Marketing Yourself

Why is it that as creative and innovative as we can be in the marketing realm, when it comes to job searches we tend to fall back on the least effective marketing strategies?

Two nights ago, your humble host of The BeanCast participated in a very interesting panel discussion on exactly this sort of question. The session was put on by the local AAF (American Advertising Federation) chapter, with a focus on how to get a job in a down economy. And the session couldn't have been more relevant and more appreciated by the participants.

But what was most interesting about the whole event was the continued focus by most participants on resumes and how to get them in front of prospective employers. Everyone there had dozens of questions on the subject of how much info the resume should have and how it should be formatted and whom to send it to. And by and large the answer from the panel was, "This is probably the least important tool in the process."

When asked what the purpose of the resume was, the entire panel, in one form or another agreed, "It's the tool we use to eliminate applicants."

The Resume Makes You a Commodity

This is a key insight. Employers -- especially today's employers in this economy -- have hundreds of resumes to go through for a single job posting. And even if they haven't posted a job, they still will peruse dozens if not hundreds of unsolicited resumes over time. Given this reality, the chief goal of reviewing these documents is to find the reasons to reject them.

This sounds negative and harsh, but a process of eliminating chaff enables the hiring manager to focus more attention on the qualities present for the applicants that are left. So being just a resume in a pile is the lowest common denominator of the job search. It can be important in the overall selling of yourself, but in and of itself it only serves to make you a commodity, not a brand.

Build Brand Awareness Before Going For The Sale

Of course the next question became, "How often do I need to call or stop by or email you to stand out." And the answer again was counter-intuitive: "Don't bug us."

What used to give you the leg up in a job search was having a common affiliation or a friend who could vouch for you, or even being walked in the door by an employee at the company. It was all about who you knew. Well, guess what. That's still true today. The only thing is that now there are lots more opportunities for you to be in relationship with prospective employers outside the forum of applying for a job.

You think commenting on a blog post or Ad Age article is a waste a time? You think discussing marketing issues on Twitter is just idle chit chat? Think again. These are very public venues that can sometimes be viewed my lots of people who can affect your job search. One person will be connected to another person who is connected to yet another person and soon you're being seen and recognized by the people making hiring decisions at your targeted company.

The Job Search As a Communication Plan

Think of it like this: The resume and cover letter, along with your carefully crafted follow ups, are your direct marketing efforts. Your LinkedIn and Twitter page, along with your social interactions across the Internet, are your branding campaign. They all work synergistically and enhance the power of each other if you strike the right balance. So it behooves you to take the same approach to your job search that you would take for your clients:

Identify Your USP - What makes you different? Resumes usually focus on the commodity aspect of how you meet or exceed the minimum qualifications of the job. But what differentiates you for the crowd? I can't tell you what that should be for you, but make it professional and make it a space you can own.

Craft Your Identity - In my own case, I'm not just another consultant. I'm a consultant with the chops to get a who's who of industry experts on a weekly marketing podcast. My blog and podcast afford me additional credibility for my ideas, display my ability to think on the fly and provide a showcase for my winning charm. ;) But jokes aside, my online personality is a carefully crafted presentation of what I think makes me interesting to people. It's calculated and it's intentional. And I would say anyone in a job search today needs to take a good hard look at what a Google search of their name will reveal.

Keep Your Interactions Consistently on Message - From your intentionally projected identity will spring subject matter that should always be "on message." For me it's a focus on forward-thinking marketing approaches, solid understanding of the basics and healthy does of cycling and video games chatter to show I'm not boring. But what ever mix you come up with, keep it consistent and stay on message in everything you do online.

Create a Targeted Strategic Plan for Each Prospect - When you do get a chance to interact directly with an employer or identify a potential job, make it count. Just sending out a resume is tantamount to a bank sending you a credit card solicitation; you're simply playing a numbers game where you're bound to be recognized eventually. Instead, approach each opportunity as a unique marketing program. Do your research. Target your message. And make ever touch point memorable.

Keep Them Saying Yes - You've got to ask for the sale to get the sale. But the best sales people lead people along a path of saying yes before going for the money. Give your prospective employer ways to say yes to you first. Ask for an informational interview. Send a basket of chocolate to the office. (Almost no one says "no" to chocolate?) Ask if you can team up with some of their people to work on an interesting pro bono project you bring their way. The more they say yes to you, the closer you get to a, "Yes, you're hired."

There's no sugar coating that this is a tough economy and finding a job is a challenge. But don't forget what you do for a living. Marketers are better equipped to face the challenges of the job market than just about any other profession I can imagine.