10 Job Search Strategies to Eclipse Your Reliance on a Resume
Many people want the resume dead – or they at least want to hold a funeral for it. It’s very sexy to proclaim the resume’s demise, and it brings major street cred.
But the truth is the resume is still an essential part of your job search. Job descriptions still tell you where to send or upload it. It’s a stimulant for conversations at every level.
But the rest is up to you. Resumes still matter, but they are not your primary tool for the job search anymore. They only jump-start the process. In fact, a resume alone does not give cause for an employer to call you. Recruiters and hiring managers will Google you first for more information – which is all the more reason for you to make sure Google points to your best profiles and work.
And get this: You can start your job search without a perfect resume. Your resume is not a magic potion. Those who obsess over tweaking it are overthinking it and its value.
What job search tactics provide more value than a resume alone? Here are 10:
1. Build a Personal Brand That Has Global Appeal
Your skills can be taught – in the classroom, online, or through coaching. However, no one can learn your personality. Your life experiences, trials, victories, and outlook are unique to you. Once you understand how your skills and personality mesh to make a viable marketing unit, then you can confidently conquer what’s yours.
2. Know Your Market Value
Negotiation is a constant fact of the job hunt, and everything is about your total compensation package. Think about your investment of time, travel to learn your skills, the value of the opportunity, and the process of perfecting your craft, and then research. There are many tools, articles, and books to help you determine your salary and market value.
3. Keep Lifestyle and Values in Mind
Consider options like remote work. Stop treating life as it were the obstacle to your ideal career. The happiest people are those who manage to wrap their careers around what matters to them most. Recognize the nuances of your lifestyle; they will show you how to shape your career around life’s challenges.
Too many job seekers move from job to job. If your goal is to take control of your career, then you have to create quality opportunities by providing content. The more recruiters and employers know about you, the more likely they will be to contact you about open roles. Providing content allows you to control the conversation by focusing it on your strengths and expertise.
5. Make Sure You Deliver Content Through the Right Channels
How you deliver content matters. You want to be top of mind. Consider posting on a personal website or via LinkedIn Pulse. You could even offer instructional videos on YouTube, Instagram, or Snapchat. Podcasts are also a way to provide raw, informative, and personable content to create engagement and visibility.
How you deliver content depends on where decision-makers in your industry are active. Use the channels they use.
6. Service Is the New Networking
You will be memorable when you offer genuine help to your network and meet people’s needs as best you can. The hardest part is doing that without expecting anything in return.
Remember that the people you are helping aren’t the only ones who benefit. Consider depositing goodness in the bank of karma as a viable and long-term career strategy.
7. Be Smart About Personal SEO
The importance of being found on Google is critical. Your social presence should trigger interest and intrigue in employers. Using tools such as Google Alerts, Talkwalker, and Google Analytics (if you have a website) can tell who is sharing or linking to your content. You can monitor your reputation and credibility to ensure your mentions are positive.
8. Be the Prescription to the Company’s Job Description
Job seekers who have a “remedy” mindset know the industry challenges at large and know the particular difficulties of potential employers. Engaging your network, industry news, and professional organizations create growth.
I am all for using LinkedIn as a place for content creation, but the optimal place I recommend is a blog. LinkedIn could go away, taking your content with it. A blog is where you have complete control over what people see and how much they see.
10. Persuade Through Social Proof
Networking and researching are essential when preparing your career documents and for interviews. Before almost any interaction today, both parties will use Google and forms of social proof to check the authenticity of the other party. You’re going to be Googled by someone you’re meeting for coffee or an interview. Do you think they’re just taking your word when you say you’re a “guru”?
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More and more, the Web is your resume. Your internet presence should expand on the skills and capabilities listed in your resume. The less employers see your work and know about you, the more you’re a liability. It’s better to craft your social profiles to tell a career story so employers and recruiters will want to know more.
Mark Anthony Dyson is a career consultant, the host and producer of “The Voice of Job Seekers ” podcast, and the founder of the blog by the same name.