Articles & News About Jobs & Employment

Your Job Search Is A Marketing Campaign (Part 2)

Here's a continuation of my article from a few months back on how the successful job search is really just a personal marketing campaign.

To recap, the same marketing techniques that have sell billions of dollars worth of products and services on TV, in print and via direct mail can also help you find a job.

All you have to do is look at the advertisements you see with an eye toward borrowing their best ideas for your job search.

Here are three ways to do that, and get hired faster by emulating successful marketing.

1) Define Your Target Market

Smart marketers don't try to sell to everyone. Instead, they clearly define their ideal prospects in terms of age, income, hobbies, etc. Then, they create advertisements that appeal to them directly.

Example: McDonald's wants to be the #1 choice for children, so they target them by advertising Happy Meals with toys based on popular movies. Result? Kid sees toy on TV, kid pesters parent, parent takes kid to McDonald's.

You can do the same with your job search.

Define, in as much detail as possible, the kind of work you want to do and the company you want to do it for. Then write your resumes and cover letters to appeal to that target market. Speak the language and say what they want to hear. Leave everything else out.

Focusing on a "target market" this way will bring immediate clarity to your search for the perfect job. And it will give you an edge over approximately 80% of other job seekers, who really have no specific idea of what they're looking for.

2) Develop a USP

A USP, which stands for unique selling proposition, is at the heart of all successful marketing. Any business that can't answer the question, "What can I get from you that I can't get from your competition?" won't be in business for long.

FedEx ("When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight"), Domino's Pizza ("Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes, or it's free"), and Avis ("We try harder") all built billion-dollar businesses on a good USP.

To develop your USP, answer this simple question: "Why should I hire you and not the other guy?"

Simple, yes. Easy, no. But you absolutely, positively can NOT expect busy employers to figure out your unique value. You must do that thinking for them.

Avoid trite claims like, "I'm hard-working and trustworthy." That's not unique. (And it could also describe a good hunting dog.)

Instead, focus on your unique combination of skills, knowledge and experience.

Example USP: "With five years of helpdesk experience supporting 400 users on three sites, I've seen and solved just about every problem imaginable. In college, I completed officer's training as an ROTC student while earning my MIS degree. This gives me a broader range of technical, leadership and problem-solving skills than typical applicants."

Here's a fill-in-the-blank statement for you to complete. When you do, you'll have your USP --

"Because of my ________, I can do ________ for you better than typical applicants."

3) Contact Employers Repeatedly

It's an old saw in advertising that you must contact prospects at least 7 times before they will buy. Why? Mainly because people are busy, and easily distracted by the hundreds of marketing messages they get every day.

It's the same in your job search.

Employers are easily distracted by hundreds of resumes and may lose sight of yours. Or they may not understand your true value the first time you contact them. By reaching out and touching employers at least 7 times (unless they tell you to go away), you demonstrate the following:

* you are persistent,

* you can manage details,

* you really, really like them and want to work for them.

As a result, you'll gain an edge over other candidates who sit back and wait for the phone to ring.

Warning: do not contact employers seven days in a row (that's stalking), or send them the same follow-up letter seven times (that's lazy).

Instead, give employers one more reason to hire you with each email, fax, letter or phone call. Examples: you could share a new bit of market research, or a proposed solution to a problem they're having. Be creative and prove you can do the job with each contact.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others.

As a reader of this publication, you're eligible for a special offer. Get your Free Job Search Kit ($25.00 value) at the Guaranteed Resumes Web site - http://www.gresumes.com

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

Job Work From Home On My Computer
In my long quest for a job, work from home on my computer seemed to be the best available option Especially, since I needed to work around the many schedules of my family

Being A Work At Home Business Opportunity Seeker And Finding Work From Home Jobs
The problem with work from home jobs is simply that so many people want to have them Because of this, there are lots of people who want to take advantage of people who truly want to be able to have the freedom of a home business

Work At Home Job Versus Work At Home Business
I often hear people complain about how they shouldnt have to pay for a business opportunity because "you wouldnt have to pay to get a job outside the home." It irritates me when I read that. Not because I think you should have to pay for a job - even a work at home position - its because they think that their should be no investment to start up a work at home business.

Work at Home Data Entry Jobs, Work at Home, Data Entry Jobs
37 Work at Home Data Entry Jobs - The New Age Career Move

4 Legit Work From Home Jobs That Work
Everybody is turning to the internet to work from home and hopefully leave their day job. This means that finding legit work from jobs has become more popular than ever and you can understand why when hundreds of people weekly are quitting their day job and are working out of the comfort of their home.

Work at Home Data Entry Jobs Career Are Available Now
Work at home data entry jobs career allow you the freedom to spend more time with your family It is perfect employment for someone who is looking for a job they can control themselves

Work From Home - How To Prepare For A Work From Home Job
Surely, you must have already heard about the perks of working from home Not only do you get the opportunity of being with your loved ones, but also the chance of earning good money doing what you like

Finding that Work at Home Job - A Job in Itself
The trend of corporate America creating work at home jobs for telecommuters is growing, which is good news for those of you who are looking to do your work in your pajamas every day. Technology has made the work at home job more appealing to both bosses and employees, though it does not mean the trend has hit the mainstream, so a work at home job can still be hard to find.

7 Benefits of Owning a Computer Work at Home Job
Computer work at home jobs are growing in numbers Some cost very little to start-up and others are completely free to start

Legitimate Work From Home Jobs - 4 Important Things to Consider Before Starting This Career Path
When you are selecting legitimate work from home jobs career, money is important, but there are some other factors that should be considered before making the final decision Before beginning even legitimate work from home jobs career, you should think about some of the factors that will help to make your venture succeed or fail

Legitimate Work At Home Jobs - Become Wealthy Working From Home
It all started when I was franticly going from company to company passing out my resume, needing a job so bad it hurt I had a college degree but could not get hired no matter what for the life of me

Work at Home Agent - Job Ideas For a Work at Home Agent
Are you interested in jobs that require you to spend hours on the phone talking to customers If you like personal relations work and have good interpersonal skills, then do consider the opportunity of being a work at home agent

Work From Home Jobs For Moms - Jobs You Can Do at Home
A Legitimate Work from home job is a desire that many moms have, and being able to generate a great income while working from home is very possible I created this work from home jobs for moms lens to give you information about legitimate work from home jobs for moms, and for anyone looking to make part time to full time income

Work at Home Businesses Versus Work at Home Jobs
Is a work at home business better than a work at home job? You bet. Hands down. But each option has pros and cons. It may be that for right now you're just not ready to start a work at home business. Its a big committment. That's OK. But if you're dedicated, smart and willing to work harder than most, settling for a work at home job could be selling yourself short.