Job Search - The Voice of Job Seekers

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.

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

How To Be Or Not To Be Perfessional Online

How To Be Or Not To Be Perfessional Online by Mark Anthony Dyson

Last summer, I offered Beachside Rehab. Recently, I used the word “perfessional” in context to people sharing their sober status on LinkedIn.

It seems like it splits whether you should or shouldn’t. I err on caution only, as authenticity could be weaponized (and we often see that).

It’s freeing for many people but not for everyone. The peer pressure to do it doesn’t help either. I hope people are 100% if they choose either.

My take on “perfessional”:

personal

professional

confessional

First, I can’t help but say people use “perfessional” as a professional on LinkedIn. Misspellings happen, and we need spell checks at our fingertips.

But I digress.

I see posts where people are encouraging this new vulnerability as a way to build on their brand. There’s nothing wrong with it being a way to convey a person’s over-arching message in telling their story.

I’m only convinced telling your story is an employer attraction if it’s an employment story where someone’s skills or personal attributes are the catalysts. Resilience is necessary, but it’s also contextual. Employers need to see it through your story.

I understand why, for some, “perfessional” is essential:

It connects you to others in your network.
It attracts like-minded people to you for support and encouragement.
“Perfessional” breeds collaborations.
No one can copy your story, even if they copy what you’ve written.

Remote work has ushered in the need to convert your online network to your coworkers. Many people are comfortable with it, while it scares others.

Then again, someone’s “profession” has become someone’s trauma. Wow (What did I say?)!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

11 Items to Include On Your Pre Job Search Checklist

11 Items to Include On Your Pre Job Search Checklist by Mark Anthony Dyson

Job search usually evokes a wide range of emotions, from excitement to frustration. It may be hard to define where exactly to start. The complexity of the job search process requires an exact action plan and a considerable amount of time. According to CareerBuilder, job seekers will spend an average of 11 hours a week looking for work.

Whether you are looking for your first job, considering a significant career change, trying to find a better position, we want to guide you through this working tunnel step by step.

Therefore, we prepared our checklist of the fundamental steps:

Start with yourself. Aptitude diagnostics.

Research yourself first! Whether starting a career path or fed up with their routine job, it is essential to learn about their strengths and weaknesses. For sure, you have already imagined yourself in various positions, and all of them suit you perfectly well. However, guessing is not always enough. Therefore, it would be better to evaluate your competency via aptitude tests and get hard data to consider.

Find out where your dream job resides.

Now when you are sure about the position that might fit your talents, you need to define your target company type. Find companies searching for similar specialists. Identify their industry, size, location, and even culture.

Get acquainted with the job research engines, which are the most appropriate for a position of your type. Besides, check offers on the LinkedIn platform. It is advisable to monitor the situation for several weeks to spot the overall tendencies.

Consider remote options.

Considering the present situation, many people are adjusting to the new reality by shifting to remote working options. Give at a thought. Perhaps, this is what you’ve wanted.

Consideration of the remote options considerably multiplies your chances of finding your dream job. To be fully prepared, look through the apps and software used for remote working. Ask yourself if you feel comfortable about time trackers, video meetings, and funding a comfortable workspace for yourself.

Clean up your social media.

HR specialists and managers often pay considerable attention to the LinkedIn profiles of the candidates. Discrepancies between a resume and a profile may cause some confusion. Unfortunately, it may result in rejection at the early stages or additional questions in the interview. Try to eliminate all the matters with no value add.

Besides, quite often, recruiters search for the candidates on such platforms as LinkedIn, thus, make sure your profile looks as good as possible.

Find references.

A list of professional references may be rather beneficial for your job search. It is a good idea to prepare a documented list of your references beforehand. Take your time. Think about the relationship with your previous employers, colleagues, or even teachers and advisors. Make sure you select the best people to speak on your behalf.

Do people.

At one time, way back in 2016 (insert joke), according to Forbes and LinkedIn, between 70% and 85% of jobs are not posted online. It has been an ongoing argument for many years.

But the work is in the conversations you have with people in your industry, former coworkers, and layers of introductions (friend of a friend of a friend).

Try to contact headhunters and hiring managers to learn about possible openings and even generate some interviews.

Track your job applications and follow-up.

Proper organizing and managing your application process requires control and tracking. Don’t get lost in numerous opportunities, job descriptions, and application deadlines — have a separate spreadsheet containing all this information. Nowadays, there are multiple apps and software that can automate the process.

Set up some alerts to send follow-ups and thank you emails. Prepare some templates that would facilitate the process.

Salary negotiation preparation.

Be prepared for the salary question and be well-informed of your market value. Get a realistic view of the compensation scale concerning your field.

Besides, be prepared to discuss the options. Do not be afraid. A reasonable employer will not reject your applications just because of salary negotiation.

Get a feel for the company.

A well-prepared candidate who has a feel of the company is highly appreciated. Knowing more about the company makes you feel more comfortable.

Learn the specifics like goals, mission, policies, products, and culture. Check the company’s social media profiles and various feedbacks from reliable sources. Spending some more time for this time appears to be extremely efficient.

Make interview preparations.

There are a variety of studies show a very low percentage of applicants get job interviews. But this means to prepare, not expect the worse.

While waiting for hiring managers to call you back, keep adding more job interviews for your schedule. Make sure you will not be surprised by the interview offer and a job offer. Prepare answers for the most common interview questions and think about questions you would like to ask. In case you are not well familiar with the video interviews, make some test runs and rehearsals.

Remain patient.

Indeed reports the hiring process is taking 30 days or less. In several conversation, there are start-ups hiring faster than a week in a few cases. In addition to checking out the company thoroughly, some large companies offer an expectation of their hiring process. It’s always best to connect with employees of the company who recently hired to see how long it will take. Their timeline not always accurate, but it helps to get an idea.

Waiting too long may be frustrating, but you need to develop and maintain a positive attitude. The most proactive and positive candidates usually land the best jobs.

Summary

For many people, keeping an eye on new job opportunities is an essential part of professional development. Others face the need for job search due to career change or first employment. Despite the initial reason, the job search is complicated and tedious. Being prepared for each step will save you time and nerves.