By Mark Popenhagen,
CMO, Turning the Corner, LLC

What does marketing and looking for a job have in common? Everything! If you’re a job seeker, then you must become a professional marketer. The good news is, you’re finally marketing something you can really believe in, YOU! The better news is, that makes it easier.

Become Your Biggest Fan

When we talk with job seekers they all have the same goal, “I need a job.” Setting the obvious aside, this is only the starting point. When we talk in depth we find out most people want a job they love and to work at a place where they are cared for and valued. Yet they don’t put in the effort, or know how to find and market themselves to their ideal companies. When you’re looking for a new career you need to be your biggest fan. You need to believe in yourself and then look for companies that you can support and will support you.

Think of your favorite commercial or advertisement. Are you smiling? Intrigued? Ready to buy? That’s exactly how you want recruiters and hiring managers to feel when they see your resume, visit your LinkedIn page, or talk with you in person. Regardless of the medium, you need to show them you are a star.

Who Are You Really?

Marketing yourself to companies always must begin with WHO you are. What are you good at? What types of experience do you have that exemplifies your work ethic and accomplishments? Perhaps, most importantly, what are you passionate about? What drives you and keeps you moving forward even on the bad days? Knowing these simple truths will allow you to show prospective employers your value and ability to meet their needs.

It’s All About Targeting

Whether you are marketing a product, service, SaaS, or a person, you must know the people, companies, or industries you are targeting. Job searches and marketing campaigns should never be judged by how many emails are sent or resumes summited. Instead, the true metric is based on how many engagements are made with the people who need your services. As a job seeker, you need to build a list of companies, roles, specialties, and people who need the passion and skills you possess. You must focus on how you address their needs and desires. If you’re sending out hundreds of resumes to the wrong people, it is a waste of your time and effort.

What’s Your Message?

We’ve written thousands of resumes and although our clients and their specialties vary widely, one thing is consistent: a great resume that targets the company’s needs and desires gets people interviews. Once you’ve determined your best selling points and know their expectations and needs, you need to target your resume to match the role and company. This doesn’t mean that every resume has to be completely rewritten for every job, but it should be customized to get maximum impact. Invest the time to create a fantastic master resume that highlights your strengths, passions, experience, and skills. Then customize it to match keywords in the job description and requirements of the role. Doing this well will greatly increase the number of interview requests you receive from the right companies. In fact, that is the main purpose of your resume, to get you interviews.

Become a Relationship Builder

Not everyone likes sales. In fact, it terrifies most people, so don’t look at it that way. When you are looking for a job, you are not a salesperson, you are a relationship builder. When interviewing you need to show them you are the person they want in their company. They need to know that you can tangibly do the role they need to fill, that you fit their culture, and that you are likable.

This doesn’t happen with sales pitches, this comes naturally when you present yourself in a matter that not only shows off your skillset but also your passion for the role and the people you are serving. You need to be succinct, but personal. Share how your experiences and accomplishments will apply to the role and help their company profit.

Make it Happen

We help people every day discover who they want to be when they grow up, how to write resumes and market themselves to the best companies in their industry. They are all at different starting points, personal aspirations, and career goals. The common thread with everyone is that they have something great to offer, they just need to know how to tell their story.

Don’t let fear, doubts, or anyone stand in the way of loving your job. You can do this. If you need help call us at 720-446-8876 or use the link below to schedule a free phone consultation with one of our career coaches. We want to help you exceed your goals. We want you to successfully market the amazing person you are.

Click here for a free phone consultation.