Job Search 2.0 - Are you there yet?

Job Search 2.0

tips for the new economy

personal branding | social media | networking

The world has dramatically changed in the past three years, and especially the process of finding a new job. If you are in an industry or field that has been impacted more than others, such as Architecture or Financial Services, you have realized by now that what passed for “job hunting” three years ago is LONG GONE. It's been replaced by “Job Search 2.0” and if you have not updated your career management strategies, you will find yourself unemployed longer than necessary. You must identify, create, and market your brand to be successful.

The following three tips for a successful job search are what is called Job Search 2.0.

Personal Branding - Identify & Create Your Brand

What is Personal Branding? The best explanation I have heard is that it is “the mental space that you take up in other peoples’ minds”. It really is your unique talents, skills, and experiences packaged and marketed in a way that hiring mangers, recruiters, and/or potential clients etc can easily “get” what you do, what you offer, what you bring to the table. It answers dreaded interview questions: So, what makes you unique? How are you different from the other candidates?

You need to clearly identify, package, and market your Personal Brand. Are you are “Revit Expert” or “OSHPD Guru”? What do you do really, really well? Once you figure that out, you can start to build your Brand. Included in this is your Accomplishment based Resume and Professional Bio.

Social Media - Market Your Brand

Now that you have a Personal Brand, you need to think of your job search strategy as a Marketing Campaign. You must incorporate the Internet as a large part but not the only part. That means not only having a Linked In profile, but being an active member. You need Facebook. You need Twitter. You need Plaxo and Buzz. You need a Gmail account. You need a digital portfolio for uploading. Part of personal branding is being consistent across all platforms. That means carefully creating your “Brand” and then managing it online and in person.

Networking & Hard Target Search - Present Your Brand

You have to network - and not with same crew, over and over. They know you and most likely have your number. The art of networking is about creating trust through relationship building. People tend to recommend people they know and trust, since their name is on the line. You need to meet NEW people in a variety of industries and build relationships. You need a coffee calendar. You need to attend a minimum of two networking events per week. You need to Link In with your contacts.

Networking leads to Hard Target Search (HTS). Stop sending resumes and applications off to cyberspace. If you research firms you want to work at, and make an effort to meet people in charge, your chances of getting an interview is much better. A HTS is focused, and proactive, and conducted in Real Time. Real Time uses the phone as your number career tool. It's faster, and more effective (unless you know someone prefers email).