Adapting Marketing Principles to Your Job Search

Author: Stephen Juro
             Accomplished Marketing Strategist, Communicator and Creative Force

When you boil down a job search, it is very similar in principle to selling a product or service. In essence, you are promoting yourself and trying to motivate an employer to spend time and money to bring you on board. Granted, this analogy can be overused and taken to the extreme, but if you use some basic marketing ideas, you can present yourself better and improve your chances of landing.

Determine a problem the company has and how you can be the solution
As they say, it’s tough to sell ice to an eskimo. Find a problem that the company has that you can help solve. Is it a technology infrastructure that needs improvement? Is it an accounting department that is struggling to keep up with the workload? Whatever it is, you need to identify that problem and show how you can help fix it. And, not just by sitting at a desk pushing paper, but by bringing skill, innovation, excitement or whatever you do that others can’t (at least not as well as you).

Tailor your message to your target audience
Good marketers tailor their message to the person receiving it. For example, different language is used when promoting products to young, urban professionals versus seasoned, C-level executives. Determine what type of person will typically be a hiring manager for the positions you are exploring (you probably worked with a few of them), and craft your messages – resume, cover letter, elevator speech, interview responses, etc – to this type of person. It sounds simple, but it is often overlooked. Express yourself in a way that is best for the listener/reader, not for you! Put yourself in their shoes and make sure that you are talking with them, not at them, above them or below them.

Craft your message so it is easily received
Think of your favorite ads and marketing campaigns. They are easy to read and you understand them quickly. Now, imagine yourself reading resume after resume and cover letter after cover letter. People often use confusing language, too much jargon and don’t get their point across. Is your message easy to “get” the first time? Does it engage the reader? Does it make the listener want to hear the rest or tune you out? Here are a few quick editing tips to make your message easier to understand:

• Cut unnecessary words
• Brief is better
• Define acronyms
• Use active, not passive language
• Proofread! (both you and someone else) 

Build your Brand
Decide how you would like the world to perceive you, and then craft that image. This is your “brand.” While some things are out of your control, everything you put out in the world professionally should add to this personal brand. If you want to appear like an expert on a subject, write and share relevant articles. If you want to appear professional, don’t post items on social media that could detract from that image. If you want to appear like a good manager, get testimonials from previous employees or peers showing that. It’s your image…it’s your job to maintain and protect it.

What Employers Look For When Hiring Staff

Author: David Schuchman
              Information Technology Manager of Projects and Teams

 

Hiring the best people is more critical than ever. In a tight job market, employers are able to be very selective about who they hire. However, the cost of finding, interviewing, engaging and training new employees is high. With so many qualified candidates, what are employers looking for in the people they choose to interview? Here are six things that employers look for when they review job applicants.

 

Professional Competency

Does the candidate have the necessary skills, experiences and education to successfully complete the tasks to perform well? Employers are looking for evidence in a person’s past that shows that they can. This doesn't mean that each candidate needs to have done this particular job with this particular title before. Instead, it means the candidate needs to have a track record of success in the skills that the position requires.

 

Compatibility

Can this person get along with colleagues, and with existing and potential clients and business partners? An additional critical consideration is the person’s willingness and ability to get along well with his or her boss. If the new employee can’t get along well with others, there will be problems.

 

Satisfaction with the Organization

Most employers want to hire people who will stick around for a long time. They also want to hire people who will be happy with the job. Unhappy people tend to be less productive, a drain on other employees' morale, and may quickly leave the organization.

 

Fit with Company Culture

Does the candidate seem like they will easily embrace the culture, or does it seem like they will struggle to fit in? Every business has a culture or a way that people behave and interact with each other. Culture is based on certain values, expectations, policies and procedures that influence the behavior of a leader and employees. Workers who don’t reflect a company’s culture tend to be disruptive and difficult.

 

Character

Does the candidate have values that align with the organization? Are they honest; do they tell the truth and keep promises? Are they a team player? It's not enough to just show up at work every day and do the minimum required. Employers are looking for candidates who care about getting things done, and to do those things well.

 

Enthusiasm for the Job

Is this just one job of many the candidate is applying to? Or, does the candidate have a special interest in this one? Employers would rather hire someone who will be excited to come to work than someone who sees it as "just a job."

David Schuchman