It’s a good thing.
You don’t get it unless you ask for it.
It is a great approach to learn and make connections.
That said there is a right way of asking for help and there is a wrong way.
I get many emails every week asking for professional help. Only a few do it the right way.
Right Way To Ask for Help
What is the right way to ask for help? Here is what I think it is.
- Being clear about the ask. Tell me clearly – do you need pro bono advice or do you want professional help? I am happy doing both – just be clear about what it is from the beginning.
- Not putting the other person in a embarrassing situation. Like asking for a recommendation when we don’t know each other. I can’t vouch for you if I don’t know you so I’ll have to decline.
- Asking for guidance only after prepping or doing your bit (asking questions that Google or Siri can answer for you). Asking me to refer you for a Laravel developer role when that skill is not even on your LinkedIn or resume – is putting too much responsibility on me without you doing your bit. I wrote my dream job guide to help those looking for a career jump. I hope you’ll give it a read and prepare your profiles/yourself before reaching out to anyone for help. Same goes for making an intro.
For my friends reading this, this note is not for you 🙂 but for a wider audience.
And, I am not putting myself on on a pedestal here. I have made some of these mistakes myself. Key is to make an effort to fix it once we know we did something wrong.
Hope you will be sincere and considerate for another person’s time when asking for help next time.
