The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Has your dad told you to read Dale
Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” yet? What about Robert
Greene’s “The 48 Laws of Power”? And my favorite…drumroll, please… Rhonda
Byrne’s “The Secret,” a book that you don’t even need to read because according
to its teachings, all you need to do is put out into the world positive energy
about reading the book, and then by sheer laws of attraction and osmosis alone,
all of its genius will automatically be imparted into your brain while you
watch Breaking Bad.

            Or you
could just read this…

1.    
Push.
People are busy. Some of them are
well intentioned, but most of them won’t give a shit about you unless you’ve
got something to offer them. In many occasions, that’s a signing bonus for
recruiting new employees. In other cases, use your imagination. There are very
few people in this world who understand the favor bank, know how it works, and
know how to use it tactfully and in their favor. The favor bank is a
transactional play by play of everything you’ve ever done for somebody, and
everything they’ve ever done for you. There’s always a balance, and you always
want that balance to be in your favor. When you’ve just started your career,
this won’t be the case. Take down the names of the people who’ve helped you.
You owe them. But getting them to help you, especially if they have any real
power, will not always be easy. These are busy people, but not too busy for
someone who has promise, determination, and a bright future. That’s you, chief.
Go get ‘em.

2.    
Stop
Pushing. You meet someone for a cup of coffee. They seem full of promise
about getting you connected to the right people, and getting you a job at We’re a Big Deal, You Wanna Work Here &
Co. You think that this person will actually help you, so you draft a
follow up e-mail when you get home after your meeting, wait exactly one hour,
and then send it on its merry way. A few minutes later, you receive a response
congratulating you on being a fantastic person and just the right candidate for
the job, and telling you that your resume will be disseminated through the
right annals just as soon as X precondition is fulfilled. So you wait
patiently. One day, one week. You write back, inquiring as to your fate. No
response. So you figure—rule number #1 of networking: people are busy, but
you gotta push. So you send another email. “Hey, I’m really excited about this
opportunity. I graduated Phi Beta Kappa, I’m a genius, I read all the time, and
sometimes because I want to seem important I drink Scotch even though I hate
the taste, and I watch movies like 8 ˝
even though I have no idea what the hell they mean and they make my life
miserable…” Still no response. This is when you give up. Two or three emails
without responses, and you should call the dogs off. It’s over, man. You’ve
spent time on a dead lead, which leads me to my next point…

3.    
Spot the
Bullshit. Here’s one thing that people simply can’t do—they can’t bear to disappoint you. It’s not because they care
about you. Hell, you’re their competition. But when you’re sitting face-to-face
with them, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, they won’t lay their cards on the
table and tell you, quite simply: “These are my powers. They are limited. They
probably won’t get you a job. But I will try my best. Just be aware of the
limitations.” No. Some people will blow smoke up your ass until the cows come
home. Very few folks will actually do anything—fewer still will have any
success—and an astonishing minimum will tenaciously try to help you get what
you want. So…

4.    
You Gotta
Kiss a Lotta Frogs. This is a numbers game. The more you expand your
network, the wider net you cast, and the harder you stay on your grind, the
more successful you shall be. And don’t think that just because one lead was a
dead end, that it will always be a dead end. This is untrue—knowing people is
never a bad thing. Being on someone’s mind, even if it is far, far, far, in the
back of his/her mind, will always come to your advantage. Keep your contacts
abreast with any developments in your life, be graceful, respectful, and
honest, and always be chivalrous.
Good manners go a very long way.

5.    
Go
straight to the Top. I figured I’d throw this one in because a lot of us
have friends in all the right places. And by “us” I mean you, and by “friends”
I mean your parents. I was not so fortunate in this respect, so I had to get
good grades and work hard and stuff. But there’s no shame in nepotism. (Tongue,
meet cheek.)
 
 Also Read: 

 Your First Taxi Ride is on us!
 Introducing Student Intern Network Communities
 Skipping Class Technically Costs You $100’s
 7 Tips To Basically Guarantee Job Placement