Job searching is tough and tedious work. There are so many things you need to think about when you’re looking for a new job – how to craft interesting and tailored cover letters, how to highlight your most relevant job experience without over or under doing it, how to stand out among the competition and, above all, how to get the coveted email or phone response that leads to an interview.
There are countless books, articles and blog posts that give advice on how to land that perfect job. But, three friends of mine just found new gigs, so I thought some practical advice from people who just dealt with the job seeking process would be of value to anyone who is currently or thinking about looking for new employment.
All three of them happened to get social media related positions, but their advice is not limited to the communications/digital industries. Nor is it limited to people who are aggressively looking for a job right now. I think their different perspectives are very interesting because while Erica and Kyle were very active about their job hunts, Becks was more passive. It’s interesting to see how their different situations and activities eventually contributed to them finding awesome jobs.
Read on and learn from Erica Moss, Becks Davis and Kyle Stuef:
Where did you just get a job, and what is your position?
EM: I accepted a job as social media and outreach coordinator for the Masters in Nursing program at Georgetown University.
BD: I’m the community manager at Autoweek magazine, a publication under the Crain Communications umbrella.
KS: I just started a job at Ignite Social Media in Birmingham, MI. I’m working as a community engagement specialist for the Chrysler brands, primarily focusing on Jeep.
What was your process for finding a new job? Did you reach out to friends, search LinkedIn, send out several resumes and cover letters, or were you more passive with your search?
EM: After about a week of getting settled here in New York City, I started pounding the pavement, so to speak. I targeted a handful of companies that I was excited about the prospect of working for and sought out job openings that matched my skill set. Before applying, I turned to LinkedIn to see if I had any connections to these companies through my contacts. More often than not, I did, so I asked for introductions, which immediately adds to your credibility as a candidate. I also attended a meetup held by one of the companies I was interested in, which gave me direct access to those making the hiring decisions and helped me decide whether I thought I’d be a good fit within the organization. It also didn’t hurt that I told anyone and everyone who would listen that I was job hunting, which helped to keep me top of mind whenever someone heard about an opening in my industry. Facebook and Twitter also were great vehicles for outreach and making connections.
BD: I was more passive in my job search. A few friends and some of my network knew I was on the market for a new position. I did update my LinkedIn profile and spent more time growing that network.
KS: I did all of the above. I wasn’t as aggressive publicly as I probably should have been, but I was hitting the phones and private messages to my network almost immediately. I could not have done this without having a “street team” of people out there with their ears to the ground. I got tipped off to this job opening a few days before it was posted publicly, so I was able to get a small head start.
Did you do anything different or creative to make yourself stand out during the job hunt?
EM: I think two things that helped differentiate me in this job search were 1) I had a story to tell, and 2) I had a strong point of view about what I wanted. I firmly believe that each job you hold, for better or worse, helps you to continually grow and decide what your priorities are, and I felt like I had a firm grasp on that while I was searching. This helped weed out opportunities that perhaps weren’t a good use of my time, but also helped me present a strong, cohesive narrative about who I was and what I was looking for. I think I also had a memorable story, in that I had gotten married in May and moved to New York from Michigan, which always sparked questions from my interviewers about how things are different here and what my experience in Michigan had been like.
BD: Since I wasn’t really on the job hunt, no. However, everything I had been doing for the last two years came into play. I built a website and a community from scratch. I became involved with projects such as TEDxDetroit and cofounded a few smaller endeavors. I had been using social media to build these projects, and that led to credibility.
KS: I made sure that everything I was putting out there was as consistent as humanly possible. It may have been my branding background kicking in, but I wanted to make sure that each interaction with me digitally felt the same, and that it felt exactly the way I needed it to in order to find a job that was the right fit for me.
One thing that I thought was a no brainer actually turned out to be something that a number of interviewers took notice of: a QR code on my resume that pointed to my LinkedIn profile. Not only did it make the job of checking me out digitally a little easier for the higher-ups, but I used a bit.ly link for the code that allowed me to track how many scans I was getting. It was a little way for me to see how effective my resume was in reaching the desk of the (hopeful) decision maker.
What were some of your challenges during the job search, or what would you do differently if you could go back in time?
EM: The biggest challenge is, hands down, getting a prospective employer to notice you in the crowd. I didn’t get a single interview at companies where I had simply filled out their online application or submitted a resume via email. I found the most success through warm introductions from the “friend of a friend,” and I firmly believe it’s really about who you know when you’re job hunting. However, you cannot rely on that alone. While a former colleague might help you get a face-to-face with the recruiting manager at your dream company, it’s up to you to close the deal by effectively presenting your experience and skills and articulating why you’re the best candidate for the job.
BD: The big thing most employers want to see is quantifiable results and achievements. They don’t want to know what you did – they want to know what you accomplished. Even though things worked out for me in the end, if I had kept that in mind, it would have been much easier to show my value to a future employer.
KS: Most of my challenges had to do with trying to figure them out as much as they were trying to figure me out. In the past, I had made the mistake of being so caught up in the fact that someone was interested in me. I didn’t take the time to make sure that I actually LIKED the company and LIKED the job that I was being contacted for. This switch in mindset I think really helped me relax in the job search and made me a little more “attractive” to the people on the other side of the desk. This is something that I will definitely be sure to carry over if I find myself in the same position again.
What is your advice to people who are having a tough time finding a job?
EM: Patience is a given, but you really do have to work hard at it while you’re job hunting. You’ll follow paths that seem really promising but then never pan out for one reason or another, and sometimes you’ll be pleasantly surprised when that cold lead gets warm again. I’d also advise job seekers to make sure that they’re presenting the same story across all of their social networks. I made a concerted effort to make sure that my LinkedIn profile matched the resume I was sending out (yes, sometimes employers do compare them!), and I also made sure any employment information presented on my Facebook page was up-to-date and accurate. This is also a good time to make sure things like your phone number and most active email address are reflected on your profiles to make it as easy as possible for prospective employers to contact you. Lastly, try to narrow your search as much as possible, first targeting those companies that resonate with you and your goals, and then reaching out to those people you already know who might be able to facilitate an introduction to key players. Added bonus: It often eliminates the need for a cover letter if you score a sit-down with someone based on a mutual connection.
BD: I absolutely hate looking for a job. Yes, you need to network and make yourself stand out. The easiest way to stand out is to build something yourself. If you don’t have a blog, write a guest post for someone else’s blog. Having a blog is a really good idea, though. Be active on social networks. Ask people you admire out for a cup of coffee.
KS: Treat the process like dating. Don’t be eager or needy, put yourself at ease and people will take notice. Once you’ve got the “first date,” or interview, remember that there are two sides to that big scary desk. You are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. Being a good fit, team chemistry and complimentary philosophies were all important to me, so I made sure to ask those types of questions at the end of the interview. If I knew that I couldn’t marry a girl who was a White Sox fan, I would make sure to ask that up front during a date. Figure out what YOU want, not just who will have you.
I have to give a HUGE thank you to Erica, Becks and Kyle for taking time out of their busy schedules to contribute to this post. You guys rock!
Can you relate to what Erica, Becks and Kyle shared? What other advice do you have for job seekers?
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