It’s time to break out of your box if you want to stand out from today’s job seeking crowds.
There are by more books on finding a line of work. All the details of how to find a job are discussed, including writing a resume, preparing for your job interview, what to wear, how to conduct an online search, who to contact, who can be a good resource.
That was back then and you could count on traditional textbooks to tell you how.
Today is harder. The unemployment figures continue to rise and you have more and better qualified people looking for the same job as you.
Here are some tips for strutting around no matter what your age.
Start a blog. This is your active resume, your engaging resume because others can enter comments on your blog posts. Use your blog as a virtual business card to let readers know about your skills. Use the keywords associated with the job you are looking for. Build your personal brand with your blog and let others find you.
Participate in various social networking sites. I’m talking about Twitter, Facebook and Linked-In. Join groups on Facebook that are related to what you do professionally and start introducing yourself to group members. You may be able to answer some of your questions with your previous experience. They might be the best job resources you want to know about.
Reach out to your informal network of family, friends and neighbors and any non-profit groups you volunteer to serve. You have no idea who your brother-in-law’s sister might know.
If you’ve written an ad for yourself, use a handwritten letter in the ad text instead of text. Write the announcement on a piece of paper, scan it, and post it on your website. This adds a personal touch and will increase your responses.
Include an article or review written about or by yourself with your ad text. This will show people that you are respected in your business and it will increase your credibility.
The old traditional ways of finding a new job are out. If you want to get the job you are looking for, you will have to go beyond what is expected of the standard job search. Learn as much as you can about your potential employer so that when you are interviewed, what you say is relevant to the company.
