The Voice of Job Seekers

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It’s all about your personal brand and what you deliver to employers

It’s all about your personal brand and what you deliver to employers

Personal branding takes time, but it has the best return on investment of your time.

I thought you might be interested in a few job search articles around the web:

  1. If you fail to treat everyone well, there will be doubt how you’ll treat others. This principle applies to your job search. 
  2. Preparing for difficult or even tricky job interview questions is hard. This article does an excellent job in helping you prepare for them.
  3. College grads seem to heed preparation advice many of us have shared over the last few years. USAToday reports this is the strongest entry-level job market in years.

New podcast schedule is starting the fall:

I will be going to a new schedule for the fall. I will publish bi-weekly shows instead of weekly ones. However, I will be posting on the blog three times a week instead of twice.

As a reminder, you’ve heard me say recently on the show my podcast summer hiatus is from July 19-Sept. 12. I plan on to enjoy my summer, but I get lots of work at this time too. I have some projects scheduled to need more of my attention. I will continue to publish the newsletter but will every two weeks.

The Job Lab

This past Tuesday night, I conducted the second Job Lab workshop for the Greater Ashburn Community Development Corporation “Aim to Work” initiative. There were five attendees this session and asking about future offerings. We are looking to expand this effort in the future. I hope soon we can do a Facebook Live so we can provide content for those not attending and reach folks who will want to attend live.

Your Degree is not a Golden Ticket

Just because you got a degree doesn’t mean things will just happen. This is the beginning. This is an article I wrote for Job2Careers that tells why and practical things you can do to make the most out of potential opportunities.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers," career consultant, job seeker advocate, career writer, and founder of this award-winning blog. I help the employed, unemployed, underemployed, and under-appreciated find jobs using job search strategies to navigate the new job market. I aim to give a safe place online to those with different needs, cultures, and ethnicities to find their voice in the job market. Thousands have read my career advice throughout the web as I write about everything from job search strategies to the mobile job search. I have published more than 400 articles on this blog and some of the largest career sites such as Recruiter.com, YouTern, and Come Recommended. I've been quoted in major online publications such as Monster, TIME/Money, Fortune, Business Insider and MSN. FlexJobs, JobMonkey, Aerotek, Career Pivot, and CareerSherpa listed my podcast as one of the top podcasts to help your job search. Love for you to sign up for the weekly newsletter. I share the latest articles I've written, new podcast episodes, and answer any questions you may have. The new job search is scary and if you need help, I am here for it!

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

If Your Personal Brand is Not Disruptive, You Won’t Matter
The heart of a job search is your personal brand. All which is contingent on your ability to differentiate yourself from everyone else. If the core of any job search doesn’t create memorability, the difficulties of selling your skills be stalled at every obstacle. When you’re older, it’s even harder to convince an employer your personal brand brings energy and solutions.
There is no magic wand in building a personal brand. The magic words do not exist. No plot twist in your story has enough intrigue alone to increase your hire-ability. Although all of us dream of stopping someone from what they were doing to pay attention to us, it’s rare.
Fireworks may not go off, but there is something about each of to make someone notice. That’s the disruption factor. Everything from little acts of kindness to doing something profoundly effective to make life better for someone goes a long way. In today’s job search, this is no different.
I got a chance to be a reporter at my college radio station. The only reason I got the job: I went and got an interview with a college dean. The strangest thing about it was it wasn’t my major. Even mass communication majors got it wrong (everyone wanted to like Walter Cronkite but without the work). It is the same set mindset today as there are only a few job search podcasts out in iTunes. I am willing to do the work. So should you.
You don’t have to take many risks to be disruptive. The small things could effectively highlight your value. Here are several suggestions that could help:

  1. Consistency 

To have a constant flow of solutions, knowledge, or message differentiates you online and offline. Most people won’t commit to being consistent, but everyone would like to experience it. If you’re a resource who is approachable and ready to give, people respond positively to it.

  1. Content

In keeping with #1, most people don’t want to use online tools for blogging. Perhaps content won’t find you a job directly, but it can frame discussions with employers around your abilities and thinking. Content can also build familiarity with you as interviewers will call in those who they feel they know and feel comfortable with having dialogue.

  1. Creativity

Your opportunity to get noticed or to reach to right referral opportunity won’t come in a blog post, video, or podcast. Sure those mediums help, but not as much as responding to an opportunity landing in front of you. Recently, a friend was referred through commenting on a Facebook Group page. His one comment leads to a conversation with someone who referred him to a hiring authority in her company resulting in a job from one interview.
Job search is a competition. It’s hard to differentiate yourself. If you’re just one in a thousand, then it’s nearly impossible to get noticed by an employer. Most people like familiarity and are willing to connect with someone. Hiring managers and recruiters alike enjoy familiar connections or with someone who they associate with in some way. If you can divert their attention to quality interaction, they’ll be open to disruption if you appeal to them.
You gotta show them–disrupt and interrupt in a way that’s appropriate and natural.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers," career consultant, job seeker advocate, career writer, and founder of this award-winning blog. I help the employed, unemployed, underemployed, and under-appreciated find jobs using job search strategies to navigate the new job market. I aim to give a safe place online to those with different needs, cultures, and ethnicities to find their voice in the job market. Thousands have read my career advice throughout the web as I write about everything from job search strategies to the mobile job search. I have published more than 400 articles on this blog and some of the largest career sites such as Recruiter.com, YouTern, and Come Recommended. I've been quoted in major online publications such as Monster, TIME/Money, Fortune, Business Insider and MSN. FlexJobs, JobMonkey, Aerotek, Career Pivot, and CareerSherpa listed my podcast as one of the top podcasts to help your job search. Love for you to sign up for the weekly newsletter. I share the latest articles I've written, new podcast episodes, and answer any questions you may have. The new job search is scary and if you need help, I am here for it!

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Summer Fashion to Boost Your Personal Brand

Summer Fashion to Boost Your Personal Brand

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It’s summer, and once again Aaja Corinne is back to share her summer fashion and brand advice.

I always enjoy these shows as we provide some light-hearted commentary to help boost your personal brand.

To add your voice or comments to the show you can:

1) Leave a voice mail or text message at 708-365-9822. Let me know if I can share it on future shows
2) Email me: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com
3) Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com and press the “Send Voicemail” button to leave a message online

Summer Fashion to Boost Your Personal Brand (1)

Aaja is an image consultant and brand strategist whose client list includes Babyface (yes, the singer/songwriter/producer) and Bianca Golden, America’s Top Model Contestant. Aaja’s media features include WVON in Chicago, JET Magazine, and Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine.

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

-Best professional looks for the summer especially the interview

-Layer and dress for comfort

-Think light, patterns, a little jewelry

-Men well groomed, beard trimmed, nails manicured, and shirts tucked in

-Men must be sure the half-shaved look is good for the interview. Authenticity is important, but when in doubt

-For women, grooming is as important as clothes

-Humid temperatures need adjustments in office wear

-What to have for the ever-changing weather — sunny to rain to 100% humidity in some places–and keep it professional and on-brand

–Best shoe wears for rainy weather

-Rain boots are essential and more professional

-Arrive early to transition from outside wear

-Trench coat is classic, polished, and professional to maintain day look

-Umbrella quality is necessary, worth the investment and show personality

Need help with your career goals, directions, or efforts? Do you need coaching or instruction? I am here for it!

Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

I will not publish a show on the week of July 4. Please enjoy the catalog available on iTunes and many other podcast directories.

Don’t forget the last show for the season is July 26, and the new one will begin on Sept. 6. I will be publishing new articles (up to 3x a week) on the blog. If you’re a career pro and love giving career advice, let me know. I would love to have more guest writers during my hiatus and beyond.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers," career consultant, job seeker advocate, career writer, and founder of this award-winning blog. I help the employed, unemployed, underemployed, and under-appreciated find jobs using job search strategies to navigate the new job market. I aim to give a safe place online to those with different needs, cultures, and ethnicities to find their voice in the job market. Thousands have read my career advice throughout the web as I write about everything from job search strategies to the mobile job search. I have published more than 400 articles on this blog and some of the largest career sites such as Recruiter.com, YouTern, and Come Recommended. I've been quoted in major online publications such as Monster, TIME/Money, Fortune, Business Insider and MSN. FlexJobs, JobMonkey, Aerotek, Career Pivot, and CareerSherpa listed my podcast as one of the top podcasts to help your job search. Love for you to sign up for the weekly newsletter. I share the latest articles I've written, new podcast episodes, and answer any questions you may have. The new job search is scary and if you need help, I am here for it!

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