BloggernityLooking for a job? You need to get creative…
By
If you’re looking for a job, it’s time to stop using passive methods like posting resumes and chasing job postings and start thinking of yourself as a product for sale. That’s right, you’re a product. And you need to start marketing yourself.
So, what’s the first thing a business does when they start marketing? They get business cards printed up, they get marketing materials made, and they build a website.
I can hear the groans now.
“I don’t know anything about marketing…”
” Don’t have money to spend on all that stuff…”
“I don’t know how to build a website…”
Maybe not. But if you have time to waste on Facebook, you have time to learn how to do these things and with a little creativity, you can do them for free.
First, let’s talk about business cards. Passing out resumes is “same old, same old.” if you want to stand out from the crowd, do csomething creative like handing out business cards.
You can give them to friends, relatives, associates, potential employers, take them to networking events…what else can you think of? And you can get 200 business cards for free from VistaPrint. It’s one of their standard offers. You just pick one of their standard card designs, pay for shipping and processing, and you’re in business.
I’ll assume if you’re on Facebook, you’ve spread the word that you’re looking for work. great. If you’re not on Facebook, time to get a page up and Facebook makes it real easy to find friends, relatives, old school friends, etc. All potential sources for job tips.
But, you need you’re own website. And the best kind of website to have is a WordPress blog. Now, there are ways to create a website from a WordPress blog and that’s what my wife does in her business. She designs WordPress websites and blogs for businesses.
But all you need is a simple blog. And a WordPress blog is very easy to set up. While you’re at it. you can also create extra pages for your blog and all the instructions to do so are provided. An important page to create is a “job title” Resume page.
In other words, if you are looking for a job as a CNC Machinist, create a page called CNC Machinist Resume. And post all the information on the page just like it’s on your resume. Also provide a downloadable PDF version of your resume that potential employers can download and print. You can use a free online service to convert your resume to a pdf.
You can even create an About Me page filled with pertinent facts about you, your skills, your previous jobs, education and training, etc., that go beyond what a simple resume can tell about you.
Once you have the blog set up, there’s no excuse to not be able to blog every single day. Blog about anything related to what you do for a living. Whatever you do, you’re an expert at it aren’t you? Aren’t there things you’ve learned about what you do that can make you stand out?
And I don’t want to hear any excuses about how you can’t write. You had to write papers and reports in high school. You tell your friends stories. Write like you were sitting across the table from a friend telling them about your job and what makes it interesting and what so of special projects you’ve done.
And an entry doesn’t have to be more than a paragraph or two. Just make sure that every entry mentions the work you’re looking for and the job title you’re looking for. If there are variations on the title, use them in some of your blog posts.
Then, once you’ve been blogging for a week straight, it’s time to start promoting your blog. Tell everyone you know that you have a blog about what you do for a living. Have everyone you know that uses a bookmarking service start bookmarking your blog posts. Have every firend and family member willing to sign up for one of the different bookmarking services get an account and start bookmarking your blog posts.
Make sure they also bookmark other blogs and articles so Google doesn’t figure out what you’re doing. And tell them not to bookmark every post, just every two or three at random.
If you write a pretty good post you think highly of, submit it to a blog carnival. That will get you even more attention.
If you’re unemployed, you should be learning everything you can about marketing and online marketing to promote yourself. go to the library and the bookstore and read books on Guerrilla Marketing and Guerrilla Publicity. Read books on free publicity and free marketing. There are plenty of them.
Promoting YOU, Unincorproated should be your full time job right now. Or you can just sit on your ass and hope a job floats your way out of the netherworld. It’s your choice.
Originally posted 2009-03-11 11:40:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
- Effective Web Copywriting Requires a Willingness to Look Outside the Box The last place you want to look for help or advice on writing copy, for...
- Create a Blog for Business – The Right Way! Creating a blog site is easy…once someone shows you how… Create a blog the way...
- Writing Copy For Any Marketing Materials Requires Leadership Writing copy for any marketing materials requires one thing over all others - if you...
- Job Options for Retirees Returning to the Job Market Whether for personal or financial reasons, many retired individuals are...
- Creating a New Alternative Stream of Income–My First Non-Blog Website Part I Since I started this blog, I have talked about why...
- Internet Marketing - Is It Able To Give You Money? Internet marketing is nice kind of business but when you...
4 Comments
March 12th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Great, pertinent post — “building your brand” online is key, especially when you’re looking for a job. Since the first page of Google for your name is almost as important as your resume, its key that you have appropriate and accurate information online.
Things like blogs and forum posts are very helpful in getting your name out efficiently and effectively. When I first lost my job, I joined The Free Agents, which is a social network for people between jobs. By posting on the forums and taking advantage of the blogging section, I’ve met several people from the site that have been extremely helpful as I try to figure out what I want to do next. Speaking with others that are looking for work in the same field is very helpful, since it has allowed me to keep my finger on the “pulse” of the market and see who is getting interviews and what places seem to be hiring.
Regardless of whether your blog or social network ultimately gets you a job, anything you write or create now will benefit you in the future!
-Andrew
March 12th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Great point Andrew! Hopefully, your comment will help spread the word about your social network. Iknow too many unemployed people who spend their time on social networks swapping old pitures and telling stories rather than taking advantage of them for the true employement networking possibilities.
Bob
March 16th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
[...] McClain presents Looking for a job? You need to get creative… | posted at WordsmithBob, saying, “Finding a job in this market takes creativity, marketing [...]
April 22nd, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by RLEschler: Looking for a job? You need to get creative… http://bte.tc/5AZ #RTW…