Like many of my classmates, a significant reason for pursuing my MBA at Emory is the desire to change to a newer, better and more fulfilling job. So the title of this article by Colleen Egan was an easy grab for my eye. While it’s more like a self-help-bullet-point slideshow than an informative article (“Nurture your Network”!), it did get me to thinking about the state of my job search process. Apparently, I am well behind the times when it comes to marketing myself.
Don’t get me wrong, I do have a LinkedIn account with a slowly expanding network of connections and I even took the time to set up my profile and upload my resume. And earlier this semester, I took advantage of a mock-interview workshop through our Career Management Center. (Which I highly recommend to all of my classmates, by the way.) But that is about the extent of my self-promotion and preparation. I have never posted a comment on LinkedIn, nor have I ever commented on someone else’s posting.
The author cites “DailyWorth” (www.dailyworth.com) career coach Alexandra Levit, saying: “Do a Google search of your name once a month to see if you’re happy with what is there”. Well, I just Googled myself and came up with … nothing. (Unless you count a picture of a 1960 baseball card for the New York Yankees catcher “John Blanchard” that Professor Shanken mentioned in our first night of Finance class. I thought that was a nice “full circle” for the summer semester. But, I digress … ) The article also introduced me to something called Google+ (https://plus.google.com). Not really sure what it’s for, but I’ll do some more digging.
Haven’t opened up my Facebook in several years and have long since forgotten my Instagram and Pinterest passwords. Never “tweeted”. Long story short, my “online presence” is a ghost town. That might explain why I’ve gotten very little response from companies that I’ve applied to. If they were trying to find me online, their first impression was one of frustration.
In addition to social media, Levit also recommends “setting up a basic, but well-done website with contact information, links to your work and professional accomplishments.”
So if I’m really serious about finding that dream job, I need to stop dreaming and start promoting myself.
DailyWorth:
http://www.dailyworth.com/posts/2813-7-ways-to-prepare-for-your-next-job-before-you-even-apply
Reprinted through the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch website:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-nail-your-next-job-before-you-even-apply-2014-08-02
I agree with you – online self promotion can be a powerful tool. As it relates to getting a job social media can often times do more harm than good. I think a key is first making sure that your content is not revealing something negative to potential employers. Then, if you have time, LinkedIn posts, an insightful blog etc. can give you credibility and even show some boldness which some companies may appreciate.
This day and age, your online presence is one of the very first places that employers look at. It gives them a sense of who you are and what you have done. As already mentioned, it is often a tool that is used to filter out people rather than help people in terms of a job.