Harnessing Social Media to Find the Perfect Job – Become an Expert (Part 3 of 3)
Note from Author: I want to thank our guest blogger, Kristen Brewer, for creating much of this three part blog series for us to share with you. When I met Kristen, she was in a management position in a field that was not where she wanted to be. I met her to discuss job seeking tips for breaking into her desired field of social media and how Red Dog Interactive could help place her. Kristen has done exactly what she is suggesting others to do in this blog – and it has worked wonderfully for her. She is now enjoying her new career in the industry of her dreams – and we wish her every success!
– Marleen Eitzen Shanks
Harnessing Social Media to Find the Perfect Job – Become an Expert (Part 3 of 3)
By now, if you’ve been following the tips in our “Harnessing Social Media to Find the Perfect Job” blog series you’ve:
- Put in the time and effort to really fine tune your social media strategy.
- Attracted the attention of companies, recruiters and influencers.
- Established your own self-brand by building a network, offering consistent and value-added content and building your overall knowledge of companies within your target industry.
Here are three final expert tips to fine tune your social media strategy and create your self-brand.
- Become an Expert in your Craft.
If you’ve been working in your target industry, now it’s time to deepen your knowledge. If you’re targeting a new industry, or you’re getting out of school, you will want to self-educate yourself on what those within the industry do. You’ve already been following blogs hosted by your dream companies and influencers throughout the industry, so you have the language and culture down. Now you can actually take it one step further and deep dive into top-rated books or how-to guides on industry-related topics.
Deeper reading will help you become an expert, exude confidence, and nail craft-specific interview questions. If you don’t have experience, you don’t have to act like you do, but it’s important to be as knowledgeable as you can be.
- Volunteer your Newly Established Skills to Smaller Companies to gain Experience.
Now is the perfect time to reach out to some of the connections you’ve made along your journey.
Reach out to a handful of small businesses within your target industry and ask if they would like some volunteer/interning assistance. Small companies may be especially open to this kind of offer. Volunteering your time to utilize your newly developed skills is a win-win situation for both you and them. This kind of hands-on experience is key for you to have when you go in for an interview. You will not only have the experience required for the roles in which you’re interested, but you will be prepared with measurable experience that will make you more attractive to potential employers.
It is useful to volunteer or intern with at least three small companies before taking the next step. Make sure that each company focuses on a different aspect of the industry you’re hoping to enter. This will greatly increase your level of experience to employers. It will also help you develop a greater understanding for the multiple facets that make up that industry as a whole.
- License your own Company in your desired Industry.
You are now a relative powerhouse of information, experience and credibility. You know your desired industry from the inside out. You can talk the talk and walk the walk. There is absolutely no reason why you can’t land that first paying client and add that much-needed rung of experience that your resume has been lacking.
Start by getting your business license to truly make your hard work into a reality. It’s relatively inexpensive, and fairly simple to complete online through your state’s Department of Licensing. This will position you to say yes when one of your volunteer or intern managers asks you if you can do more for them – and now they’ll be your paying client.
Creating your own business also beefs up your resume when you don’t have the proper past work experience required to get into many of the entry level jobs within your field of choice. Even if you’re currently employed full time and only working part time for yourself, having an industry-related position listed first in the employment section of your resume can often determine whether an employer puts your resume in the “YES” or “NO” pile. Establishing your own business shows employers that you are driven, self-motivated and filled with passion and determination. It also gives employers the perception that you have excellent time management skills and are able to prioritize tasks efficiently and execute them effectively.
If you missed Part 1 or 2 of our “Harnessing Social Media to Find the Perfect Job” series, check it out:
Part 1: Basic Techniques
Part 2: Advanced Strategies
–Marleen Eitzen Shanks, CEO and Founder, Team Red Dog, with guest blogger, Kristen Brewer
#teamreddog #ondemandtalentandteams
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