How much do you stand out out?

Who doesn’t want to jump-start their career but finds it demoralizing and difficult to do so? Who doesn’t imagine their resume popping up from a crowded pile? Or even better, their resume already being in the right hands?

This is the fantasy of a very smart guy I know who has worked for four years in the venture capital industry. During the entire time, he has been unhappy in the job and actively job hunting. For four years! What exactly has he been doing? Interviewing and networking. And then more interviewing and networking. Sad to say, he hasn’t gotten a single offer.

It’s been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. So, if you’ve been working your ass off for years but getting the same disappointing result, do something different.

Here are the five questions we would ask any candidate in his position:

1. Why don’t I see your blog come up when I Google your name? Why haven’t you made the effort to use your current position to establish yourself as an independent, authoritative voice on the topic of venture capital? You could be giving seminars, writing articles, or volunteering your skills.
2. Why haven’t you signed up for conferences that attract entrepreneurs, or gatherings that would help you get some independent gigs established, such as BizTechDay?
3. In an era dominated by social networking tools, are you using any of them other than LinkedIn or Facebook? (A good one for this candidate might be Hashable, which connects people directly and includes many venture capital types among its members.)
4. Have you spent as much time polishing your LinkedIn profile as you have on your resume?
5. Do you have a YouTube video that creates a voice for your personal brand?

These may not be standard questions you hear from recruiters, career counselors and job support networks. But on Mojo40, you will read interviews with folks who have turned their worlds around by shifting their thinking. Our site isn’t about the few successful souls who found jobs on Monster. Instead, we feature stories like that of a woman who turned down two offers from Wall Street firms because she had a vision of a better alternative for her career; she wound up helping to build revenues at a local doctor’s office that was growing like Jack in the Beanstalk.

Our philosophy can be summed up with the following approach:

• You need to make technology a more useful tool for you
• You need to focus on gigging, not looking for the right traditional job listing
• You need to get yourself an Accountability Wingman
• You need to create a strong digital profile

We highlight technology that is out there for all of us to use, but that people our age are often not aware of or particularly sklled in. We help you focus on what’s growing and say goodbye to what’s past, including many traditional jobs. Our approach means you’re in this with a buddy, an Accountability Wingman, so you’re not going to slack off or waste big bucks on a coach or psychologist. And, more than anything else, we encourage you to get off the edge of the digital pool – to get your toes wet, then jump in, have fun and build your confidence.

Mojo Moves

• Think about your past efforts, and explore newer paths you could take – bolder and more adventurous steps
• Brainstorm how you could present your views on the industry or topic you are expert in, using digital media or a real-world forum or gathering
• Pick one venue or media channel with a reasonable lead time to showcase your expertise publicly. Work with your Accountability Wingman to search for the right opportunity, plan the project, and follow through

Photo courtesy Creative Commons, nickwheeleroz