The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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by Mark Anthony Dyson Leave a Comment

14 Essential Tools to Thrive in Today’s Job Market

14 Essential Tools to Thrive in Today’s Job Market

One of the most significant differences between the job market of the past and the job market of today is the need to sell yourself. If you’re on the hunt for a new job, you must not only promote yourself in interviews but to everyone who matters — which, generally speaking, is everyone in your network.

Read: 5 Ways Job Seekers Should Act Like a Consultant

Those who ignore this aspect of the modern job hunt are likely to find themselves stuck in a string of unfulfilling jobs.

You have to think like a marketer if you are to land your dream job.

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Recruiters and hiring managers are always scouring social media for new talent. To catch their attention, you have to promote yourself.

Here are 14 tools, traits, and skills that will help job seekers build and promote their brands — and get the job as a result:

1. Your Purpose

What motivates you? What drives your passion for your work? Your reasons should be your own — not those imparted to you by your mother or a well-meaning professor.

Stop letting clichés direct your career. Find your unique purpose, embrace it, and let it drive you.

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2. An Elevator Pitch

Many people cannot clearly articulate what it is they bring to a team or company. Just as big brands are clear about the value they create for consumers, you must be clear about the value you create for employers. Craft a brief elevator pitch that clearly outlines the value you create for employers — and back it up with metrics that convince the skeptics.

3. Stories

Stories grab people’s attention, and when they are compelling enough, they can win you support. In addition to a high-level elevator pitch, you should prepare a few stories of your value-creation in action.

4. A Blog/Portfolio

Every job seeker should maintain a comprehensive portfolio of their work, whether it takes the form of a blog or something else. This becomes a one-stop shop for people who want to learn more about what you have to offer.

Maintaining a blog or other public site is also a great way to build an audience, establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, and maybe even attract employers.

5. Business Cards

At the minimum, an electronic business card is essential. Every gathering is a networking opportunity with the potential to advance your career. No matter where you go, bring your business cards and be prepared to hand them out. If you don’t have a business card, yet have the Linkedin mobile app, then you can easily use the recently rolled out QR scanner in the search bar of your app.

Read: Every Job Seeker Needs to Act as Their Own Hype Man

6. A List of Target Companies

A list of target employers allows you to conduct your job search in a more precise and purposeful manner. Plus, it allows you to focus your networking on contacts at the companies you’d like to work for.

podcast: Networking is more effective if you build and deepen those relationships long before you need to cash in a referral favor.

Click To Tweet

It’s okay for your list of targets to change over time.

7. An Engaging LinkedIn Profile

By now, you know “all-star” status is your goal on LinkedIn. Stay active by commenting on, liking, and sharing content. To stand out against other LinkedIn all-stars in your industry, utilize your recommendations, publications, awards, and volunteer sections whenever possible.

8. Deep Network Relationships

These days, many people seem to value quantity over quality in their networks, but it is the deep relationships that lead to new career opportunities. People with whom you have mutually beneficially, trust-based relationships will remember you when unposted jobs open up. You can then start increasing the ask of your network. This conversation is a good example of the type of information you can benefit from by deepening your network relationships.

9. Powerful References

You want network connections who can speak to your strengths in a compelling way. Stay in touch with your references so that your connections are always warm. Keep them interested in and excited about your career. Share updates so that they can accurately convey the essence of your professional value when the time comes.

10. An Email Newsletter

I facilitate a monthly “Job Lab” in the Ashburn-Wrightwood community in Chicago. One of the regular attendees keeps his connections apprised of his career happenings with an email newsletter. He shares details of his consulting gigs and his insights on relevant topics. This is a powerful way to keep your connections in tune with your efforts.

11. Gratitude

Make sure thank-you notes are part of your strategy — not only for interviewers, but also for references, network contacts, and even the friend who babysat your kids so you could attend a networking event. A nice touch might be using something like the Starbucks app to send $5 digital gift cards right from your phone.

12. Persistence

For people to get to know you as a professional, you’ll need to engage multiple times. Keep at it — but don’t overwhelm your contacts.

You must be there for others, too! You will need to give more than you get, and that’s okay.

13. Resilience

You will hear a lot of “nos” and “maybes” throughout your career. Your ability to endure these inevitable rejections will make all the difference.

14. Social Proof

Social proof is an essential part of your personal brand — but you need to make sure you’re posting the receipts where employers can see them. Don’t be afraid to self-promote. That’s the only way to get on people’s radars.

Originally publish at Recruiter.com! 

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.

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Filed Under: Atrributes, Career Management, Job, Job Search Tagged With: job market, Job Search, Jobs

by Mark Anthony Dyson Leave a Comment

Desk or Labor Jobs Here Today, Consider Them Gone Tomorrow

Desk or Labor Jobs Here Today, Consider Them Gone Tomorrow

Below is a Quora response I wanted to share. The original is here.

I don’t think experts think these two jobs (desk or labor) will exist for the long term. It might be time to reframe the question and the discussion at large. For right now, we still talk about white collar vs. blue collar jobs.

The short answer is contingent on training, certifications, and industry experience often determines salary. Traditional labor and desk jobs are paying $100,000+ depending on location. This article features five blue collar jobs paying six figures (5 blue-collar jobs that pay $100,000 a year ).

It would be helpful to know your aspirations and experience to customize an answer for you.

Both types of jobs, desk or labor, require some technology and with robots on the verge of taking over office and labor jobs, makes pursuing either job a futile goal. It requires research, and it’s best to do it before pursuing the career of your choice.

Studies in recent years say 40% (or a little less) will be contractors or freelancers by 2020. (Here’s Why The Freelancer Economy Is On The Rise) It’s possible everyone will spend time at a desk at some point. I would recommend a mind shift to think about the company you want to work for, deep dive into your “why” and then determine the type of job you’re best suited.

You should also look at sites like Salary.com (Salary.com), PayScale (PayScale – Salary Comparison, Salary Survey, Search Wages), and Glassdoor (Glassdoor Job Search | Find the job that fits your life) to study job, location, hazards (if it applies). Depending on where you are in the world, you may need to look by country. The site JobMob (All Together Now To Get Jobs in Israel and Around the World.) has salary surveys and calculators for careers around the world ( Where to Research Job Market Salaries in 2016).

Finally, chasing a career because of money will mean you’ll ignore any learning curves, hazards, or lifestyle considerations. Although I would never recommend chasing the money, under those circumstances, today’s job seeker should consider a career with strings of options or a portfolio career (several mini-careers as multiple streams of income). This way, you aren’t reliant on a single option or income.

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.

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Filed Under: Job Tagged With: Jobs

by Mark Anthony Dyson Leave a Comment

Are You Still Applying to 25-30 Jobs Weekly? Stop it

Are You Still Applying to 25-30 Jobs Weekly? Stop it

 

 

 

I wanted to share this Quora question I answered last week.

I apply to about 25-30 jobs a week and haven’t been able to get noticed. What can I do to help improve my chances?

I’m a media studies major and just got my masters in communications, so I can basically go into any field, though I’m probably best suited for Human Resources. Are there any general tips one can offer about getting into the field? Thx.

Most people get the jobs they want (including HR) by doing several things. Many of these strategies are disruptive but create success for several career changes. Since you just graduated and the only information about you here is your interest, these are shots in the dark:

  1. Network, network, and network

You may have a gold mine already with the people you know. The best way they can help you is being as specific as possible. Assuming you are trying to get your foot in the door, see if you can find within your network an HR employee. He or she can get your resume to a person instead of applying on line and being in a batch of 100+ resumes.

      2. Understand the jobs competition is fierce

Even graduates in Human Resources are challenged with the competition. My friend and colleague Chris Fields who is a great resume writer and HR specialist offered this thought on LinkedIn about 3 months ago. It was liked over 1200 times with 115 comments.

      3. Go small start up for more jobs

I recommend applying to the small companies but use your network. I will say small companies are more open to conversation starters on LinkedIn, Twitter, and yes, even here on Quora. If you have an all-star LinkedIn profile and have relevant activity, then as you reach out to someone who can influence your entry, you’ll be partially vetted because of a completed profile. If it’s incomplete, they don’t know if you’re real, or serious, thus disqualifying yourself.

Another reason to go small is they are likely not requiring an HR related degree or HR certifications. An entry-level employee can qualify for an HR assistant just as well as anyone. I know a young lady who contacted me after she received her HR Master’s and did an HR related internship. She is working through her obstacles, but you have to focus on your value. With your Master’s you probably can write well and can offer training, documentation, or write a training manual. It’s a good sell and a way to separate yourself from the pack of 100.

       4. Join professional groups

You can get to know HR professionals on LinkedIn and Facebook groups. If there are some in your hometown, it’s a plus. Getting to know them and for them knowing, liking, and trusting you gives you access your competition won’t have.

        5. Use your school’s career services

Many times they can put you in touch with active alumni who are still connected with the school for the sole purpose of helping graduates with opportunities. If not, they full of resources and strategies to help you with your job search.

       6. Informational interviews

Since it’s summer, things may be slightly slow with employee vacations, you can even contact an office and just ask for 10 minutes of a hiring manager’s time to ask for information about the position (don’t ask for the job, don’t offer your resume UNLESS they ask you). You want to use the information as intel to shape your narrative in selling yourself to other companies. Most of all, use it as a chance to build a business relationship.

Overall, whatever field you choose your presence off and online must show an interest in the field. It’s not an easy field to get into even if you’re passionate about it. But it can be done. It just takes a little time and work. But again, it is your networking will determine your chances better than any other way.

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.

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Filed Under: Employment, Job Tagged With: Employment, Jobs

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