Looking for Your First Job: Create Your Brand and Tell Your Story
By Kristin Hodgkinson and Wendy R. Weidenbaum
Resumes are often seen as the key to future employment. Countless hours are spent strategically presenting your experience and credentials on paper. So, when the time comes to send that resume out, many are left with frustration and confusion when their application falls into the “black hole” of recruiting and receives no response.
The reality is recruiters can get hundreds upon hundreds of resumes within the first hour of posting a job opening. Regardless of how experienced you are, or how impressive your resume is, it is unlikely that anyone will sort through the stack of resumes and find yours. So, what’s the secret to ensuring your resume will get noticed? Building a strategic network and telling your story. Follow these easy steps to jumpstart your search and improve your chances of landing an interview.
Create Your Brand
Before you start applying to any positions, there is an important step that a majority of hopefuls tend to overlook. Take some time to sit down and make a list of all of your strengths, interests, and roles in which you feel you would add value. This list will be used to create your story. Determine what makes you unique. Think about what kind of field or market you’d enjoy working in, and what kind of work in that area you’d enjoy doing. When you have a firm grasp of what you think you’d both enjoy doing and where you would add value, it will be clearer which positions you should apply for.
Now that you have an idea of what kind of positions you’d like to pursue, research companies that have openings. Make your “dream list,” and pair your strengths and interests to available positions. When identifying potential jobs, prepare yourself with compelling reasons why you are the best candidate to fill the position. Know what differentiates you from all others and become your own storyteller. Having a consistent and complimentary LinkedIn profile and resume that reflect the story you are creating will be powerful. Plus, ask people whom you trust for feedback about your brand. Create a brand that is you at this point, not aspirational.
Build a Network
When looking for a job, too many individuals go the route of searching and applying online. Be very wary of passively looking for jobs. The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University advocates for an ‘80-20’ system when looking for a job. 20% of your search should be done passively online, and 80% should be actively reaching out to individuals who work in the field and at the companies that you are interested in. The goal is to build your networking base. And where do you find these individuals in the first place? Anywhere. Ask friends and family for contacts, utilize your alumni network at your alma mater, and talk to the person standing in line at the coffee shop. Sign up for networking events or show up at parties where you might run into former colleagues. And, be sure to always have your resume or business card available … because networking can happen anywhere.
An important thing to remember when you reach out to these individuals is that your goal is not to ask for a job; it is to build a long-term relationship. People are busy today. When contacting people in your network, ask for 30 minutes over a cup of coffee. Start the conversation by thanking them for making time for conversation. In advance, think of the questions you want to ask and look online to see if there is anything of interest that is happening in the news to bring up or share with them as a meeting follow-up. The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Fortune, and Forbes Magazine are good resources. Once a relationship is built, they are that much more likely to share your resume with the right people and talk you up. Continuing to send them articles of interest at least once a month is a good way to stay in touch and remind them that you are still available.
Follow Through
Making initial contact with the goal of building your network is only the first step. Stay in touch with your networking base through phone calls, email, and LinkedIn. Keep current on industries and companies you’re interested in and continuously hone your story. Be proactive. If you find that your plan isn’t working, consider broadening your horizons or altering your course. And once you do land that job, be sure to maintain your networking contacts.
Getting no response to your resume is frustrating. The first step to getting noticed is to begin an active search by identifying what your strengths are, researching good fits, and stepping up your networking game. Showing up powerfully with the people in your network is as important as the impression you make in your interview. By executing these three steps, success will be sure to follow.