Do you have to Wear an Orange Sign to Stand Out as a Job Seeker?
My recruiting buddy, Jessica Lee, wrote an interesting blog post yesterday about a job seeker who was standing on a street corner in downtown Washington D.C. wearing a business suit and an orange sign that read "ENTRY LEVEL JOB SEEKER." First, kudos to Jessica for getting a blog up about this right away (you should definitely subscribe to her blog and follow her on Twitter).
Second, I definitely applaud the spirit of Michael's "outside the box" approach which must require some real solid inner game to pull off.
The reality is, most of us aren't going to be donning neon orange signs to stand out. So what can you do? Here are five tips. Incorporate them into your job search today:
1) Write a fantastic LinkedIn profile full of keywords, metrics, awards and accomplishments. Review attractive job descriptions first and be sure to include the same "buzz words" you see in the responsibilities and qualifications sections. Include a picture of yourself in business attire. Set your current status to something specific "Seeking to leverage my five years of agency brand marketing experience in an in-house brand manager role at a leading consumer goods company in Atlanta." Include your email address and links to your resume, portfolio, Twitter, etc.
2) Limit your computer time. I said it. Perform enough research to enable you to draft an email to a contact seeking an informational conversation. But remember, the more time you spend on the Internet, the less time you are spending speaking with someone in-person (best) or over the phone.
3) Be True to your School. I love the 'Cuse and will always make time to chat with recent grads or fellow alumni. Find fellow alumni at your target companies, research them (LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, etc.) and send them an intro note seeking a brief informational chat. Unless they are a total jerk, they will chat with you and share advice and guidance. And if they are a jerk, you don't want to know them anyway...
4) Engage recruiters and professionals via social media. Twitter and blogs provide you an opportunity to "see" what recruiters and professionals at your target companies are saying... what they care about. Engage in a conversation with them by "retweeting" and replying to interesting Twitter posts and job opportunities and by commenting on blogs with insightful comments and links to useful resources.
5) When you feel you've hit a wall, think outside the box like Michael. I got my first full-time job by cold-emailing the General Manager of the office. I also urge you to read my recent post about how my colleague turned a chance meeting in an apartment building into a job.
Second, I definitely applaud the spirit of Michael's "outside the box" approach which must require some real solid inner game to pull off.
The reality is, most of us aren't going to be donning neon orange signs to stand out. So what can you do? Here are five tips. Incorporate them into your job search today:
1) Write a fantastic LinkedIn profile full of keywords, metrics, awards and accomplishments. Review attractive job descriptions first and be sure to include the same "buzz words" you see in the responsibilities and qualifications sections. Include a picture of yourself in business attire. Set your current status to something specific "Seeking to leverage my five years of agency brand marketing experience in an in-house brand manager role at a leading consumer goods company in Atlanta." Include your email address and links to your resume, portfolio, Twitter, etc.
2) Limit your computer time. I said it. Perform enough research to enable you to draft an email to a contact seeking an informational conversation. But remember, the more time you spend on the Internet, the less time you are spending speaking with someone in-person (best) or over the phone.
3) Be True to your School. I love the 'Cuse and will always make time to chat with recent grads or fellow alumni. Find fellow alumni at your target companies, research them (LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, etc.) and send them an intro note seeking a brief informational chat. Unless they are a total jerk, they will chat with you and share advice and guidance. And if they are a jerk, you don't want to know them anyway...
4) Engage recruiters and professionals via social media. Twitter and blogs provide you an opportunity to "see" what recruiters and professionals at your target companies are saying... what they care about. Engage in a conversation with them by "retweeting" and replying to interesting Twitter posts and job opportunities and by commenting on blogs with insightful comments and links to useful resources.
5) When you feel you've hit a wall, think outside the box like Michael. I got my first full-time job by cold-emailing the General Manager of the office. I also urge you to read my recent post about how my colleague turned a chance meeting in an apartment building into a job.
i think the advice of being true to your school is excellent. particularly in DC where you have so many transplants from so many different schools, the networks we have through alumni programs are so rich!
i once heard someone from harvard university say to a group of students that you're not only paying for a first class education by going to harvard, you're paying for an expansive network... and that mentality has stuck with me.
good advice, brian!
Brian great post! These job search tips are extremely helpful. I especially like tip # 2- limit your computer time. I feel with all the different outlets for communicating (texting, twitter, facebook, IMing) people forget how important it is to build a relationship face-to-face or over the phone. I read another article that might be helpful to your readers http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/ The author of this article suggests creating a video resume and uploading it to YouTube. What do you think of this idea?
Thanks for the comment Jessica. It is important to note that alumni can help you get your foot in the door, but you still need to bring your "A" game!
Andrea, awesome comment and link! Good question about the video resume. I personally have only seen one or two so it would be unique. However, I am a firm believer that "It's not the medium, it's the message!" A generic, non-tailored video resume would not be much different than a "one size fits all" resume. If you are able to tailor your video resume to a specific opening than try it out! As with all technology, blogs, social media... it's just a big laboratory... we haven't quite figured out the ROI yet. So give it a try... just tailor it!