I have been a Maven for a few months but I’ve never received an invitation to consult. What can I do to improve my chances?

There are many reasons why you might not have been targeted by our system for consulting opportunities. Perhaps you haven’t provided enough information about yourself or the information you have provided doesn’t include the right kinds of details. It is also possible that there just aren’t any current opportunities requiring someone with your expertise. Either way, here are some tips to maximize your chances:

    1. Complete your profile. Make sure that every section is filled out and that you provide specific information on topics, products, markets, companies, and technologies with which you are familiar. If you don’t provide us with enough details on the things you know about, you’ll never get invited to consult.

    2. Make sure that your email address in our system is up-to-date and that your email spam filter is not screening out emails from Maven. Some Mavens have missed invitations because their spam filters ate the messages! (NOTE: We STRONGLY recommend that you provide us with your personal email address, NOT your business email address. If you leave your company or change jobs, we still need to be able to reach you!)

    3. Make sure you have opted into consulting opportunities. You won’t receive invitations to consult if you haven’t activated a consulting profile on Maven, as you are not eligible to participate until you take this important step. If the “No Consultations” or “No Surveys” tags appear on your profile, it means that you have adjusted your settings to opt out of these types of interactions.

    4. Check out the Bulletin Board (located halfway down the page on your Dashboard). It contains current open inquiries to which you can apply or refer someone else.

    5. When you do receive an invitation to consult, be sure to respond quickly EVEN IF YOU DECLINE THE PROJECT! Our system tracks responsiveness to invitations and prioritizes Mavens who are more responsive. We learn a lot about your areas of expertise from your responses to different inquiries, which improves our ability to match you to new opportunities.

Finally, be patient! Over 75% of all Maven participants receive at least one invitation to consult within the first year, but it might take some time for the system to identify the right opportunity for you

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