Downsized? Fired? Here are the new rules of finding a job

Company lost its funding. Outsourced. Caught in a merger. Downsized. Fired.

It seems like every day I learn of another person who is on the job market. Usually that's because when they need a job, all of a sudden people jump into "networking mode" and I hear from them after years of silence. Hey, I'm OK with that, it's always good to hear from old friends. And I've been fired three times so I certainly know what it's like to be on the job market.

But is this the best strategy to find a job?

Hell no!

If you're like the vast majority of job seekers, you'd do what "everyone knows" is the way to find a job: You prepare a resume, obsessing over every entry to make sure it paints your background in the best possible light. You’d also begin a networking campaign, emailing and phoning your contacts and using networking tools like LinkedIn, hoping that someone in your extended network knows of a suitable job opportunity.

I got news for you. The old rules for finding a job suck in today's market. Well, OK, I admit that is a little harsh. Sure, many people find jobs the old way. Just like credit card companies may sell you a card via direct mail and you may hire some gutter cleaning services from a guy who interrupts you at dinner with a telemarketing call. But it's increasingly rare.

- The old rules of looking for a job rely on spamming your network. (Spam is email that is sent, unsolicited, to a large number of people in substantially the same format. That’s exactly what many job seekers do.)

- The old rules of finding a job required advertising a product (you) with direct mail (your resume that you send to potential employers).

- The old rules of job searches required you to interrupt people (friends and colleagues) to tell them that you were on the market and to coerce them to help you.

You want to find a new job? You have to stop thinking like an advertiser of a product and start thinking like a publisher of information.

Create information that people want. Create an online presence that people are eager to consume. Establish a virtual front door that people will happily link to. And one that employers will find.

As I've said at every speech I give: "On the web, you are what you publish." It's no different when the product is you and you're looking for a job.

It's not just me saying this. Consider Heather Hamilton, who leads Microsoft's efforts to build a pipeline of qualified talent and self describes herself as "Microsoft Employee Evangelist, Quasi-Marketer and Truth-Teller." Get this. Her team at Microsoft searches the Web for potential employees. So if you’re not publishing, you won't be found by Microsoft. Of course, you can always try spamming them…

So what should you publish?

There are many ways to get out there into the social media world. Start a blog that highlights your expertise. Create a Twitter feed. Shoot some videos. Establish a podcast channel where you interview people in your industry. Write an ebook that dives deep into a subject you know. Comment on the blogs and in the forums and chat rooms that are important to the business of prospective employers.

The new rules of finding a job require you to share your knowledge and expertise with a world that is looking for what you have to offer.

By the way, I am on several boards. When looking at candidates for a job, which do you think gets more attention from board members: A resume? Or a well-written blog, or ebook?

If you follow this strategy to find a new job, an added benefit is that you will stay in the mix. You won’t get stale. Instead of sending out resumes all day and trudging to "informational interviews" where you TELL people what you can do, you’ll be publishing things that SHOW them that you’d be a smart addition to the team. You'll stay fresh and connected to your marketplace.

Here are a few examples of people who have done this:

Instead of following the traditional path to finding a job, in September 2007 Steve Chazin started a blog and wrote an e-book, Marketing Apple: 5 Secrets of the World’s Best Marketing Machine, which he offered for free. Then Chazin waited for the world to find him.

He didn't have to wait long; the first day saw 2,900 downloads of Marketing Apple, with 2,100 on the second day and an average of 300 per day in the three months that followed. In a very short time, tens of thousands of people downloaded Marketing Apple, and hundreds of people wrote about it on their blogs. Chazin propelled himself into the world as a recognized expert on the kind of marketing used by Apple, Inc. And he instantly set himself far apart from the rest of the pack of job seekers looking for consulting work or a VP of marketing job.

"I've got a traditional resume, but it doesn't tell people how I think," Chazin says. "They get a sense of who I am from the e-book and the blog in a way that a resume can’t possibly deliver. There is also a sense of importance that the e-book has that a resume doesn't. The e-book is free, but it has a very real perceived value."

When he was caught in the global financial mess in mid-2008 and found himself without a full-time job, Tim Rogers, a well-known expert on the economy and interest rate direction started a blog called Trends + Risk. Rogers’ economic and rate outlooks have put him in the USA Today Top 10 Economic Forecasters list for four of the last five years. Rogers realizes that just sending out resumes isn’t the only way to find a job so he’s using his blog to continue to provide valuable forecasts to the global financial markets. Potential employers who may want to hire him as a consultant, a speaker, or even bring him on full-time see his valuable work. And they know he will be up to speed and ready to contribute from day one.

Of course, the best time to create your own presence in social media circles is not just when you find yourself out of work. Do it now. You may find yourself entertaining job offers even when you aren’t looking.

Consider Scott Monty, whose frequent updates on Twitter helped land him a new job at Ford. Monty uses Twitter every day and his smart updates are seen by many. No need to convince an employer that you can write when they can see your writing on the Web.

Or how about Mike Lefebvre, a Boston area real estate professional who created some great YouTube videos to sell houses. One of his videos, Steak Out in Franklin, MA won several awards and has been seen nearly 20,000 times, resulting in the sale of the home (at full price). Mike’s online publishing efforts got the attention of executives at Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty who hired him away from his former employer as a result of his online efforts.

Yes, it's tough to find a new gig. I've been there. Three times. But it's a heck of a lot easier if you put yourself out there and generate the sort of information that employers will find valuable in an employee.

Comments

[Ron Miller]

I think what you're suggesting is a fantastic idea, but you have to know that there is no way you can expect that the average person, who has not been as heavily immersed in social networking as we are, can suddenly while in full panic mode (having just lost a job) learn how to blog, Tweet, shoot video or whatever and do it well enough to get attention from potential employers.

I think it's great advice, but without help I don't see many people who don't already do this stuff following it.

Ron Miller
by Ron Miller Blog
http://byronmiller.typepad.com

[Iris Carter]

Thanks for the pep talk! When I lost my job the end of September I decided that I really wanted to make an effort to start freelance writing. I've been promising myself I'd go that route for years and felt this was my opportunity. I was new to blogging and had not been introduced to social media. I had already signed up for ConvergeSouth and didn't have to ask for time off from work! What an experience - I became immersed in a flood of information. Now I'm twittering, (or is that tweeting?), blogging, networking and making videos from still photos. I'm also working on building a website. Maybe the "average" person wouldn't be able to do these things but being a motivated, highly capable, quick-study has to put me in a better league, right? After all, the cream rises to the top! :) I was beginning to think that my efforts were misdirected but you have given me renewed hope. Thanks again!

[Deb Brown]

Great information! I am going to use it to sell myself and create a fantastic online presence - and to find new clients for my business.

Thanks!

[David Meerman Scott]

Ron, I agree that not everyone can do this. Just like not everyone can pick up the phone to call someone they worked with ten years earlier to ask about work. But for those who are motivated and capable, it is incredibly valuable and sets you apart from the stack of people who only have a resume to show for a decade or two of work.

Iris, keep up the good work. Many people are looking for good writers and if you show us what you can do, it is much easier for us to hire you.

Deb, good luck. Let us know how it works out.

David

[Brad J Garland]

@Ron - As I was reading this I had the same thoughts but I'm thinking DMS's point might be better angled if we're talking about putting that content out now (while you got the job) and so when 'times get tough' you have already established yourself in the market. My belief is 'you are always a prospect' whether you're looking for another job or not. So branding yourself is extremely important at all times. It doesn't have to be for job hunting, it could also be about finding new opportunities as well.

Start now before you lose the job and require going into 'panic mode'.

[David Meerman Scott]

Thanks Brad. I agree.

Another point, Ron. For many, the best strategy may not be to START a blog, but instead to begin by COMMENTING on other's blogs (like Iris did - now we know she is a writer looking for work) as well as PARTICIPATING in forums and chat rooms important to your industry. You can get yourself out there on other online real estate and show the world that you're a player. David

[Steve]

Thanks David for your mention of me. I now run marketing for http://www.Dimdim.com which offers extremely easy, free open source web conferencing and I just hired a community manager to help us leverage the power of social networking. In looking for the perfect person for this job I specifically focused on people who know the power of Twitter and blogs and can weave a fabric of modern social networking into the whole cloth of awareness that Dimdim thrives on. I strongly suggest that anyone worried about their job learn how to leverage these new tools as they will differentiate them from others who don't. Another case in point for you David; the local Boston Fox news station found me to comment on a social networking story based solely on a Google search and comments in my blog (view the video here: http://media.myfoxboston.com/news/specials/naked.html

[Anitra]

This is all good advice, and I loved reading about the people who've benefited from taking this approach to job hunting! One question: Do you think this advice is as applicable to less senior job-seekers? I suppose some would say that everyone's an expert in something, but to me it seems that a VP-level job-seeker with decades under their belt would have a much better chance at putting your advice into practice than someone at the entry to mid-level. Or am I just being young and pessimistic? :)

[iGoByDoc]

Great post!

This is a reminder for all to get your network in order now... do not wait until you are one of the fine folks that are laid off.

The stories you have shared are inspiring!

- Doc

[Rebekah Donaldson]

Three thoughts on this...

1. Thanks for a really thoughtful timely post.

2. Amen! And Microsoft isn't an exception to the rule -- several top marketing research analysts have shown the rise of biz engagement in social media. Some more on this at http://tinyurl.com/5kjgey

3. There's oodles of help here in this blog for those who are ready to learn. Might start by browsing the titles of other posts, in the left column here. There are threads to die for... and topics that just keep growing.

- Red

[Craig]

Great advice but that strategy will not work for everyone and in every industry. Granted I'm sure this is more social media related and to jobs in that industry. For more traditional jobs and companies they will not necessarily be interested in a link to a twitter or facebook account or to some blog. Resumes are still the number one way to be seen in most industries as well as through networking. These tips are great not just for finding a job but being proactive in extending your network. Great examples of people who this approached has worked for and I'm sure there are others.

[oggigorilla]

David,

I think your latest blog shows people that they have to become proactive in their social marketing efforts. So, you don't know how to blog or use Twitter? It's time that everyone who is serious about their business career find the way to tap into these tools.

[Adi]

It would be interesting to hear from international readers of this blog as well. I've no doubt what you write is true for America but I've yet to see much evidence of this here in England.

You're spot on though that the whole recruitment process needs an overhaul. I blogged about this myself a few weeks ago and am still baffled by the number of job adverts that don't tell you the company you'd be applying to, or providing a cookie cutter advert that fails to sell the job or the company at all.

In a service economy people are the greatest resource a company will have, it would certainly be heartening to see more companies take the recruitment of staff more seriously but I'm not sure we've reached that nirvana yet, in England at least.

[Joshua Kahn]

Nice post! Not surprisingly, many people have been thinking about this stuff. I posted a similar piece about managing your career before the layoff hits. Sort of a "what to do once the writing is on the wall" bit. http://find-attract.com/bad-economy-career-management/

[Susan/Unique Business Opportunity]

This is very useful information for someone who is seeking employment. I have already sent a link to your post of two of my friends who are executives looking for a new position. I have talked with both about using social media but have not been able to convince them. Perhaps your article will help.

[Angela Harms]

Yes, and the corollary to this is, surprise, you don't need a "job" at all. You need a life that's productive, creative, and pays your way. You're free!

[Beth Robinson]

I had my career in mind with my most recent blog, but I appreciate this well worded reminder. It helped me reclaim a bit of focus and commitment today.

@Anitra and @Craig - Having proof that you can communicate and think well, even if it's in a topic different from your field or in an industry that doesn't particularly value blogging can only be a plus. When I was job hunting out of college the combination of an English degree with an engineering degree raised questions and interest. I suspect a simple line on a resume pointing to a well-kept blog would do the same in the present.

[Carole Gunst]

Great piece and it's all too true. The old ways of getting a job or a consulting gig may not work this time around. I did a blog post on "Survival Tips for the Laid Off or About to Be" this weekend and my stats were higher than they've ever been. Hopefully, it can help a few folks out. Here it is: http://gunst.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/11/survival-tips-for-those-laid-off-or-about-to-be.html

[DaveMurr]

Where was this post 3 months ago when I was laid off?

Reviewing the comments there are some valid arguments

-how social media needs to be adopted when job hunting

- how it may not be helpful to everyone

- and how many may not be able to leverage (hate that word) social media to their advantage.

In fact if social media is now legit,as we've been reading, not knowing how to use it could be very harmful to job seekers.

When I was job hunting, I immediately did the traditional thing - build resume, post to job search engines, call people. But as my job search continued I began to use social media to my advantage.

In the end I found my job using Twitter and I think I still have 100+ resume submissions on CareerBuilder.

[Adam Swarr]

Love the advice! I have been working part time jobs since losing my full time job over a year ago. From now on less time reading the weekly employment section of the newspaper and more time establishing an online presence. Hey look, here's step one! I'm already on my way.

[Ted S]

Great advice although as a few other commenters mentioned, while those of in the field should get into blogging it's a lot easier to write than it is to get seen writing. One of the difficulties I've found myself since leaving my last job and taking this sort of approach a few months ago has been properly promoting my blog and other content in a way that is seen by the "right people". That said, even the limited visibility I've had has generated some great leads and more importantly, showing my site to people in the interview process has helped to explain what it is I'm all about. To paraphrase some of what you said, a resume just lists what you've done, social participation shows how you do it.

[David Meerman Scott]

Anyone notice that of 19 people who have commented on this post, two (Steve and DaveMurr) found jobs via social media. Yet nobody mentioned they found a job with just a resume and the social media part was a waste of time.

Of course, that's not a scientific test, but it is very interesting. David

[Claire]

Online presence is really the fad nowadays. I managed to get an online job myself. Although I haven't tried making my own public blog yet, since I don't know what to write. With your suggestions, I found a site with the combined effort for students. I built my free online resume at NUresume (www.nuresume.com). So it's like social networking plus resume plus online presence. But this one's only for students..so..

[Brett Slater]

Great post, indeed. And GREAT point to those who already have a gig about getting started now. As a freelance video/audio producer, I use these methods and sites like YouTube towards finding work, and they DO work. The trail you leave -- your Tweets, your blog, your YouTube channel, etc. become your living, breathing, always-available, and up-to-the-minute resume.

[Ron Miller]

Wow what a fantastic conversation has started over this. I think for a writer like Iris, getting involved in blogging is not only a good idea, it's a requirement and a starting point. It's also not a huge leap for her since writers write. They are creative people by nature and using social networking tools is not a huge leap.

But if you are not a writer or creative by nature, trying to use social networking is a bit more difficult learning curve then stealing up the courage to call your old colleague from 10 years ago.

You may have anxiety and fear about doing it, but you do know how to talk. :-)

What you might not know how to do is take the leap into social networking without some help and guidance. I'm not saying it's impossible, although I know it would be more difficult for some than others to do that, but it will take some guidance to get started.

I still think it's a fantastic idea and I agree completely with your premise, David. The more you can do to get your name out there the better, I'm just saying for many it's easier said than done.

Ron

[Josef Katz]

Great points. You can also flip this to the hiring managers point of view. We want to hire smart people that add value to their industry and area of expertise. Starting or contributing to the online conversation is a great way to build your personal brand.

I can confirm this works. We have hired people after following their updates on Twitter or from their blogging activities.

[Jennifer]

David - About.com surveyed human resource professionals and recruiters about which of the top 10 job sites they found the best candidates on, survey results here:

http://humanresources.about.com/gi/pages/poll.htm?poll_id=5763275227&linkback=http://humanresources.about.com/b/a/258241.htm

There is a changing of the gaurd when it comes to online job sites.

[Dale Cruse]

Great advice, David. In fact, I followed it and started a new weblog called http://www.Fired2Hired.com. Though I'm a web developer by trade (I did the Massachusetts Hospital Association website, which I know you're familiar with.) I've always been good at selling myself. So while I'm searching for a new job, I'm sharing my knowledge as much as possible as well. And of course I always appreciate constructive criticism.

[Lynn Morton]

@Anitra
It does work for people who are lower than senior level management. I recently accepted a manager position (in fact I start tomorrow) that I gained leveraging what I've done on the web. In fact my work on social networking is what landed me the interview! Sure it helps that the job is social media/networking for an association and I run a network (in my spare time) to teach association professionals about social networking, but at the same time, when I wasn't looking for a job I found one that lets me explore my passion for social media. I'm really excited for this move and I owe it all to establishing myself online.

[DaveMurr]

A quick thought -

One of the most powerful weapons I had in my social media arsenal was my blogging.

Though my blogs weren't necessarily on topic with the companies I interviewed with (One was on Higher Education, the other covers Depression and Mental Health), having a blog or blogging experience was a qualification badge.

Here's a great post on how a Blog can save your career: http://twurl.nl/bao62o

[Sarah Montague]

Honestly, in this stinky economy, it will come down to a mix of approaches. I think networking still plays a role, but people forget it is a two-way street. If you are looking for a job, you have to provide value to those you network with. Could be as simple as coordinating a virtual intro to someone else in your network they might do business with, or sharing a link to a blog on a topic related to your contact's business challenge. This is pretty basic but it amazes me how many people forget to do this.

[Alecia O'Brien]

Pertinent topic David (I'm in Silicon Valley North where the high tech world is collapsing around me).
People need to do have their own online PR and SEO strategy. When I google my name (come on - we all know you do it!!), the first - and most important - search results are my blog, my public Facebook profile, blogger profile and my LinkedIn profile.
Like you said David, you are what you publish - so be warned! Take the necessary steps to privatize your Facebook profile and customize your LinkedIn public profile and use to your advantage.
Get on LinkedIn and use your expertise summary as your cover letter, and prove your expertise by answering questions in the areas you know.

[Adi]

Doesn't look like any non-Americans replied above, but I took the liberty of asking a friend who works in recruitment about this very topic. Their response is pasted below verbatim:

"My take is that employers are busy people and probably do not for every candidate, but at the same time, if you have a blog you are proud of then it's something that should be highlighted on the CV".

So it would seem that either England is way behind the curve on this, or these techniques havn't hit the mainstream yet.

[Kelli]

This is a great post. When you send your resume to a company one person sees it (maybe two or more if you're lucky)and that's it. If you make an online presence for yourself not only do you maximize your exposure, but you also show off your stellar communication skills on a more personal level. If done correctly, I think that a blog post/comment or a tweet can say a lot more about you than a resume.

[Darlene]

Well, I just scrolled through all the comments to see if mine had been posted. It was not. Alrighty then, David, I guess you get to choose whose comments you post because it is your blog.
My point was that you have to take a many-pronged approach in a career campaign and certainly your suggestions were good ones. BUT the article gives the impression that any Joe Just Got Laid Off Sixpack can do this blogging, ezining or, as I like to call it, plain old "writing" by applying fingers to keyboard and voila -- cool new job as a Virtual VP!
If you're looking for a job, you're gonna need a resume. It's that simple. No ezine, blog, or white paper is going to answer the essential questions every employer is like "who are you?" and "what have you done?" like a resume does.

[David Meerman Scott]

Hang on Darlene! Yes, it is my blog. And thanks for reading.

However, please do not accuse me of doing something that I have not done! I DID NOT remove your comment.

I've run this blog since 2004 and I have NEVER ONCE removed an appropriate comment. Perhaps there was some sort of glitch beyond my control, maybe with my blog software or something else?

FYI, The only comments I remove are inappropriate and that's usually people who try to sell products via comments that have nothing to do with the post (Viagra anyone?).

Anyway, sure, I agree that you need a resume. I said so in my post. But I also think that to get a job in this economy you need to stand out. And social media can make you stand out from 1,000 resumes. By the way, social media is a lot more than writing. It includes photography, video, audio, charts and graphs, analysis, and more. So even if Joe Sixpack doesn't like to write, maybe he is a great photographer and that can be helpful as he meets people via his online photography.

Thank you for the comment.

[Charles Sipe]

As a recent casualty of the financial crisis I plan to continue to grow my blog but I don't know if it will be my primary job search tactic. While I have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from employers about my blog, they usually find out about my blog after I have applied for a job, not the other way around. While it would be great if one of the employers I was targeting happened to find my blog, the chances of that are pretty low unless you are a superstar blogger.

[dean guadagni]

David,

Thank you for a fantastic article and look into the coming trend of job search: blogging to employment.

http://innerarchitect.com/services/workshops/blogging-to-employment/

I am the business director for inner architect a career development firm. Our focus is to bring the value of blogging and direct marketing to jobseekers.

Our program Blogging to Employment utilizes direct marketing principles with their blog as the vehicle for their message of value, expertise, and experience. We teach people to strategically deliver their message to hiring managers and companies as a proactive method to brand themselves and their value.

I just discovered your blog via Twitter. I would like to send this article to my students as further proof that the coming trend of Web 2.0 tools and blogging are the job search methods of today.

Thank you again for this important call to action!

Dean Guadagni
Business Director
Inner Architect

[dean guadagni]

Darlene,

I would like to respectfully completely disagree with your point that:

"No ezine, blog, or white paper is going to answer the essential questions every employer is like "who are you?" and "what have you done?" like a resume does."

In fact Darlene a resume is a simple listing of your credentials -nothing more. It is up to the employer to perfom their due diligence to determine whether the jobseeker can actually live up to their "listing" of skills or not. Background checks are done every day to determine if a jobseeker's resume is legit or full of lies.

If a jobseeker markets their message of value, expertise, and experience (brand) delivering this value via a blog that is powerful.

If a jobseeker can write, formulate ideas, create solutions, and actively demonstrate their value, that type of message blows away any simple listing of credentials aka a resume--in my humble opinion.

dean

[jake3_14]

While I think the whole online presence thing may be a bit overblown (some industries require it more than others, it works better for experienced workers than new entrants), job-seekers, employed or not, can't afford to use only yesterday's job-hunting technologies when newer methods are available. Those doing so now are the era's pioneers, and it will be interesting to see what works and what will be discarded. For example, the Bay Area firm Inner Architect has been piloting a "Blogging to Employment" workshop (http://tinyurl.com/3mhr7p) that combines a traditional direct marketing strategy for seeking employment/consulting gigs with an online presence management strategy centered around work-focused blogs, but uses sites like LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter, et. all as satellite locations.

[Larry Hawes]

This is, perhaps, the best post of a growing number I've seen in the last two weeks on the topic of social software as a job search aid. I wrote on this subject a couple of weeks ago, because I couldn't find anyone talking about it online. It's great to see momentum building for the notion that the combination of what you publish and who you interact with can lead to finding a new permanent position or short-term opportunity. The stories you've shared above are inspirational!

[Alexander von Gimbut]

I'm so glad my friend Ari turned me on to this blog. Great stuff! Not being an avid reader I have a phobia of "too much" information, but understand that I need to get used to it. AGE being a major cause of being excised from this brave new world may not get enough recognition here.
This is so far beyond hardcopy resumes and email. The whole Web 2.0 and beyond is catching many off guard. I myself have not mastered Twitter to date and people are landing jobs with it?
Focus, focus, focus!!!

[Susan Hanshaw]

Clearly Web 2.0 and blogging don't come naturally to everyone, but we're now dealing with an economic climate that is out of the ordinary. Jobs will come most easily to those who approach their searches with innovation and show a willingness to embrace the new, and this article demonstrates that.

I'd like to make a suggestion to job seekers who fear that their blog won't be seen by those they're trying to reach. Rather than stand back waiting to be discovered, take a proactive approach. Compile a list of companies you want to work for and then develop a strategy for delivering your blog posts to them. How? Linkedin is a tremendous resource for developing your prospect list. Type keywords associated with your job function into its Advanced People Search to bring companies who need what you have to offer to your radar. Visit their websites to determine fit and search Linkedin further to discover who the hiring managers are. The information you need is there and it's free. Sure, it requires digging and organizing, but isn't a job search worth the work in this economy?

[Thao Ly]

Hmm, I'm now actually considering starting a blog.

Thanks for the inspiration. =D

[Jeff Roh]

Social media is pretty foreign to a lot of people still. Great job educating on some of the uses and ways to benefit from it. Some of this is a little more advanced for some. I struggle with just exactly how to best use the potential. Thanks for the insights.

[Mike M]

Great post. Rather than editing my resume for the 20th time, I spent my time creating a professional portfolio at http://www.personavita.com. So when I network my need for a job I can give the URL to all my past work experience. It's got more info than my resume and much more interesting to view.

[kim-post resume for free]

Wow! This people's achievements are really inspiring.Thanks for a very encouraging post.

[Cynthia Shaw]

When I lost my job in September 2008, I spent the next four months doing exactly what you describe - I intensified my networking. I was actively seeking a new job before I was laid off, and so was already in networking mode. But, as Emeril says, "I kicked it up a notch."

Networking is valuable for any professional, but I had higher expectations of what it would do for me while job hunting. Many workers find their next job from referrals, so wouldn't that also be the route to a new job for me? It's been 10 months and I haven't seen a return on my networking investment yet. And, I have enough rejection letters to fill a wall in my home.

I set networking aside in 2009 and returned to the classroom so I would have up-to-date skills to offer a new employer. I recently applied for and was awarded a short-term fellowship. I also joined and accepted leadership roles in some new organizations. I published two articles while volunteering in a communications department at a local independent school.

Networking certainly doesn't keep a resume fresh, but what I have chosen to do with my time over the past seven months has.

[David Meerman Scott]

Cynthia - keep the faith. A new opportunity will come. I was laid off three times and in each case, I found something better after my search. David

[Doug Brockway]

David -

I tend to think your POV is right but reading your blog brought me to a different subject entirely.

There are others, some I saw today, one "expert" I network with, with quite different viewpoints. That "expert" is insistent that the web is no where to look for a job. You're not suggesting it is, I know, you're suggesting generating interest that way, but Molly, who is younger and aware, still sees no difference. She's all about meetings-meetings-conferences and meetings.

All this reminds me of Lamazze (sp?) class. In the second class they told us to feed the baby on a fixed schedule. In class three they told us to feed the baby when she was hungry. Then they told us to feed the baby on a fixed basis on all odd-numbered Thursday's after it rains in Vermont. In the end you try and keep it regular and you also do what you feel is right.

There are so many experts on all subjects and their advice is reliably contradictory (like scientists testifying in civil trials). One has to take a reasonable strategy and adjust as you go.

[David Meerman Scott]

Doug - thanks for the comment.

My daughter is a junior in high school and we are beginning the college search process.

Experts say this and they say that. SATs are important. Or not. Extra-curriculars are always very important. But should you be a superstar in one thing or well rounded in many?? Nobody knows.

Here's the thing - in applying to college or finding a job, or attracting a mate, you need to stand out.

If everyone is hitting up LinkedIn contacts and doing paper resumes to find a job, when you wade into that as the so-called experts say, you're one of thousands. Go ahead and do that just to be safe.

But when you stand out because you have a video-blog series where you interview luminaries in your field and it gets high SEO and people are talking about you (just as one example), who do you think will get the call???

David

[Doug Brockway]

David -

To your point on "standing out", as I'm certain you'll agree, "Non quid nos autem quid notum".... (It's not what you know, but who you know...).

In a sea of options if you don't stand out then no one knows you.

Doug

ps - for general Latin silliness try: http://www.baetzler.de/humor/handy_latin.html

[David Gordon Greenwood]

Great discussion!

This is a real eye opener for me, being a senior level sales professional (read “old school sales guy”) hunting for a new opportunity for the first time in a while. Time to look beyond LinkedIn.

Ultimately people get job offers because the hiring manager is convinced the person has the skills required to succeed - not because they blogged. Right?

Nonetheless, we all have access to the same social media tools that the biggest brands in the world are using. Why not use them to develop our own brands?

Seems like a very powerful and enabling concept, even if you don’t have a middle name like Meerman!

[David Meerman Scott]

David (the other one)

Yes of course - the reason you get the job is because of your skills.

But my ideas are here (plus the many people who jumped in) are around getting noticed in a crowded market of similar people so that you get called in for an interview.

David

[Jobs in Nigeria]

Thanks a lot for your timely article. I really liked the idea of stopping to think like an advertiser of a product and starting to think like a publisher of information, Your words hit home and right on Target!

[Rob McWalter]

I agree that social media can be used to make a job hunt more effective. More and more of us will come up to speed on how to leverage it. However, there are some rules of etiquette that need to be observed. For example, I know hiring executives who prefer to keep their FB participation non-business, focused only on family and friends. Reaching out to them by facebook for a job would be viewed as a violation of their privacy. Twitter seems hard to filter adequately. If someone can help me with that please do. In-so-far as LinkedIn is concerned, I was a late comer to that party however I realized I needed to be there when it I was unexpectedly in conversation when the person on the other end to help me network pulled up my profile in real-time, they were unimpressed and disqualified me. This happened twice which encouraged me to make sure LinkedIn gets the same care and attention my paper resume does.

I think the concepts of passion and leverage are mentionable. To job-seek successfully you need to decide what you are passionate about professionally and seek out companies where you can exercise that passion. Then you need to find your way in proactively via a personal network. Good recruiters are hard to find but they are out there. Be selective but network actively with the good ones. Make connections - I often find that I can get introduced to someone in a target company by working my way to them through other people so I can start the conversation by saying "so-and-so recommended I call you" where "so-and-so" is someone your target knows making it a "warm" instead of a "cold" call. There's a book called "The Power to Get In" by Michael A. Boylan that suggests techniques for getting the attention of people who can connect you to hiring managers - I've seen these techniques work again and again. Finally, you need to tailor your value proposition to the person you are aiming at - you need to learn as much as possible about them and figure out how to deliver value through your interaction. Figuring that out raises the likelihood they will want to continue a dialogue.

I think the social media ideas are excellent, but it has been suggested that not everyone has the skills to use social media effectively. Social media is valuable to differentiate a candidate but I view it as a complement the old fashion methods of job hunting. Practicing both approaches will maximize the probability you will land somwhere you can thrive and be happy.

[Amit]

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bba

[Amber Avines]

David, great examples of how the job search is changing. There are still so many people who just don't get it.

It's a new world and the job seeker has more power than ever. Granted, jobs are still scarce. But if you take the time to build up your rep on the Web, that will certainly make you stand out when that interview comes along.

Amber @wordsdonewrite

[Tim Johnson]

Excellent reminder and on target. I used most of these techniques in my job search (fortunately I still had one) and it works. In my cover letters I referred to a video I did at a previous employer and two guest blog posts. Then as my own blog got going, I also referred people to that. It shows better than a resume how I think and write as well as what I can do for someone.

Not to dog-pile on Ron but the time to do these things is RIGHT NOW if you aren't doing it already. Trying to get started in panic mode colors your writings and efforts in ways you may not notice but others do. Searching for your next job starts long before you need one - you need to put yourself in the position of the jobs searching for you.

This stuff works.

[Debra_Feldman]

I recently made a presentation to HBS entitled, The Rise of Social Media and the Demise of the Resume in which I re-framed some new rules of PR by Jeff Bullas as job searching guidelines. For the past 10 years I have represented senior executives promoting them and constructing networks for them purposefully comprised of targeted contacts. Recently, the importance of creating a webinality or online persona is equally important to establishing new relationships via traditional channels. No longer is a LI profile sufficient to propel a campaign. If you want to accelerate a current search and stay on the radar of prospective hiring decision makers, then it is necessary to publish, comment, Tweet, blog, review, etc.In all likelihood, before anyone meets you or sets up an appointment, they will Google your name. Therefore, you have to provide searchable information that is accessible. Today, resumes follow first impressions more often than making them.

[David Meerman Scott]

Amber, Tim & Debra - thanks for jumping in with your thoughts. The more I study this issue, the more convinced I am that job seekers need to think like publishers of information rather than advertisers of a product.

[william96]

Thanks for informative post. I am pleased sure this post has helped me save many hours of browsing other similar posts just to find what I was looking for. Just I want to say: Thank you!

[Parker From Jobs in Nigeria]

Very good post. I'm going through some of these issues as well..