This is a man who needs no introduction. Not only because I introduced him in the title to this post, but also because he introduces himself. With little but his name and the combination of two single-syllable words, both told in the exclamatory, Flavor Flav became a rap and hip-hop icon.
As one of the first great hype men (see: Lil Jon, T-Pain), Flav brought excitement to crowds, keeping the energy for Public Enemy at a fever pitch. While Chuck D’s lyrics were incendiary and Professor Griff’s acts were militant, Flav brought a fun, comfortable, more down-to-earth aspect to the group. Also, he helped father a new type of reality show.
And perhaps most importantly, he pretty much single-handedly brought the viking helet back into style (way to drop the ball there, Hagar).
So what does a hip-hop pioneer and reality TV veteran have to do with your job search?
Flav is a perfect example of why you need solid references and referrals (or good hype, if you will). If someone is referring you for a position, they are adding to your value in the eyes of your potential employer. The concept behind both this and Flav’s success is rooted in something called social proof.
When people hear about something or someone from a trusted source, they think it is more superior than if they heard about it themselves. This is how critics make their money, and why there are celebrity endorsements. However, this can also work for strangers. Even if a stranger introduces you to another stranger, you will still feel a bit more comfortable because of that added step of introduction, which makes them seem important. In Flav’s case, he was social proof for Public Enemy. He showed crowds it was all right to get excited about the music, that they could sing along and enjoy themselves despite the serious tones of the songs.
So how do you get social proof? If you have any contacts that can refer you to anyone at a company you are trying to work for, use them to get that contact, and form at least an acquaintance with that person. After all, wouldn’t you prefer it if someone called to say that your mutual friend suggested they talk to you, rather than if a stranger called?
Your new contact will probably help you if they can, and their endorsement will make it more likely that whoever is looking to hire you will do so. A solid list of references can also help with this, although it is a bit more difficult to use them (as they will be called into play after you have been interviewed).
One way that you can be your own hype person, if you can’t get social proof through contacts, is to send a creative application or work samples (if applicable; don’t try this if you’re going for accounting, finance, etc.) to make yourself stand out as a professional. We talked about personal branding with another celebrity, and that concept works here as well.
So get out there and make some social contacts, get that social proof, and fight the power!
I mean, get that job!
