There is no mystery left in the resume, and LinkedIn is no longer a secret. Job seekers who are looking for a way to ‘stand out’ may find it more difficult now that the entire job seeking nation is utilizing tools and techniques that once seemed unique. Here are a few other suggestions job seekers can try in their efforts to generate leads and promote themselves.
Attend a Job Club
Good Morning America defined Job Clubs as, “…small groups of people across America who meet regularly to talk candidly about job searching and career advancement with the goal of supporting the success of all members.” There are now thousands of Job Clubs that meet in cities throughout the country. A good Job Club will follow an agenda that includes Member Introductions, a Presentation or Lecture, and the Passing of Job Leads. Seek out a group where members truly support one another. Employer involvement is a good indication of an active and productive Job Club.
Create a Prezi Resume
Go to www.prezi.com and sign up for a free, public account. Chris Anderson, CEO at TED, says, “Prezi is helping to reinvent the art of presentation.” Prezi allows individuals to create professional and interactive presentations that can easily be shared via social media. Job seekers can use Prezi to create a professional profile that highlights achievements, experiences and education in the same manner as a traditional resume. The Prezi Resume will look slick and professional. Share it via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Copy the link into cover letters or resumes. The creativity might just capture a recruiter’s attention.
Use YouTube
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world behind only Google. Users can create a free YouTube channel to publish video content. Job seekers who have had the opportunity to appear on a show or who have been filmed giving a lecture should share the videos of these appearances. Definitely, anyone from a creative arts field should utilize YouTube as a way of demonstrating their work. Some job seekers have filmed video introductions simply using an iPhone or digital camera; these can be uploaded to YouTube and shared with potential employers.
Create a Blog
Good communication skills are in high demand but low supply. A blog provides a unique forum for job seekers with good communication skills to demonstrate their ability to write and research. Blogs such as LinkedIn Pulse and Blogger are free and easy to use. Sign up for a blog and reserve an hour each week to write about your industry, provide tips for professionals in your field, or highlight something specific about the work you do. Blog articles can easily be shared to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media sites.
Volunteer
A lot of people say it but how many go out and do it. Job seekers may feel like they do not have time to volunteer because it takes away from their time to job search. Consider your volunteer time as job searching time. A good volunteer experience gives job seekers the chance to network with other people, which will likely result in job leads. Also, volunteering is a way to develop new skills, close resume gaps, and possibly capture the attention of the agency at which one volunteers. Volunteers are often hired by the agency or organization to which those volunteers donate their time.
Job Search After Dark
Here’s a reality that most people do not understand – Business Owners, Managers and other Decision Makers are busy running their businesses during the day; they do business at night. Job seekers who try to call on decision makers between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM are doomed to dead-end conversations with admins, security guards, recruiters and other gatekeepers. Check the local Business Times or Online Event Calendars for networking events, trade shows or related happenings that typically take place after hours or during happy hours. Often, these are free and open to the public. Business owners will attend these events to network with peers and colleagues. Job seekers can use these as an opportunity to get to know decision makers in a relaxed, casual environment.
Virtual Job Fairs
Virtual Job Fairs are a great way to connect with recruiters and learn about companies that are hiring in either specific industries or specific towns. Sometimes a virtual job fair may be hosted by one individual employer to highlight that employer’s hiring needs. Virtual Job Fairs may also be planned by local organizations in an effort to spotlight the hiring needs of several different employers. Job seekers can participate from anywhere. Virtual Job Fairs can include chat rooms where job seekers and recruiters can connect. Some Virtual Job Fairs are used for informational purposes wherein employers take turns presenting an overview of their companies, hiring needs, application processes, etc. These are almost always free and open to the public. Dates for these events…just like traditional job fairs…can be found in the local employment paper, in the local Business Times or online at sites such as Indeed.com.
Subscribe to Everything!
Nobody wants to get a bunch of SPAM and/or junk mail. Still, subscribing to online employment services is often the best way to find out about job openings, job club schedules, job fairs, and other related events. Set up a free email address at Gmail or Yahoo just to use for this purpose. Sign up for job leads at Indeed.com, Jobing.com and other similar websites. Look for local resources that provide career fair schedules, and subscribe to the mailing lists. Non-profits and neighborhood employment agencies often have similar newsletters or email blasts.
Tweet, Like and Retweet
Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. are all free. Social media users can set up separate accounts just to follow companies and organizations of interest. At a minimum, job seekers should set up a Twitter account in order to gain info about hiring needs, vacant positions and/or business trends. Consider these facts: Almost 70% of American companies use Twitter for marketing purposes including the marketing of vacant positions; 86% of US Charities and Non-Profits use Twitter; over 60% of peoples’ total media time is spent online…more than 50% of that time is spent on social media. Accounts like @LowesCareers and @MedExpressJobs tweet job announcements all day long. Sign up today at www.twitter.com and search for every company, school or organization of interest. You will have dozens of new job leads before the end of the day.
Never Apply for a Job Again
Research and surveys indicate that 1 out of every 100 applications submitted online results in an interview, and approximately only 5-7% of resumes submitted in response to a newspaper ad will result in an interview. In sharp contrast, almost 70% of jobs are found through a word-of-mouth referral. Job seekers need to stop submitting their resumes into black holes! Print the job ads and take them to Job Club. Ask a friend about the latest online posting. Share a job posting on Facebook and ask your friends for a referral to the company. Submit your resume via referral and never apply for a job again.
More Job Searching and Networking Strategies can be found in my books on Amazon at amazon.com/author/scottalbert
