Thursday 22 March 2007

What's an opportunity?

I was struck by a quote from Thomas Edison that I saw yesterday, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." This seemed quite apt because this week's crop of projects on Skillfair include a number that I'm sure a lot of people would dismiss as 'not being worth the effort'. Either the budget is very low (slavery project coordinator) or there's no guarantee of any actual work (equality consultant panel).

Obviously, if you're already snowed under with work then doing a 'pro bono' project may not be sensible - but it's important to be aware of the many benefits that can arise from moving outside your comfort zone. As long as the project concerned interests you in some way, you'll meet a new set of people, who may be potential clients or referrers, and you'll have something interesting to talk about next time you meet a new contact.


Some of the most useful contacts I've made in recent years have come from the most unlikely sources, so whether you've been asked to sit on a committee, provide some free consulting or help write a book - make sure you look beyond the immediate returns and if the project sounds interesting just go for it!