The Hidden Job Market

If your having trouble landing a job it may just be because you aren’t looking in the right places.  According to the Labor Department’s most recent data, over 15 million people in America are out of work. That’s over five job seekers per opening. While this is great for employers, it also means that they get positively overran by applicants the second they post something on a job board.

That is why over 80% of today’s jobs aren’t advertised. So how  are you supposed to find a job when there 5 applicants for every job and 80% of those jobs are nearly impossible to find? The answer is more simple than one would think: network, network, network.

Just ask John Nichols,a career paralegal who  was laid off in July. Nichols had worked in 6 firms in the last 11 years and upon his recent lay off all the legal jobs he could find meant a 30-40% cut in his salary. With a wife and two kids, he just couldn’t make that sacrifice, so Nichols decided to take the leap and leave the legal world behind.

Nichols was now in a tight spot. No job and mid career shift during one of the worst job markets of the century. His only choice was to kick his networking efforts into high gear and uncover the hidden job that was right for him. Nichols began by utilizing social media sites like linkedin and eventually created his own networking group in his home town of San Francisco. He quickly found a new job in sales, a job that gives him more flexible hours and nearly doubled his salary.

All of this was made possible because he figured out how to successfully tap into the hidden job market, here are a few tips to help you do the same:

Hidden Job: How to find the other 80% of Job Openings

1. Build up your online presence

Create profiles on the main sites like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook then find some social networking sites more specific to your niche. This is important for two reasons: first you have to expect that an employer will search for you online so controlling what they find is essential.  Second, once you have a profile on social media platforms, you can tap into a companies network in countless ways.

Focus is everything

The best thing to do is keep your efforts  focused. You can do this by identifying five or ten companies you would like to work for then use social media platforms to find people that work at those companies.  You  can find these people by doing a basic search on sites like Twitter and Facebook or by looking for blogs pertaining to the company on sites like Technorati, which has hundreds of millions of search-able blogs. You should also join the online community of these companies, such as their Facebook group, because jobs are often posted there before they are sent out to the general public.

2. Constantly monitor social media

By setting up RSS feeds and Google Alerts you can stay in the know when a job is posted in your field, even a more hidden job. Also be sure to search Twitter frequently and if you hear of a job via twitter, respond via twitter as well to avoid being just another message that gets lost in the inbox. Once again, keep it focused on those top companies that you would like to work for. You can also make a Google alert for the specific people you begin contacting within companies so that you know the second something pops up online about them.

3.Don’t Rely on Big Job Boards

As we mentioned before, the  jobs posted on big job boards are becoming completely overrun with applicants. To find the good hidden jobs out there, try using smaller job boards that focus on a certain skill set, region or community. Sites like Craigslist are a good option as well.

4. Knock on a lot of doors

Even if a Company has not advertised a position yet you can’t lose by contacting them directly and getting on their radar.  You may also get lucky and knock at just the right time.

5. Turn Your Social Media Connections into real world connections

Meeting in person is still the best way to get your foot in the door and become memorable. Organize a networking event, set up a meeting or lunch date with someone you met online or just go to events that you know certain companies and employers are likely to be.

Evan Watson is an independent writer and the Chief Evangelist at Brand-yourself.com. At Brand-yourself.com,  Evan Watson combines his passion for writing, entrepreneurship, and making meaningful connections with new people.  Evan is also a self-proclaimed adrenaline junky and enjoys kite-boarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. For Evan, family comes before anything else, and he attributes his success and growth almost entirely to being raised in an extremely eclectic, multi-cultural family.

How to Get an Interview: 5 Unconventional Tactics That Work

There are thousands of resources out there that teach you the “process” of how to get an interview. Sure getting that resume tight, practicing potential questions and doing your research about the position is essential but these days that usually just isn’t enough.

I remember sitting down a few months ago after reading 96 resumes and thinking  that if just one of these people did something a little different and unconventional I would bring them in for an interview the next day. The experiences and skills just all seemed to melt together into an indistinguishable mess, I was pretty sure at least a few of these 96 people were interesting but their resume and follow-ups sure didn’t show it.

To avoid falling into this deadly sea of similarity, try following a few of these unconventional tactics that will definitely make you stand out and get an interview.

How to Get an Interview: Unconventional Tactics That Really Work

1. Create a Youtube video

We highlighted a recent graduate named Al Biedrzycki a couple months ago who had submitted a variety of cover letters to companies that never responded, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.  The video is great because it shows his creativity while still highlighting the value he can bring to a company and past experience. I would definitely recommend giving it a peak; short, creative and sure to give you a laugh.

2.Advertise yourself EVERYWHERE

Craigslist, social networks, the bulletin board at your church or local grocery store. Rent a billboard if you really have to or initiate your own personal guerrilla marketing campaign. Just get in front of as many people as possible in as many creative ways as possible.

3. Connect with Someone in the Company on Social Media

If you have a certain company you want to work for, look for some of the people within that company on social media platforms and find someone with similar interests or passions. Connect with them on that level first then see about getting a warm introduction to the right people in the company. This way you end up with a new friend and a job at the same time.

4.Just show up

You never know, you may show up at just the right time and get an interview on the spot. At the very least the company now has a face to relate to the generic bullet points on the resume. If you are feeling especially outgoing, keep showing up until they relent.

5.Dont ask for a Job

Seriously, just try not asking for a job upfront. Send the company an email or letter telling them that you ran across their website and loved what you saw, however, you had a few great ideas for other things they could be doing. A thoughtful personalized email that shows you care and understand their business goes miles and should at least get you a phone call, during which time you can nonchalantly mention that you are looking for more work.

There you have it, how to get an interview using some unconventional but very effective tactics. If you have heard of some other out of the box techniques that worked (or didn’t) or have used some other techniques yourself that we didn’t mention we’d love to hear about it. We’ll even write a post about the person with the best tactic!

Evan Watson is an independent writer and the Chief Evangelist at Brand-yourself.com. At Brand-yourself.com Evan combines his passion for writing, entrepreneurship, and making meaningful connections with new people. He is also a self-proclaimed adrenaline junky and enjoys kite-boarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. For Evan, family comes before anything else, and he attributes his success and growth almost entirely to being raised in an extremely eclectic, multi-cultural family.

Personal Branding on Facebook: The Dos and Donts

Facebook is growing fast and as their list of users grows so does the list of people getting hired, fired, embarrassed and shunned. Before we jump into some of the classic do’s and dont’s of creating a personal brand via Facebook, lets take a look at the truly staggering growth of the social network juggernaut:

August 26th, 2008: 100 million users

January 7th, 2009: 150 million users

April 8th, 2009: 200 million users

July 15th, 2009: 250 million users

September 15th, 2009: 300 million users

Friday, November 6th, 2009: 325 million users

(Mashable)

These numbers show that Facebook has been growing by nearly half a million users daily since they hit the 100 million mark in August.

As you can see there are vast opportunities on Facebook for personal branding but the opportunities for tainting your reputation or losing your job are even more vast. In fact, nearly 1 out of 10 employers now admit to firing employees because of their activities on Facebook (I am willing to bet the actual number is much higher because many employers would never openly admit to doing this, even in a survey.)

Facebook Personal Branding Donts: Some True Stories of Facebook Fires

DON’T assume people can’t read between the lines when you post anonymously:

Adam B. Los Angeles, CA: “I was mutually terminated for my Facebook. I wrote anonymously about a co-worker but a buddy of hers found my post and ratted me out to HR.”

DON’T post pictures of you in your underwear:

Doreen Morino: “I just got fired because of Facebook.  A picture of me in my underwear did the trick”

DON’T post anything unprofessional when you’re friends with your boss:

I updated my status as “ready to go home so I can drink and party with friends”
So, my ultraconservative company said that I apparently did not want to be at work and therefore terminated me because “I did not fit into the company’s culture”

Nevermind the fact that I hired 60 people in 2 weeks, found 15 temps in 3 days, and had endless compliments by upper management about my work. I was productive and had a good attitude about work–yet they terminated me.

Facebook Personal Branding Do’s

DO use privacy settings:

This seems like a pretty obvious one but many people don’t realize just how much control Facebook gives you with your privacy settings. For instance, you can organize your friends into groups and let each individual friend only see certain parts of your profile. Next time your boss tries to be your friend (or your mother), you don’t have to ignore them, just let them see the good and hide anything that may be questionable.  Also, be sure your profile isn’t set to public, you’d be surprised what kinds of things employers may hold against you. Below is a perfect example, she didn’t even do anything wrong so when she never got a call back after the interview she likely had no idea why.

“We interviewed an excellent applicant and checked her out on Facebook afterward. She had 236 friends, which made us wonder if she would be spending a lot of time on Facebook, IMing, texting, getting emails, receiving phone calls, etc. Plus, one of her interests was “being a smart ass.” Not worth the risk on this end.” (For more info on privacy settings check our 10 Privacy Settings every Facebook User Should Know.)

DO have a reasonable profile picture:

Your profile picture is the first and many times only thing people find when they look for you on Facebook. It is also the thing that shows up on a Google search. Keep it “PC”  because even if you change your profile picture it often times has already made its rounds across the web and is officially immortalized. The photo below is the classic example that has been circulating around the web for a while now. She was fired from her teaching position a mere month or so before getting her teaching credentials because of this photo dubbed “drunken pirate.”

DO keep personal arguments to the phone lines:

Come on guys, do you really want some heated argument from your early twenties immortalized on the internet for your grandchild 40 years from now to hold over your head?

DO fully fill out your profile, join relevant groups, update often and BE REAL:

The most important thing you can do in personal branding on Facebook, and anywhere else for that matter, is be yourself. Paint a picture of who you are as an individual, highlight the things that make you unique and show your passions. Genuineness always goes a lot farther than a facade.

There you have it, some of the most important do’s and dont’s of personal branding on Facebook. Facebook is most definitely the number one brand killer and humiliation machine out there but by thinking logically before you post and interact with the right people you can easily build rather than bust your brand.

Evan Watson is an independent writer and the Chief Evangelist at Brand-yourself.com. At Brand-yourself.com Evan Watson combines his passion for writing, entrepreneurship, and making meaningful connections with new people.

Evan Watson is also a self-proclaimed adrenaline junky and enjoys kite-boarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. For Evan, family comes before anything else, and he attributes his success and growth almost entirely to being raised in an extremely eclectic, multi-cultural family.

The Recession Proof Blogosphere

Technorati recently published the 2009 State of the Blogosphere Report and man was it a year for blogging.

“Since 2004, our annual study has followed the growth and trends in the blogosphere. For 2009, we took a deeper dive into the entire blogosphere, with a focus on professional bloggers. This year’s topics include: professional blogging activities, brands in the blogosphere, monetization, twitter & micro-blogging and bloggers’ impact on US and World events.”

Blogging Revolution

The State of the Blogosphere highlights the effect that blogging has had on subjects ranging from revolutions and elections to personal brand building. The report makes it abundantly clear that during a time when just about everything in the world seems to be changing, blogging continues to thrive  and appears to be more than recession proof.

The report gives undeniable proof that the influence bloggers have on business, politics and communities is growing rapidly but some of the most telling information in the report is the responses bloggers gave when Technorati surveyed them directly.

The results of the survey show that blogs are helping more and more people build their own personal brand while simultaneously boosting the brand of the business’s they work for. Over 70% of bloggers surveyed said they have much greater visibility in their industry because of their blog.

As for the companies they work for: 63%  said they converted prospects into purchasers through their blog, and 56% said their blog brought  their company recognition as a thought leader in the industry.

Long story short: blogging is here to stay and IT PAYS TO BLOG. We’re obviously not just talking monetarily here because the largest value add is clearly the brand-building potential blogging holds, both on a personal and a corporate level.  We all know that money does talk pretty loud however, so be sure to check out the section of the report on “Monetization and Revenue Generation.” to get a better idea of some ways people and companies are managing to bring  in cash by blogging.

Evan Watson is an independent writer and the Chief Evangelist at Brand-yourself.com. At Brand-yourself.com Evan Watson combines his passion for writing, entrepreneurship, and making meaningful connections with new people.

Evan Watson is also a self-proclaimed adrenaline junky and enjoys kite-boarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. For Evan, family comes before anything else, and he attributes his success and growth almost entirely to being raised in an extremely eclectic, multi-cultural family.

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