In one of the articles published here a while back, we mentioned that one should consider him/ herself a brand. Now as with every other brand, advertising or promoting yourself is important. So when you see “you” the brand is diminishing before the eyes of the consumer (in this case the employer), then it is time to advertise yourself again to remind the employer what to buy and why they should buy it.
Here are a few ways of getting back into the employer’s mind without appearing desperate:
1. Re-establish old contacts: Most of the time we take it for granted that human resource managers or other executives will remember us. It is important to keep alive the contacts you have made. Send them emails regularly and keep them informed whenever you have gained a new skill. When you do that, chances are that you will always be within the radar should anything interesting come up.
2. Change your CV: To have no experience should not mean your CV should be dull. Always strive to stay ahead of other graduates with an up-to-date and attractive CV. There is absolutely no excuse for a drab CV. Make whatever you have sound exciting. A CV must position you as result oriented, pro-active and hard working.
3. Know the market: The market, in this case, refers to the relevant employers. Some 20 years ago and back, getting a job was not as difficult if you had attained certain levels of education. Banking was revered and being an accountant meant you were among the most respected persons in the village. The market has changed and this is no longer the situation. Requirements for these positions have expanded. The point is that knowing what the market needs enables you to strategize on what you can do to effectively market yourself and earn top dollar in a competitive world. Talking to people in your field of expertise and other fields is important. Don’t let Twitter, Facebook and Myspace be just for personal purposes: use them to ensure that you ink up with professionals. Change with the times and acquire the necessary and relevant skills before you find that you have become irrelevant to your employer.
4. Acquisition: You may need to acquire new skills to help you in your job search. You may, for example, decide to learn a new language or get a diploma. Alternatively, you can go ahead and take up that simple job that you have been ignoring just because you have been seeing it as beneath you. We often acquire good skills doing jobs that are somewhat not related to our desired careers.
There was this young man who was conducting a survey on a proposed new development in my neighborhood. As I filled the form he had provided, I asked a few questions about himself. He informed that he was not doing the survey because he had specialized in that field, but because he had 2 goals. One was to make sure that he got the necessary public speaking skills and the other was that in future someone he would have met in during this research might remember him and offer him a chance in his desired field.
Well, you see, I will definitely remember him. Compare this young man with other graduates who sit at home waiting for their dream job to fall into their laps. A brand will not stick in people’s minds forever, and that is why brand owners must regularly advertise and promote it so that people do not forget it. Therefore, you must ensure that you do all you can to keep ‘brand you’ in your employers’ and potential employers’ minds. Good things come to those who are aggressive.
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