Find A Job: Market Yourself
Companies are not going to hire you just because you have great credentials or because you deserve a job. They are likely to hire you because you fit a need that they have.
So, stop blasting resumes out all over the internet! Instead, take a step back and start thinking of your job search as your own personal marketing campaign.
You have a product – you – that you are trying to sell to a potential buyer – the employer. How are you going to market this product? The answer is simple. You market this product by conveying its benefits: show what benefits you will bring to the employer if you are hired.
Start with a resume. Does your resume currently show how the employer will benefit by hiring you?
In order to know the answer, you need to do some “market research.” Collect job descriptions and look for common themes and “keywords.” From there, contact people who are hiring managers for the same position you are interested in – and just explain you are looking for some insight. Hey, you never know where one of these calls could lead…
Also, research the companies you are targeting by going to their online homepages, and use other resources such as www.Factiva.com and www.Hoovers.com. Professional associations also can be researched in any search engine (such as www.google.com or www.yahoo.com) by simply typing in the word “association” with the word(s) for the profession you are researching.
Once you have done some career research, and you have an idea of how your skills can benefit a company, you will be able to clearly communicate this connection on your resume and, later, in an interview. Use the information to craft a title, objective or summary for your resume, and make sure the common themes and keywords resonate throughout your marketing campaign.
For more information, contact a Career Consultant at JVS Cincinnati Career Network, 513.985.0515 or ccn@jvscinti.org.
