Finding a job in a poor economy can be a tough challenge to overcome. However, career strategist J.T. O'Donnell points out that how well you market yourself can affect how long it will take you to find employment. Your job is to show a potential employer how you could fit into the company. The more job search strategies you try, the more you increase your chances of landing a position in your chosen field or industry.
Use of Keywords
Think keywords when creating an online resume. If you are concentrating your job search efforts on the Web, you have to translate your employment experience into keywords to attract the attention of potential employers. Applicant tracking systems rank resumes by the number of keywords they contain, so the more keywords you use in your resume, the more you increase your chances at successfully landing a job interview. Companies are looking for keywords, which indicate education, technical skills, job titles and level of experience. Job-Hunt.org also recommends including the word "resume" in your online resume. Recruiters often key in the word when searching for resumes. Add it in the filename as well. Remember, too, that tracking systems can identify personality traits and not just technical skills. Finally, include a link to your personal webpage, but keep your page professional highlighting the details of your career.
Turn Tables at Job Interview
Videotape yourself during a mock interview. That way you can see for yourself how you come off to an interviewer. Pay particular attention to your body language and what it says about you. Practice role-playing so that you can go into a job interview well prepared. If you feel extremely nervous, try to get the interviewer to do some of the talking rather than simply asking you questions. Jason Alba, creator of the CEO Training webinars underscores that generally people won't pass up on an opportunity to talk about themselves. Use small talk to help make you feel more at ease throughout the interview. Ask questions that show you have researched the company. Questions demonstrate interest and indicate that you are evaluating the company as closely as it is looking at you. By showing a genuine interest in the company you are already building a rapport. Be an interviewer as well as the interviewee.
Network Through Business Cards
Never underestimate the value of networking to find a job. This is one of the most effective ways to learn about job opportunities before they are posted or advertised. Collect business cards and company brochures everywhere you go. Public events are a practical place to start. Jack Liles, a financial consultant and president of the Atlanta Citadel Club, suggests creating a database of the contacts you make. Include the person's name, company, city where located, phone number, email address and a few notes reminding yourself who the person is and what you talked about when you met . Updating a database is easier to manage then filing away a stack of business cards.
Learn the names and job titles of the key members of a company's leadership team from a company's brochure. Brochures are often designed to give detailed information about a company's products or services, and usually represent a company's image and philosophy. Well-designed brochures may contain a company's history and mission statement, annual business report information, prior clients and mention of awards the company has received.
Another networking technique is to create a personal business card of your own. Include your career area and contact information. Use of personal business cards is a practical way to pass along your basic contact information and expand your job search. Give your card to anyone who could possibly connect you with a potential job opening. Pass your cards out to others you meet along the way who are in the market for a job themselves. They could learn about available positions, which aren't in their fields but are within your area of expertise.
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