One of my favorite groups to speak to about internet marketing is job seekers. Because job seekers are not the entrepreneurial types, they usually don’t think like an entrepreneur.  You see savvy e-commerce entrepreneurs MUST be continually vigilant to new technology and strategies just to stay competitive.  Then we must Master those tools and technologies to stay ahead.   Job seekers on the other hand may be looking to work for one of these entrepreneurs or a large corporation.  So, there may not be the same “fire in the belly” motivation to live and breathe internet marketing technology.  But, the savvy professional will recognize this (i.e.  other job seeker’s complacency) as an opportunity.  Capitalizing on the potential of using the same tools to market their employable services,  that the online entrepreneur uses to promote his business, may be just the edge to landing that next dream job.

Meanwhile, my personal experience is that most career networkers, like a group called WIND, are highly skilled, motivated professionals that are always eager to hear about new ideas and cutting edge technology to help them succeed.

As a serial online entrepreneur, I am constantly seeking and discovering new tools and techniques available online, that will put me ahead of my competition. The motivation to grow my business is a never-ending process.  And fortunately, the free jewels online are endless. Always ready to start that next exciting online business. Ok, I’m an online geek that needs to get a life. But, maybe some of what I have learned could result in landing your next ultimate career.

FIRST, you need to change your thinking process. Start with, “how to stand out from my competition”. STOP doing what everyone else is doing. Stop relying solely on the same strategies everyone else is using, i.e. Linkedin, Networking groups and the “exciting” (sarcasm) Resume. Now, don’t get me wrong , I am NOT saying to STOP networking as it is absolutely critical to your success. But, go beyond the standard networking routines and for lack of a more original cliché, “think OUTSIDE the box”.

Below is my Top Ten list of strategies to finding your next dream job in less than the typical time it takes most to land a job.  And, please take a minute to comment below the article. (and also check the Facebook LIKE button, if you like)

1. Create a blog that centers around your professional expertise. Then start writing posts at least once a week. You could write on topics related to your profession, or an event you attended. Establish yourself as an expert in your field. Demonstrate to potential employers that you REALLY have something to offer, other than the self-proclaimed experience and self-praise found on all resumes. Done right, your blog will be more effective than any resume in communicating the level of your professional knowledge and insight and establishing your personal brand.

For example, if you are looking for a Project manager position, look on the PMI web site or read a new Project Management book and write a post about a tool Project Management tool.

2. Then, you must make sure your blog can be found by those searching for someone like you. Get your blog listed in all the professional directories and forums. Make sure you use basic SEO on your blog such as naming your title tags and the name or tagline of your blog clearly conveys your special professional skills. Do some basic “Keyword Analysis” and discover what hiring managers are typing in Google to find YOU. Refer to our article on Adwords and PPC for more details on Keyword Analysis. Just knowing HOW to do basic keyword analysis will put you way ahead of your competition.

3. Teach others something about what you do. Include pictures, diagrams, samples and even a portfolio of your most effective work product. No matter what your specialty, from cooking to running an IT department at a major bank, there is plenty of material you can create to educate others. And, how about creating a slide show and posting it in your Linked profile.

4. Go Social ! Create and maintain a profile on all the major social sites like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook. Become an “active” user. What I mean by “active” is instead of just building up your profile hoping the right person is going to stumble upon you, join groups related to your profession and/or interests. Sometimes a group relating to a hobby will result in more success then a professional group. It is kind of like meeting someone on the golf course where I once heard the best deals are made. Get involved in group discussions. And, if you are really motivated, start your own group.

Last Fall I started a controversial discussion in the 2nd largest LinkedIn group, the eMarketing Group, with about 250,000 members. The discussion went viral and became the most commented on discussion in that group and as far as anyone knew, on all of LinkedIn. In about 2 months the discussion attracted over 2600 comments.
.
5. Read and comment on other bloggers’ sites and as mentioend above social group discussions such as Linkedin group discussions. . Exhibit your expertise and DON’T forget to include your link back to your own blog. ALWAYS leave a trail online so people ,i.e. hiring managers can contact you.

6. Let the other bloggers and social media leaders (i..e group owners) in your industry know you exist. Send them your posts. Start a conversation. And ask them to add your blog to their blogroll so the search engines find you and rank you.

7. When you meet someone you’d like to work for, follow them on every social media channel. Read their blog, follow their tweets, read their LinkedIn profile. Learn everything you can about them so you can stay in touch and send them articles and links you know they’ll be interested in. Help them and there’s a good chance they’ll help you.

8. Follow staffing and recruiting professionals on Twitter, facebook and LinkedIn. Their blog posts and tweets are full of useful information that can help you refine your resume, hone your interviewing skills and alert you to job openings. Also, find out WHO their “friends” are and what they do. Start conversations with them; establish connections across the social media platforms. You could find some “diamonds in the rough”.

9.  I can’t think of a better job hunting resource then Google. The FREE tools Google offers are invaluable to your job search. Just the Keyword Tool alone is priceless, if you know how to use it. I could go on and on about using Google but here is a great link that will give you plenty to chew on. A must read. Good Luck.

http://www.onedayonejob.com/blog/how-to-use-google-to-find-a-job/

10. Finally, Google it! Speaking of Google here is a video with a couple great job hunting tips that I am sure you have never heard of


Filed under: Uncategorized

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!