As political campaigns rev up approaching the mid-term elections and paving the way for the 2020 presidential race, we are the audience for strategic and tactical campaigns across the country.
It’s a good parallel to job search, because you want to land your targeted role and beat out the competition. To do so, you must have a platform, a strategy, and a plan that compels voters (employers) to choose you.
Brand yourself.
You must show your target audience (potential employers, leads, contacts) who you are. This means clearly articulating not just what you want to be known for; but what you actually are known for. What do you and others say about what you stand for, how you perform, and what sets you apart from your competition?
Every “voter” has unique wants and perceptions. What are your relevant promises? How will you deliver on them?
Answering these questions will help you dive into and then articulate your personal brand. Keep in mind that action, metrics, results, and impact are much more impressive than mere words.
- What are you most proud of in each of your past positions?
- In what ways did you help your employers save/make money, get/keep business, solve problems, or make things better?
- When were you complimented by a supervisor, colleague, subordinate, or customer? For what?
- What positive comments were documented in performance evaluations or other feedback?
- What skills or talents are you especially known for? Give examples of where you showed them?
- What do you do that your coworkers don’t? What would happen if you weren’t on the job?
Spread your message.
Now, you must carry your brand to your targeted audience. Just as with a political campaign, an effective job search campaign uses multiple platforms to do this. When launching your job-search campaign, use online and offline strategies. Use them to research opportunities, to connect with others, and to articulate your value.
- Contemporary job search tactics include company websites and blogs, niche job boards and job search agents, job aggregation sites, online social media platforms and communications, and online profile sites, blogs and blogging, web portfolios, resume distribution, intelligent matching sites, online classified ads, and virtual career fairs.
- Traditional job search tactics include face-to-face networking, direct mail campaign to companies, in-person career fairs, and classified ads in newspapers, trade journals, etc.
Keep in mind that you do not need to use all these methods. I suggest picking 5 contemporary strategies, supplemented by one or two more traditional tactics.
And face-to-face networking should always be one of them. Think in terms of both door-to-door campaigns and events or rallies. Tap into them as much as possible. There is nothing like eye-to-eye, shaking hands, conversation with people. Why do you think politicians historically kissed babies? Make it personal. Ask questions and laser-listen to ascertain their pain. Then talk about how you can ease it.
Wow them in discourse.
The tradition of political debate – especially the television broadcasts we have today – go back to only the 1960s. It’s embedded in discourse, and you can think of job interviews in this light.
- Research and prepare, with readied answers about why you’re the best person for the job; and how you would do the job, should you get it. Prepare for everything from “Why should we hire you?” to “What were you told to improve in your last performance review?”
- Be poised. Remember the phrase, “Never let ‘em see you sweat?” This is true of a presidential candidate at the podium talking to millions and you facing a sole interviewer. Smile, maintain eye contact, and remember that silence is your friend. Pause if you need to reflect a bit to give a succinct, relevant answer. And feel free to ask questions! It’s important to grasp the concept of the next point if you’re going to impress your audience.
- Leave a positive impression. As at a political rally, you can face a tough crowd in an interview. Think of how you come across. In the last presidential debates, many said Clinton came across as aloof, while some thought of Trump as condescending. Keep it positive and leave them wanting more! An excitement blended with messaging of how you can and want to do the job, can go a long way!
Your resume is important. But it’s a tool in the toolbox. Your job search is a campaign, from the concept of figuring out what you want, to getting and keeping it.
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