How to Boost Job Search Success With a Strategic Self Marketing Plan

Achieve success by developing your personal brand.

Developing and executing a successful self-marketing campaign is an essential part of any job search. In fact, if you are in the market for a new job, your chances of landing your "dream job" will be significantly reduced if your only self-marketing tool is a paper resume. Through the power of strategic self marketing, you can build your personal brand, showcase your unique skills and establish yourself as a sought-after professional in your field. This self-marketing campaign should include a mix of both online and offline activities to be most successful.

Instructions

1. Develop your personal brand. Your "brand" is what makes you unique and what will make you attractive to prospective employers. When developing your brand, think about the image you want to portray, what qualities make you stand out from the crowd and why an employer should hire you.

2. Revamp your resume to make it as powerful as possible. Include an updated list of your key accomplishments, skills and education. In addition to creating a printed version of your resume, create a digital version that can be published and distributed online.

3. Develop a personal website to enhance your online presence. This website should include your digital resume, mission statement, detailed listed of accomplishments, speech transcripts, awards, testimonials, professional honors and examples of work you've published. If you belong to professional associations, these should also be listed.

4. Become a social media maven, particularly when it comes to LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, three sites that are used frequently by business professionals. Use these sites to connect with colleagues and businesses you're interested in working for. Getting involved in professional groups, such as those offered on LinkedIn, are also ways to connect with prospective employers.

5. Position yourself as an expert in your field. A great way to do this is to write articles on subjects in your area of expertise and publish them in relevant trade and news publications. Speaking at conferences and making yourself available as a source for journalists are also very effective ways to showcase your expertise.

6. Develop a large network of colleagues by participating in professional organizations and social media sites. The larger your network, the more potential job opportunities you will have and the more likely you'll be to land an exciting new job.

References

• Quintessential Careers: Building Your Personal Brand
• US News and World Report; The Art of Self-Marketing Online; Jeff Greer; April 15, 2010