As a professional career coach and job search strategist I work with clients from all over the world to help them navigate the job market successfully.
One of the challenges many of my clients face at the outset is a failure to grasp the importance of marketing skills in their ability (having defined the job they really want) to actually go out there to find and secure it.
I’m an avid student of all things marketing. Having started my own recruitment business just before the financial crisis of 2008 took effect, I had to become good student, and fast! I learnt my craft in the trenches and five years on from setting up, using the skills and techniques I developed, secured my business the top story on BBC National News at Ten (the primary news programme in the UK).
Starting a business in a recession meant I had a limited marketing budget, and little chance of competing in advertising spend with the major and more established players. I had to think differently to gain my business recognition and reputation. It’s a similar strategy I advise when it comes to successful job search.
Traditional advertising is expensive and extremely competitive. To be heard above all the noise you have to have the resources to shout louder. What’s more, today’s consumer has learnt to filter out the majority of advertising messages, which makes the task of being heard even harder.
It’s exactly the same when it comes to the job market. Placing your resume on job boards or registering with professional recruiters, and then sitting back and waiting for things to happen is no recipe for success. It’s a reactive approach where you’re not in control and more to the point; it’s what everyone else is doing. It’s like swimming in the ocean and expecting to be the fish that gets caught. It might happen, but probability dictates it might take a while!
Modern marketing emphasises the importance of ‘inbound’ and education. Creating a brand that informs and educates potential
Customers is how the best in the business are now doing things. As consumers we all have access to the Internet and the ability to research online ahead of any purchasing decision. It’s no longer an organization’s job to sell to us; it’s their job to educate us. This builds engagement, trust and loyalty in advance of any decision to buy, and when the consumer is ready, they’ll raise their hand.
It’s the same in the job market. I know from my recruitment days that a high proportion of jobs are never advertised or placed with professional recruiters. They’re filled through recommendation and referral, which comes with many advantages for an employer, including reduced pain, cost and uncertainty. I call this place the ‘hidden market’ and it’s where smart jobseekers fish to uncover opportunities before anyone else, and by definition at a time where they have a higher probability of success.
An extension of the hidden market is LinkedIn. Employers no longer have to rely on job boards or professional recruiters to find the talent they need in their organizations. They have a database that’s up to date, right at their fingertips. They’re out fishing for the best people, often before they publicly declare their intention to hire.
The smart candidate utilizes LinkedIn’s online tools, including published posts and group discussions, to build their personal brand. In addition, offline, they build a reputation in their sector through networking, media commentary and pubic speaking.
Back in 2008, I began saying ‘yes’ to what scared me and it all started with a nervous interview on local radio. Continuing to say yes and putting myself out there, eight years on, has led to a multitude of opportunities. The proof is in the pudding, and the reason Jordan asked me to write this blog post was because of something that caught his eye online.
To summarize, just as marketers have had to evolve, the modern jobseeker needs to evolve too. Whatever your level or industry sector, we all need a personal brand that informs, educates, and in the process, entertains our target audience.
To connect with Simon Gray on LinkedIn
For information on Career Codex
To get hold of a copy of Simon Gray’s book, Super Secrets of Successful Executive Job Search
Bio:
Simon Gray is a chartered accountant, entrepreneur, former professional recruiter and founder of Career Codex. He works with clients from all over the world to help them define, find and secure the job opportunity they really want. The Career Codex methodology is about being in proactive control of your job search every step of the way, and at its core emphasises the importance of psychology for successful job search.