These days, the job market is extremely competitive and it’s important to keep yourself marketable! From resumes, cover letters, interviews - the job search can be less than enjoyable and you must promote the best version of yourself. It’s crucial to catch a hiring manager’s attention right off the bat and sometimes that’s super hard to do when you’re one resume in a pool of hundreds. However, while your resume and cover letter are vital to the job search, those aren’t the only pertinent tools to set yourself apart. So much goes into effectively marketing yourself to those looking to fill positions. Here are 3 ways to efficiently market yourself to job posters. Enjoy!

1. Establish Your Brand- If you Google Search “ways to market yourself to job posters” like I just did… you’ll see mention of “branding” across many sites. It’s interesting to consider establishing a brand that’s your own but it’s important and can really help set you apart from the competition. But what does this mean? Start simple. You can begin to establish a brand through social media. For example, Instagram. Maybe you’re a creative looking for an outlet. Use your feed. Today, it’s so popular to have a cohesive profile whether there’s one color, theme, or style. While the more artistic types can probably have a bit more fun with this, it’s attainable for corporate workers too. One easy way you can start doing so is choosing a color you want to correlate to your brand. I’ve seen influencers use the color red often or they pick a color scheme like white and black. It’s your brand so all of the choices are yours. Once you decide what you want your brand to look like, it’s time to now decide who you want to align your brand with. If you’re into technology, following and interacting with Bill Gates or Elon Musk would be a great place to start. See what they’re posting, who they’re following, and also who’s following them. Find relevance. Don’t force a brand where it doesn’t make sense. It’s obvious when someone is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Then, once you’ve found your niche, ask yourself “what do I bring to the table that no one else does?” It may be hard, but if you can think of one to two key differentiators, you’re golden. Once you decide your angle, it’s time to run with it. Commit. That way you can really hone in on the job you want and the job you don’t and can effectively direct you in the right direction.

2. Take the Time- Yes, this is vague, but it’s important. Take the time to write, think, apply, connect, interview, etc. It’s important to remember that yes, time is of the essence, but when it comes to the application process, you don’t want to rush. Rushing through an application, resume, cover letter, or interview can come off as disorganized and can really leave you in a hiring dry-spell. When you write your resume, take your time. Highlight all of the pertinent information, elaborate what should be elaborated, and format it in such a way that is organized and clear. The same thing goes for a cover letter. Don’t just recycle the same old paper over and over again. It loses its originality and hiring managers will sniff out a re-used cover letter all day long. This should be a given, but take your time during interviews. Yes, it’s important to match the hiring manager’s energy while being yourself and go with the flow but don’t feel like you have to be in and out in 20 minutes (unless they tell you otherwise). Take the time to think through your answers and your questions. It’s important that they see how much you want this position and coming in prepared is a sure-fire way to do so. Finally, take the time to follow up. When you leave an interview, follow up. Tell the hiring manager, thank you for your time and consideration. Tell them you’re excited to connect with them soon. Swoon them a bit. It’s important for both you and them to feel as though you made a lasting impression. It’s also polite!

3. Networking, Networking, Networking- Yes, I know, we just talked your ear off about networking all of November. But it’s so important (hence why we dedicated a whole month to it). If you don’t network, no one ever knows who you are and your market, brand, and connections never grow. A lack of growth is only good for a few things...this is not one of them! Especially when you’re applying to jobs, it’s important to keep your name and your face fresh on the hiring managers’ minds. Connect with them, send them a note on LinkedIn, make that relationship first. It’s key to your future success in building your marketability. Not to mention, LinkedIn is a digital resume. What better way to market yourself than that? Just make sure to keep everything up to date - especially your photo and job history. Want to learn more about networking? Click here, here, and here! Also, be on the lookout for a Networking in November E-Book...coming soon!

Have other effective marketing tips that have worked for you? Drop us a comment below. We would love to hear about your success!