Marketing 101 for Job Seekers: 4 Resume and Interview Tips
One of the things that make my resume approach unique is its foundations in marketing principles. Because that is what a job search is — a marketing campaign. Just as in marketing for business, strategy, and follow-through are key to a successful job search.
While I no longer write resumes as a rule, I do want to impart my knowledge to those who need it. With a book currently on hold, I want to share some marketing tips that apply to job seekers. To help me ensure I cover as much ground as possible, I have searched the web for marketing tips that apply to a job search.
Look for opportunities to diversify.
This marketing tip comes from Rebecca Wentworth of Sharp Spring. She points out that pursuing every distribution channel at once is unrealistic and produces mixed results, and that you need to carefully select where you will advertise. In this section, we will look at diversification as it applies to using job boards and choosing positions for which you want to apply.
Diversify your job search by choosing a few carefully selected options.
There are literally hundreds of job search sites out there, and you’re bombarded with ads for the biggest of them at every turn. With every platform making it as easy as possible to upload and share your resume with random employers, it’s hard not to take advantage to cast a wider net.
There are several problems with using so many job boards:
1. It’s easy to be caught off guard when contacted in response to an application that you don’t remember submitting. The result is a less-than-professional reply, which tells savvy employers that you’re looking to fill any job, not their job.
2. Using multiple job sites makes it more likely that you will lose track of the details of your applications. Follow-up is essential in a job search, and you can’t do so if you don’t have a record of your applications.
3. It takes time to submit those applications, and much of it is wasted if you are not taking steps to make sure that every resume submission has a chance to land an interview.
Instead, consider choosing just a few job boards to use on a regular basis. Here are the top job boards you should choose from:
· Indeed
· ZipRecruiter
· Glassdoor
Some job openings listed on these platforms have links that lead to other job boards that you must use to make your application. There is often no way around this, but that doesn’t mean you have to use the job board for any other purpose.
Bonus Tip! I strongly suggest saving these logins in your internet browser. Most job search sites use your email address as the username and require a password that has a capital letter, a lowercase letter, a number, and a symbol. Some sites differ somewhat, and saving the logins to your browser saves a lot of headaches later when you want to follow up on an application.
Here are some other tips for using multiple job boards:
1. Keep an application tracker. At a minimum, make note of the company, the position, the platform you used to apply, and the date you applied. You can filter the applications to find them quickly when employers follow up with you out of the blue, putting all details of the job opening at your fingertips. I highly recommend this for all job seekers, even if you only use one platform.
2. Create a different resume and cover letter for each position. Most job search sites allow you to store more than one resume and cover letter. This cuts down on application times by allowing you to have a resume and cover letter for each job title you choose.
3. Look for your local job boards. Now that most newspapers are online, these same publications are offering job boards. For example, the one for the Kansas City Star can be found through the hamburger menu on their website.
Of course, you should not limit yourself to job search sites. Many firms post job openings on their website and nowhere else, asking for an emailed resume and cover letter or providing their own application system. Doing basic Google searches should also be part of your diversification plan.
Diversify your job search with new career paths.
Most job seekers accept their fate and only apply for jobs they have already done, although some do look to take that next step up the ladder when looking for a new job. But are you really happy about that job?
While you absolutely should apply for job openings that match the better part of your overall or recent work experience, there is no reason you shouldn’t apply for other jobs as well. Many skills and experiences transfer between industries, professions, career paths, and job titles.
Exercise! The book I have planned will contain a series of exercises designed to ensure a successful job search. Completion of the exercises gives you everything you need to write your resume. Here is a condensed version of the first set of brainstorming exercises.
Brainstorming what you have to offer employers:
1. Write down every academic, volunteer, and career experience you have had. Once you have a full list, mark out anything that is very obviously unrelated to your desired job title.
2. For each item on the above list, brainstorm every skill, task, and responsibility you fulfilled as part of that job. Again, cross off anything completely unrelated to your desired job title.
3. Circle any skills that crop up more than once. These are the primary skills you have to offer an employer. Look for synonyms or items that can easily be grouped together.
4. Find 3 job openings similar to what you are seeking. Write down a list of all of the skills, competencies, and experience specified in the job postings. Circle any items that are on your own skills lists.
5. Again, look for synonyms between your skills list and the requirements for the position. Make note of any skills that vary in terminology between your resume and the job posting.
These brainstorming exercises have three main goals. First, you build confidence by seeing how your experience applies to the position. Second, you learn how to describe your skills and experiences in a way that shows the employer exactly how you are qualified. Third, your resume will get through ATS systems because they will have all of the necessary keywords.
Embrace social media.
This is another great tip inspired by Rebecca Wentworth’s article. Whether you use it to apply for jobs or not, having a LinkedIn page is essential. Don’t fall for services that complete your LinkedIn profile for you. This is unnecessary unless you are actively job searching on the site or through your LinkedIn network.
Your LinkedIn profile should be completed, however, and doing so is easy via copy and paste. I suggest all job seekers create a text-only resume. There are still some job openings that require you to enter all of your resume information into an application form. For this reason, and to easily populate profiles like LinkedIn, an unformatted resume that can easily be used for copy-paste saves a lot of time.
You should also make sure that your other social media accounts do not have information that could hurt your chances of getting a job. Your personal life is none of your employer’s business, but you can bet that recruiters Google or otherwise search all candidates for social media profiles. At least while you’re job hunting, lock down your social media and be careful of what you share publicly.
Create an elevator pitch
The elevator pitch is a marketing tool used by many in the business world. This is essentially a 30-second pitch as to why someone should grant what you desire, whether that be a lead, a sale, or a job.
All job seekers should have an elevator pitch. You never know when job opportunities might present themselves. In addition, a well-prepared elevator pitch answers the interview opener, “Tell me about yourself.”
A 30-second elevator pitch is about 70 words, or about the length of a Twitter post. Draft it carefully and memorize it.
Networking, networking, networking!
The best jobs aren’t posted on job boards. They are offered by companies on their personal websites. A well-connected local business may not post job openings at all. There are often very promising candidates found through their business networks. This is the purpose of your elevator pitch.
The best way to find a great job with a great company is through networking. There are always networking opportunities in every region. Here in Kansas City, several opportunities can be found through the Meetup.com site, including a few specifically for women. You can also find them on Facebook groups.
It doesn’t matter what level you are at in your career, networking is key to any type of success.
Final thoughts:
The need and search for employment can be stressful, and most people don’t have a strategy or goal other than a paycheck. Creating a strategy, staying organized, and following through are crucial for any successful job search.
