Marketing 101 for Job Seekers

Resume and Interview Strategies from The Resume Journey to Better Paying Employment: A Job Search Guide for the Average American.

Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash

There are few marketers with a deep understanding of resume writing, but I am one such rarity. I have been working in marketing in some capacity since 1997, and I’ve been writing resumes for friends, family, extended circles, and the occasional well-paid gig since 1993.

This unique blend of experience allows me to see many parallels between marketing a product or service and seeking employment. I would like to share this perspective with you today. In an attempt to cover as many marketing tips that apply to job seekers as possible, I have searched the internet for the best marketing tips of experts and applied them to a job search.

1. Look for opportunities to diversify.

Pursuing every distribution channel at once is unrealistic and produces mixed results, and businesses need to carefully select where they will advertise. In this section, we will look at diversification as it applies to using job boards and choosing positions for which you want to apply.

Diversify your job search by choosing a few carefully selected options.

There are literally hundreds of job search sites out there, and you’re bombarded with ads for the biggest of them at every turn. With every platform making it as easy as possible to upload and share your resume with random employers, it’s hard not to take advantage to cast a wider net.

There are several problems with using so many job boards:

1. It’s easy to be caught off guard when contacted from an application that you submitted, making your response less than professional.
2. Using multiple job sites makes it more likely that you will lose track of the details of your applications, making follow-up impossible.
3. Not knowing what platform was used, and not being able to recall details of a job opening, could hurt your chances of getting the job.
4. You spend a lot of time submitting applications that will never even be reviewed.

Instead, consider choosing just a few job boards to use on a regular basis. Here are the top job boards you should choose from:

• Indeed
• ZipRecruiter
• LinkedIn
• Glassdoor

Some job openings listed on these platforms have links that lead to other job boards that you must use to make your application. There is often no way around this, but that doesn’t mean you have to use the site for any other purpose.

Indeed is by far the most comprehensive job board available. ZipRecruiter tries to have a variety of careers and career-level positions, but in the end, they are geared more toward college graduates. LinkedIn and Glassdoor are more for corporate positions or upper management in trades.

I highly recommend everyone uses Indeed. For many, Indeed is the only job board you need to find local jobs from small businesses and corporations alike. If you are looking for fast food, retail, or other service jobs, Snagajob is also a good choice.

Here are some other tips for using multiple job boards:

1. Keep an application tracker. At a minimum, make note of the company, the position, the platform you used to apply, and the date you applied. You can filter the applications to find them quickly when employers follow up with you out of the blue, putting all details of the job opening at your fingertips. I highly recommend this for all job seekers, even if you only use one platform. A free template for download and how to use it can be found here.
2. Create a different resume and cover letter for each position. Most job search sites allow you to store more than one resume and cover letter. This cuts down on application times by allowing you to have a resume and cover letter for each job title you choose.
3. Look for your local job boards. Now that most newspapers are online, these same publications are offering job boards. For example, the one for the Kansas City Star can be found on their website’s hamburger menu.

Of course, you should not limit yourself to job search sites. Many firms post job openings on their website and nowhere else, asking for an emailed resume and cover letter or providing their own application system. Doing basic Google searches should also be part of your diversification plan.

Diversify your job search with new career paths.

Most job seekers accept their fate and only apply for jobs they have already done, although some do look to take that next step up the ladder when looking for a new job. But are you really happy in that career?

While you absolutely should apply for job openings that match the better part of your overall or recent work experience, there is no reason you shouldn’t apply for other jobs as well. Many skills and experiences transfer between industries, professions, career paths, and job titles. Explore what you have to offer an employer and choose a few different search terms than normal.

My upcoming book, The Resume Journey to Better Paying Employment: A Job Search Guide for the Average American, takes this need into account by walking you through choosing job titles to go after in your job search, step by step. The book leads the job seeker to identify strengths, weaknesses, and the careers that best match those qualifications.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics is the most valuable tool in this endeavor. Keep an eye on this blog for an introduction to this free resource. A complete overview and how-to guide for the OOH are included in The Resume Journey.

2. Embrace social media.

Whether you use it as a job search platform or not, the value of having a complete LinkedIn profile with a resume cannot be overstated. Many local companies and small businesses scout regional talent on LinkedIn before ever placing an ad for a job opening. This is less necessary for retail, food, and other service jobs unless you are looking for upper management or senior-level positions and board appointments.

I also want to take advantage of this opportunity to issue a warning about other social media while performing a job search. Your personal Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other social media accounts will almost certainly be reviewed by at least some perspective employers. Make sure what is on your social media profiles doesn’t make you look like a bad risk.

Here are some tips for minimizing the damage that personal social media can cause:

1. Facebook and Instagram have privacy settings allowing you to change the privacy on all posts on your profile to “Friends” all at the same time with just a few clicks. If you tend to post personal information and experiences on these platforms, as many people do, make sure you do this before getting too far into your job search.
2. Watch what you say on Twitter. You don’t have to worry about employers digging too far back into your tweets, especially if you tweet frequently and often. Still, make sure you’re watching your p’s and q’s while job hunting.
3. Don’t be political. This is a tough one, especially with everything going on right now. But unless you’re determined not to work with anyone that disagrees with you politically, blatantly advertising your political views could bias a hiring manager against interviewing you. (If you think you will find a job where no one disagrees with you politically, you’ll be looking a long time.)

3. Connect online and offline strategies.

Be ready for offline opportunities, and coordinate online and offline strategies so that they complement one another. Like businesses need both print and online marketing materials, so too do you need to have both print and online resumes, cover letters, and other resume or interview documents.

My resume formats are simple but professional, making them just as impressive in person as they are functional online. In fact, the format I teach in The Resume Journey to Better Paying Employment has been the base standard for more than 30 years. Recruiters and ATS skim through resumes and cover letters in similar ways, and this format works best for both. (Template coming soon!)

Interview Tip! I highly recommend taking two clean, wrinkle, and fold-free copies of your resume with you to all interviews. Not only can you refer to it yourself to help you stay on track while answering their questions, but you can also offer it to the interviewer as a reference for themselves. It also shows that you are prepared and detailed.

I also recommend you keep a few resumes with you at all times. You never know when the opportunity might arise.

4. Prioritize authenticity.

Expert marketers point out that consumers want transparency, honesty, and authenticity. In reality, this desire is one that most people share today. Hiring managers and interviewers don’t want to see you on your best behavior – they want to see you as you will be on a daily basis to ensure you’re a good fit.

The easiest way to prioritize authenticity, whether on your resume or in an interview, is to be very straightforward and honest about your skills, experiences, knowledge, and what you can bring to the table. When asked about your weaknesses, be candid in your answer (but follow it up with why it won’t interfere with the work).

Don’t try to be someone you’re not. And never lie on your resume.

5. Create a memorable message.

Businesses need to have a memorable message because people are bombarded with ads all day every day. As of a 2017 study, the average person sees around 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day. These ads come at us from all directions when we’re streaming media, watching television, playing games, scrolling social media, and reading print magazines.

Hiring managers are overwhelmed by job applications in the same way. Glassdoor found that the average job opening attracts about 250 resumes. When companies are hiring for multiple positions or locations, the number of resumes they see each day continues to grow. If you want a real chance at the job your resume needs to stand out.

That doesn’t mean making it flashy or using unprofessional language. It means grabbing the reader’s attention and keeping it long enough for them to see how you could benefit their company. This can be done with well-thought-out and creatively written tag lines and skill section lead-ins. I teach how to do this and give examples in The Resume Journey to Better Paying Employment. A blog on this topic is also forthcoming.

6. Use networking to build contacts that could lead to industry jobs.

Networking with other professionals in your field isn’t just good for you while you’re in a position, it’s a good strategy to stay in demand in your chosen career field. When you network with other people in your industry or in similar positions in other industries, you often hear of job opportunities before they are even posted.

There is something to be said for the increase in networking activities over the last few years. Sites like MeetUp.com allow you to find in-person networking events in your area, while social media like Facebook gives you the opportunity to connect with others in your field in your community or in other places you might be willing to relocate.

7. Make performance analysis an ongoing strategy.

Digital marketers use many data and analytic algorithms to monitor the success of their marketing materials and make adjustments accordingly. Without the constant monitoring and adapting of marketing content and advertising, companies lose touch with their target market and their share of that market decreases dramatically.

In the same way, you should monitor your progress toward a new job carefully as you perform your job search. If you aren’t getting at least one interview for every 50 resumes submitted, you may need to rework your resume, cover letter, and other documents. Compare your resume to the job descriptions of the openings you are being turned down for to give yourself an idea of where employers think you are falling short.

8. Champion social responsibility.

Consumers love companies that display social responsibility. Smart companies are embracing diversification policies and improvements to environmental policies. If you are applying for a position with a company that holds these standards, you need to make sure you also display them.

Use opportunities in your resume and the interview to show your commitment to important social and cultural issues like equality, diversity, working together with others as a team toward a greater good, being eco-conscious, avoiding conflict, etc. Show them you fit into their company culture.

9. Anticipate the needs of your target audience.

The best marketers know their target market’s needs and show them how their product meets those needs. As a job seeker, your goal is the same. You need to know the needs of the employers you are querying so that you can show them how your background can meet those needs in a unique and successful way.

Know exactly what the employer wants in a candidate and display those qualities prominently in your resume, cover letter, and during the interview. The Resume Journey to Better Paying Employment will contain brainstorming exercises that take one on a journey of self-discovery. After completing the exercises, job seekers will be able to clearly see what they have to offer a company and compare that to the qualities and qualifications requested in any job posting.

Key Takeaways

Never forget that you are on display to employers just like a product on a shelf. And, just like shoppers looking at new brands, employers can pick and choose among the best of the best according to what little they can determine on the surface.

I wish you all the best in your job search. Please review the other blogs and articles in the Job Seeker Resources category for additional tips and more information about the upcoming book, The Resume Journey to Better Paying Employment: A Job Search Guide for the Average American.

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