Searching for a job is really all about marketing – you are marketing yourself. You may not like to think about it this way, but it’s true. You can’t just sit back answering every ad in the paper while using the same resume to apply for a variety of jobs. You need to understand what you have to offer and target the company and position where you can contribute the most.
If you’re having trouble believing me that a job search is all about marketing, let’s examine some components of marketing. With each definition I’ll address how they relate to your job search.
*Customers each have their own unique needs and wants and they receive value from their relationship with you. Marketing must communicate that value.
You can use your cover letter, resume, and interview to demonstrate the value you will have to an organization that hires you. You have to determine the needs and wants of the organization and communicate to them that you, and only you, can satisfy those needs.
*Marketing is a continuous process of creating and cultivating relationships.
The job search involves networking, which essentially is relationship- building, and is critical for job hunting. Sixty to 70 percent of all positions are filled through networking. It can lead you in directions you had not thought of and open up new opportunities and targets to pursue.
*Marketing involves exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives.
Just as you need to discover and satisfy an organization’s needs, there need to be mutually attractive and obtainable objectives. An organization’s needs and objectives may be determined by reading a job advertisement or during an interview. For the company to decide to hire you, you must convince them that you are the best person to help them reach their goals and fulfill their needs.
A local HR Director, Pete Ritch of Adtran, also advocates thinking about the job search process as personal marketing. He suggests that you have a good idea of what type of job you want and which companies are likely to have that type of work. This will allow you to tailor your resume to the position you desire, align your personal objective with that of the position you are seeking, and sell yourself. He states that no one knows what you’ve achieved better than you do. Therefore it is very important to communicate your accomplishments to them as well as what and how you can potentially add to an organization.
To put his suggestions into marketing terms, consider this process as developing your own personal marketing plan. You can even make a chart where you list the functions and companies you most want to work for, along with the responsibilities you are seeking in a job. Then determine how you will go about targeting each.
To “sell yourself,” think of yourself as a brand – “Brand You” – identifying and communicating who you are, your achievements, and what you have to offer.
And while in this job search, always remember your own needs– determine which is the best place for you – this will result in a mutually beneficial relationship where both your needs and the organizations’ are fulfilled.
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By: Rose Opengart, Interviews That Work
© 2018, Rose Opengart, Interviews That Work