6 Bold Job Search Strategies That Will Challenge Your Thinking

6 Bold Job Search Strategies That Will Challenge Your Thinking by Mark Anthony Dyson

If you’re tired of applying to job boards, and no one of hiring significance is paying you any mind, keep reading. You’ve heard it’s not a numbers game where the more you apply, the increase your hiring chances. In 1990, this was a helpful strategy, but in 2015, more was needed. Your friends say it works, but it’s been five years since they’ve looked.

I warn you, career practitioners will roll their eyes when they read this article.

How many times have you tweaked your resume to no avail?

I understand lousy job search advice is everywhere, but so is excellent and meaningful information is still at your fingertips. In 2015, on an episode of “The Voice of Job Seekers,” Jim Stroud offered some of his strategies own he wrote for his book, “The Number One Job Hunting Book in the World!” 

I think they are still daring to suggest to job seekers in 2023. But, since YouTube and podcasts are real media channels for any potential user to grow an audience, monetize it, and influence many, why not suggest it? Regardless of how few succeed, it’s as viable. 

If you listen to much of what we discussed, you should concentrate on being more visible than forcing your way to be seen. No one will remember you if you look like the rest of the ducks. During your job hunt, be the lead duck or the different one. Just don’t be the lame duck or the same duck. Do you dig?

1. Add value to relationships without asking for reciprocation (at least for some time)

Why not be helpful during your job hunt? Although we are not talking about taking out someone’s garbage or washing some stranger’s car, we are talking about being a resource or helping make life easier for someone. If someone offers immediately to reciprocate, then ask without inundating them (wash my hands, feet, clothes, and car, please will get you to block, if you know what I mean). Online, it’s done in many ways, but to name a few:

• Articles, links, or quick tips to a free or low-cost resource
• A “how-to” phone call teaching someone how to do something
• An encouraging tweet, note, or phone call for no reason
• Providing the help they need to improve a website, comment or share their resource
• Provide a contact for someone else to get a job

2. Get on someone’s podcast, video show, or guest post on a popular blog

Stroud suggests you go to iTunes, look for your industry’s subject in podcast form, and pitch to get on a show so you “…can position yourself as an expert.” Or go to YouTube, explore the video shows in your niche, and pitch an interview idea to help you appear as the “go-to person.”

3. Go to your community radio station and do a weekly show

Go to your local community or college radio station to pitch a show interviewing local experts, or be the expert yourself. You can do the same with a podcast (local or national experts will get you international listens if it doesn’t scare you). As you talk with experts, you will be seen as an expert. Some won’t let you use it to promote your small business, but others will allow almost any content. Of course, you want something to boost your expertise and experience.

4. Target large companies so other large companies can hire you

Stroud also shared with us, “… by focusing on top companies or startups winning awards or growing in popularity, you become attractive to their competitors. Under working at Verizon, you automatically look attractive to AT&T and Sprint.” Again, the theme is to gain visibility and not gain attempts. It will figure into your career trajectory for years to come. This job hunt can’t be a temporary solution, even if the job is a short-term contract.

 5. Volunteer

By now, you can find countless stories of careers by people who started as a volunteer. I wrote about it a couple of years ago, reasoning how there is no reason not to volunteer. You don’t have to volunteer even full-time to create a valuable experience. Don’t wait for your options to run thin to volunteer. Here’s a more recent and robust article to read. 

6. Go Mobile, Young Man/Woman

I dare you to write an article on your LinkedIn platform and provide a reading of the paper too. You can use SoundCloud to embed on LinkedIn (it’s the only audio service LinkedIn allows the player for people to listen right there). You can also do it via YouTube (for the bold, as YouTube is the only video player anyone can embed). This way, those who frequently use the LinkedIn app will access your article through a mobile device, particularly when they don’t feel like reading. When you publish it, curious people click play and keep moving. 

Pick one of these strategies today and focus on a career with a longer-term return. Notice some of the strategies require forms of selflessness. It has a great return, but it does require a little faith. By no means are these suggestions for only desperate job seekers. These are creative suggestions for the dog days of your job hunt and those wanting to level up their branding efforts. If you want to be seen differently than the other 100 applicants for positions you apply for, be different and try alternative methods.

How many times are you going to tweak your resume?

This article first appeared on LinkedIn. I sprinkled an extra point. Let me know your thoughts.

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