We’ve all been there. Whether in between jobs or working towards landing our first one, we’ve all felt the pinch between unemployment and being employed. With fall around the corner and summer coming to an end, the hiring sector is hot with job offers, and if you're unemployed, the time is right to strike while the iron is hot. Getting a job can be difficult. It can seem like a race of the fittest where you have to know someone to even get an interview. But with these tips and tricks, you can earn that job position if your are willing to put in the effort. Step One: Do your homework Homework? You probably thought you left that behind when you graduated. In order to build your personal brand into a hirable, on demand magnet, you need to crack down on the books. You have three homework assignments: build your brand on social media, create a resume that will grab attention, and start researching 1. Build your personal brand: You may think branding is just for companies, but try to see yourself as a product. Envision yourself as a Your Name detergent, sitting on the shelves with Tide and Arm & Hammer. Your potential employer is a consumer trying to pick the best product to fit their needs. You need to position yourself in order to sell yourself to your potential employer. Why are you the one they should hire? Why are you the best pick for the job? What is it about you that sets you apart from everyone else? Identify what your “stuff” is, and and use it to stand out from the crowd. The easiest way to do this is with social media. Your employer will already be searching for your social media platforms, so why not use them to sell yourself? This can be as simple as creating a linkedin profile via linkedin.com to as complex as creating a branded Twitter. Make sure on Linkedin to add a professional profile picture, your resume, and to connect with past employers and employees who can vouch for your skills. See this link to see tips on how to really get your Linkedin going. Another great idea is to create a professional Twitter, Facebook, or even Instagram. These platforms aren’t meant for you to connect with friends, but instead to show how much you love the industry you’re trying to enter. Want to be the next tech mogul? Connect with other techies on the platform. Follow Industry leaders and share content related to it. You could even create your own blog using websites like weebly.com for free and write all about the industry you love. Yes, this is a lot of work, but it will pay off when the company looks you up and sees a platform of information and not pictures of you doing a keg stand. 2. Create a Resume: From my experience, everyone has a different idea of how a resume should look. Some say education goes first and others insist it should be listed last. Some say dull and drab is the way to go and others will tell you to make your resume pop with color. What causes this discrepancy? Each industry is going for something different. Your best bet is to google “Your Industry resume” and create one from there. Feel free to fancify your graphic design resume (see awesome resume here, but keep your financial resume simple and concise like this one. Always include your name, contact information, education, employment history and references. 3. Research, research research: Study the company you really want to work for like you are preparing for an exam. When did they start? What’s their story? Who founded it? Look at their website, their blog, their social media, stories in the news about them, who are the leading members in the organization, etc. Know the job description you are applying for, and also prepare a list of questions to ask about their company. Lookup practice interview questions and practice them with a friend. Finally, submit an application. Most are online. Apply several places you are interesting in working for. In my experience, every twenty applications I turned in resulted in one call back. Be prepared to be turned down and ignored a lot, and don’t let that dishearten you. Remember that everything that happens is meant to be, and just because you didn’t get a call back from your dream job doesn’t mean there isn’t a another, maybe better, opportunity down the road. Step Two: Do your Footwork If you are thinking you’re finished after submitting a resume and probably filling out a forever long application, you would be wrong. In order to really be considered for your job, you have to be proactive and put yourself out there. Walk your resume into the place you’d like to be employed. If it is a really competitive place of business, consider doing a short report on the company and its industry showing what you have to bring to the company to improve it. Be prepared for an on-the-spot interview. Most importantly, be kind and courteous to everyone you encounter from the doorman to the CEO in the elevator. You never know who the hiring manager might ask about you, and you want whomever they are to say nice things.
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Author@littlemissmktg is a current marketing student at Northern Kentucky University. She loves all things branding and marketing and welcomes any comments or insights. Archives
January 2017
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