand your situation. Most career books written for students and young professionals are written by authors from a totally different generation. Despite their wisdom and positive intentions, they grew up in a totally different world from the one you and I grew up in, and most of them have a very different perspective about your job search.

2.  This book is based on real-world results. Networking, marketing yourself, interviewing, identifying your passions and talents … none of these processes came easily to me. I struggled before I succeeded. I was not blessed with some inborn ability to conduct a job search or to achieve my dreams. I had to figure everything out on my own through trial-and-error because it was all so unclear to me. I wrote this book to teach you how to get your dream job faster and with less effort than you might imagine is possible. The strategies in this book are not concepts I am simply passing along from a textbook I studied, a survey I read on www.monster.com, or a seminar I attended. Everything in this book is based on my firsthand, real-world experience. This book also features success stories of 10 other young professionals who recently landed their dream jobs (both with organizations you might not know of and with well-known employers including Microsoft, the U.S. State Department, and Teach For America). Who wants to read another boring, ineffective textbook?

3.  This book is a comprehensive, step-by-step blueprint. I assumed you would not want to check out 27 other job search books after reading this one. This book was written in such a way that you would not have to read one more book on this topic. Got a question about résumés? The answer is in here. Got a question about interviewing? The answer is in here. Got a question about networking? The answer is in here. Got a question about LinkedIn? The answer is in here. Not sure what you want to do? Well, the answer is in you, but this book will help you identify the answer. You get the point. …

By the time you are finished with this book, you will know 10 times as much as I knew about success and happiness when I started my journey from college to career. I have taken thousands of hours of private study, real-world application, and self-reflection and synthesized the greatest lessons into a highly organized framework that you can easily follow to take charge of your career now.

GETTING YOUR DREAM JOB IS S.I.M.P.L.E.

Most people completely misunderstand the point of work and life. It’s not to plug along in some job that you hate just so you can pay your bills. The point of life is to go after your dreams with everything you have! To get your dream job, you just need to follow my six steps that spell out S.I.M.P.L.E.—Start, Identify, Make-over, Plan, Look, and Execute—which make up Part I of this book. (After you get your dream job, Step 7, discussed later, will help you create your ideal career.)

If you don’t have your dream job yet, there are only six possible reasons why:

1. You haven’t started the process. Chapter 1 (Most Career Advice Is Wrong) and Chapter 2 (Start) will revolutionize the way you look at a job search and help you begin your journey for your dream job.

2. You lack focus and commitment. Chapter 3 (Identify) will help you think big and determine what your dream job is.

3. You don’t know how to present yourself or you are not aware of how you are presenting yourself. Chapter 4 (Makeover) will show you how you can look like a million bucks in person, on paper, and online.

4. You have no strategy or a poor strategy. Chapter 5 (Plan) will help you design a bulletproof plan for getting hired in any industry as quickly as possible.

5. You are not looking for jobs the right way. Chapter 6 (Look) will teach you the four best ways to look for jobs so that you can get hired with less effort than you might think is possible.

6. You don’t know how to seal the deal. Chapter 7 (Execute) will show you how to ace any interview process.

SKYROCKET YOUR CAREER (B.E.P.R.O.)

Getting your dream job is not the final destination, however. Part II of the book teaches you Step #7 (Be Professional) on how to create your ideal career after college. To be professional, you need to understand my five secrets for career success that spell out B.E.P.R.O.—Belief, Excellence, Performance, Relationships, and Out-of-Office Life—which make up Part II of this book.

The goal should not