A safer bet is the small business development center (SBDC). SBDCs are easy to find and plenty exist. Supervised by the SBA, the SBDC program offers management assistance to established and new business owners.
There are 55 small business development centers-one or more in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands-with a network of more than 700 branch locations. A "lead" organization sponsors the SBDC and manages each program. The lead organization coordinates program services at sub-centers and satellite locations at colleges, universities, community colleges, vocational schools, chambers of commerce, and economic development corporations.
SBDCs are hotbeds of entrepreneurial activity; hence, they're a good place to uncover job leads. All it takes is some nosing around. An information-hungry entrepreneur who could welcome your assistance might be tapping an SBDC center near you right now.
Your mission is to find out who's using SBDC services. The best person to give you that information is the SBDC director. Rather than cold-calling, prepare a candid letter briefly outlining your qualifications and explaining that you're looking for potential job leads. Ask for an appointment or, the next best thing, for the director to pass your letter on to entrepreneurs who might be interested.
ENTREPRENEURIAL CENTERS
Another seldom-pursued job avenue is the entrepreneurial center. Teaching entre preneurialism the dos, don'ts, and strategies of launching and managing a business-has become very popular over the last decade. As companies continue to shed their human cargo, nearly 300 colleges have started teaching some variation of the entrepreneurial curriculum that includes courses, lectures, seminars, workshops, and degree programs. The University of Southern California (USC) boasts a comprehensive entrepreneurial program that started in 1971. Harvard, Wharton, Wichita State, St. Louis University, University of Arizona, Indiana University, and New York University, to name a few, offer well-rounded entrepreneurial programs.
Here's a ready-made opportunity to hook up with entrepreneurs who are either taking or giving courses. Many take courses to firm up their business acts; others give them for exposure, credibility, and ego stroking. No matter how you size up the situation, entrepreneurial centers present fertile networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and job seekers alike.
The person to befriend is the director of the entrepreneurial program. Typically, program directors are outgoing entrepreneurial types themselves who'll probably admire your clever job-pursuing tactic. They're also seasoned networkers plugged into the entire business community. Beyond knowing who's giving and taking courses, they're aware of who the winners and losers are and can point you to the superstars in the wings. The program director is a wealth of information. Take advantage of the opportunity to uncover such leads.
Again, a terse professional letter is the way to open the door. Then schedule an appointment and tell your story. You stand an excellent chance of walking away with valuable information.
TRADE OR PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND INDUSTRY RAGS
Name any field or profession and I guarantee there are maybe two, possibly a handful of trade or professional associations serving it. All industry associations are not the same. The big, well-funded ones have more power and, naturally, are better information resources. Some have thousands of members spread across the United States, whereas small regional ones may have a few hundred. Either type, however, can be useful if you make valuable connections. The irrefutable logic is you're bound to pick up job leads from people in your industry. The more contacts you have, the better the odds of capturing exclusive information. You don't have to go to every association meeting and event. The idea is to be plugged in and know what's happening. Find the wheeler-dealers and stay in touch.
A great source for locating all the associations serving your field is the Encyclopedia of Associations (Gale Research), which most libraries stock. I guarantee you'll uncover industry associations you've never heard of before. New organizations in virtually all industries are starting up every day.
Finally, stay on top of industry publications as well. Like trade organizations, some carry more clout than others. The sheer size of a publication tells you a lot. Many are gorged with news, events, opinions and (yes), job listings. Even if trade mags carry no job listings, it pays to skim them to stay on top of trends.
