Mark Anthony Dyson, Author at The Voice of Job Seekers

Job Search in 2017 is Marketing, PR, and Schmoozing

There is a case for running your job search like a political campaign. There is a lot of communication to clarify your position, show the relevance of your experience, and show you can do a great job. All three reasons are much harder than just applying to jobs online. That is why many job seekers remain stuck because the easiest job search methods take time and investment.

You will need to market to the right employer who is the right fit for you and them. Any hiring contrary to a good fit for both works against you. Your adjustment to the job is critical as you’re there to do the job and learn it without special attention.

Read If Your Personal Brand is Not Disruptive, You Won’t Matter

Being a marketer is a risk. You’re treating yourself more of a commodity. By adding your personality draws attention and conversations will begin.

And that’s what you want: Positive conversations about you when while you’re not in the room. But it’s the result of effective branding.

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If your job search is a marketing campaign or a public relations effort, what does it look like:

1. Job search with a marketer’s heart

The successful candidate is no longer thinking of himself solely as an applicant but a brand. Since successful brands diversify their marketing, so should a job candidate. He or she is thinking about displaying their talent, skills, and personality in front of the right people.

As a marketer looks to segment and targets their audience, a job seeker should target their desired company.

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Read Why Your Job Search Requires More Than You’re Willing to Give

2. Your job search story has several views

You must learn the way your story looks like from different perspectives so you can tell the same story to different people in different ways. There is something to be said about telling a joke the same ways more than once. Most of us don’t. The joke can still be funny from different perspectives as it pertains to the audience.

3. Know what each employer’s value need is

Marketing is trial and error. Powerful marketing is meeting the need for specific markets and people sharing the positive benefits of the product or service. Employers are going to care more when a need resonates with them, not only for everyone else. Research companies and customize your approach to them.

Read I Have to go Find a Job Will Sound Silly in 2017

Here are specific ways a successful candidate uses marketing tactics:

Personality differentiates you from the competition, so anytime you can display what makes you a fit for the culture, then this can capture the right employer’s attention
Letting people know how conversations are shaping his or her view of the industry. Sometimes this generates further discussion especially on social networks including LinkedIn and Facebook groups
Sharing their successes and the lessons from failures, mistakes, or lack of results
Giving more than getting is the heart of their existence

Marketing yourself has to become constant even during an inactive job search. We can argue if an “inactive job search” is a thing anymore, but everything is marketing and so is every opportunity. You cannot blindly offer value to a company or individual who does not need or want it. It’s the frustration of job seekers who are still appealing to everyone and meeting the needs of no one.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

6 Ways to Own the Job Search Process and Kill the Game in Five Years

Have you thought about how you’ll remain engaged in the job search even if you love your current gig? Few jobs offer security much less can promise stability.

How can you be “gainfully” employed in 2017?

You only have one job? One job?

My opinion, you’ll win a vacation spot spinning the wheel on “Wheel of Fortune.” It’s more plausible than getting an interview through job boards. Although lots of people do succeed applying through job boards, most people don’t. The debate continues.

What will rock your job search in five years?

The search looks like this in five years:

1) The job search will require constant vigilance

All careers will shift and change as the economy does. Companies worldwide will modify the way they do business more quickly and frequently. To disengage from trends is surrendering your options to your replacement.

2) The job search requires proof and content

You must show social proof of your abilities, and anticipate how others can do the same. Interviewers will want to discuss how you solve problems. Yes, original thoughts rather than sharing provides more street cred in all professional spaces. You gain a competitive edge by having your personal website. Linkedin makes creating content easy and clean. Many more of us need blogs of our offering breadth and value.

3) The job search requires offline visibility

You disrupt all job application through referrals or being discovered. Add to the conversation at large while producing value at work. Join conference panels or get interviewed at a college or radio station (or television). You won’t be a celebrity, but you will need to be known and found. Participate in conferences, lectures, and meetings at professional affiliates and organizations to heighten your industry profile. No longer be the person standing in the back of the room.

4) Volunteer counts in the job search

The right volunteer project can keep your skills and network fresh and relevant. You can control more of the lifestyle desires. Exploring new ideas, skills, or network can help you pivot to a new career if you are looking to change.

5) The documented job search

Finding hacks to your work? Why not share it using Facebook Live? Or Instagram Stories (or wherever recruiters and employers look)? Initiating dialogue around your ideas are as valuable as they are right or wrong? By the way, there is nothing wrong with presenting an idea not embraced by most.

6) Mobility before, during, and after your job search

Expand your options globally. Contracting is where most experts predict how professionals will work. Be ready to keep your business office, transactions, and coworkers to your phone. Your laptop will be your primary workplace and workspace.

Does this sound like entrepreneurship or a job search? There are few differences, and you can expect those worlds to collide even more. In five years, you must own your career. You’ll need to own every phase of your job search. It seems overwhelming at first, but it is everyone’s reality.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

8 Ways Older Job Seekers are Prey to Unconscious Bias on Facebook

This is originally published on Career Pivot.

You have become susceptible to unconscious bias on social media because you can’t help yourself. You judge and cringe and being judged. It’s your fault. Read on for the whole truth…

Job seekers after 55 have a hard (but not impossible) task of finding work. Many find themselves searching for much lower paying jobs, creating a business, or both. Employers and recruiters look for ways to exclude candidates such as baby boomers. One way is to check to see if he or she has a social media profile, and next what does someone’s timeline say about them.

Older and younger job seekers are not as conscientious about personal brand awareness as they should.

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Although we see many people talk about transparency, there are limits. There are absolutes needing privacy like medical information or personal affiliations.

Listen to Unconscious Bias: Your Career, Workplace, and Everywhere

There are other things people share offer more unneeded scrutiny:

Too proud to let old accomplishments go

I know you were an award-winning salesperson or sold a startup in the 90s, but it’s likely irrelevant. Most employers want to know your new industry or career exploits. Don’t have any, then make some. There are too many platforms to display expertise on the web. Volunteer work is also plentiful for picking and choosing career growth.

You’re sharing age-defining stuff on social media

Yes, I know what you’ll say, you never shared your age. Right? Well, how about using words like grandkids (not in all instances but suspect), remembering old events like it happened yesterday (You say you’re old school, right?), or referring to groups of ethnicities in old terms builds the perception of your age

Sharing physical or medical aches, pains, or illnesses

I get you are crowdsourcing information, but I plead with you to reconsider. It’s one thing to share too much information, but often sharing age defining information is detrimental to your career. Sharing you have prostate cancer, strokes, or certain chronic illnesses says more than you think

Listen to Facing Unconscious Bias in Your Career and Life

Sharing old pictures

OK, old high school and college pictures are one thing (especially when you scan a Polaroid). Your 30 and 40-year-old children tell an employer everything they need to know. You’re too old

Sharing incessant complaints about lacking energy

Most employers claim to manage a fast-paced environment, and you are complaining about your lack of energy. Always. It says you’re too old to keep up

Sharing you’re relying on old job search strategies to find work

You update show: You work hard and a team player. You’ve applied to hundreds of jobs without a response. There’s one evergreen job search strategy rarely talked about: Networking. You want employers to see you’re connected and active in professional organizations and affiliations. They want to see you add value

Complaining “things aren’t the way they used to be”

Technology has changed everything, and the statement says, “I’m not willing to change.” Instead, show how agile you are with technology even if you are crowdsourcing from your network. Updates are opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and relevancy

Vocalizing your resistance to constant technology changes

It’s bad enough you’re hanging onto your iPhone 4 (by the way, Apple isn’t supporting it anymore), but you are asking for help. Or any technology you’re unwilling to make a shift to a more relevant device or software it says more about you than you think. No one wants to work with someone with their technological heels dug in

Ageism is still the great Uncle in the room no one wants to acknowledge. We’re glad he’s here, but we wonder for how long.

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Saying you have 15+ experience if you’re not an executive smacks the wrong label on your career. Although your feelings have validity as you own the right to say them, someone will have an unfavorable interpretation. Friends and family want to refer you, but you can’t upload a clear picture. And that’s a problem.