There are a lot of super resources on the internet for job search help. And I will agree, it can be overwhelming. This post, and the others written by the experts of Career Collective (down below) will help you sift through the data to find the most useful tools for your toolbox.
My all time favorite tool for building a successful job search and keeping you on track is the MARKETING PLAN.
Your Marketing Plan lays out the following:
- Functions you excel at
- Statement of your benefits (summary of qualifications or elevator speech)
- Market preferences (industries, geographic locations, size of company)
- List of target companies
Creating this document is going to help you clarify where you want to go to prevent the “spray and pray” approach to selling. You have targets!
However, you will need to explain to your specific audience how you want them to use your plan which you have placed in front of them. The HOW is dependent on whom you are speaking. Here are some different scenarios:
Past co-worker:
Ask them for additional job titles they have seen that are similar to what you do “What else are they calling what we do out there?”
Neighbor/family/friend:
Ask them to provide you with names of people they know in your target companies “Do you know anyone I could speak to at any of these companies? I am looking for information on what it is like to work there?”
Someone inside a target company:
Ask to have them review your summary of qualifications/elevator speech. “Do you think this background might be of value within your company?” and/or “Does this sound like something your company might be interested in?”
Hiring Manager or above:
Ask them where they think your background may be of value “Where do you think this background might fit within your company?” “Do you know any other companies that might have a need for this type of experience?”
That is why your Marketing plan has to be very well crafted and thought out. It has to do a very good job of spelling out what makes you unique and specifically what skills you bring to the table.
To fine tune your plan, understand the various job titles and required skills. Visit these two sites for additional help:
ONet Search and Listing of Occupations
I am honored to be part of Career Collective, a community of extremely talented resume writers and career coaches. This post is one of many responses to “best job search tools“.
I encourage you to visit other members’ responses linked below. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.
I want to thank Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW, CPRW, CEIP (www.careertrend.net) and Miriam Salpeter (www.keppiecareers.com) for bringing this team of experts together.
If your industry does not participate online, you can lead the way, @Keppie_Careers
6 Ideas to Put In Your Toolbox, @WorkWithIllness,
Your Best Job Search Resource? You!, @WalterAkana
In a Job Search, Knowledge is Power, @barbarasafani
Jump Start Your Job Search Now!, @resumeservice
Favourite Resources for Jobseekers, @GayleHoward
Find What You Do Best, Know Your Stuff, and Connect, @chandlee
27 Recommended Blogs for Entry-Level Job Seekers, @heatherhuhman
Invaluable Resources for Job Search Success, @heathermundell
Favorite Social-Media Resources for Job-seekers, @KatCareerGal
Canadian Resources for Job Seekers, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland
A Self-Empowering Job Search Resource, @KCCareerCoach
Covering your bases: 5 ultra-useful online career resources, @LaurieBerenson
Favorite resources for Job seekers, @DawnBugni
Top 3 Resources for Job Seekers to Position Themselves as Experts and Increase their Visibility, @expatcoachmegan
Time as a Career Resource: How “Not” to Squander It, @ValueIntoWords
Favorite Internet Resources for Jobseekers, @ErinKennedyCPRW
The Facts Behind Why LinkUp Is the Most Revolutionary Job Search Engine Available to Job Seekers, @GLHoffman
More From careersherpa
- 5 Ways to Speed Up Your Job Search
- best job search tips for the year
- The Best Job Search Websites of 2011
careersherpa Recommends
- In the Job Search, Your Comfort Zone is the Danger Zone! (Career Rocketeer)
- Does Your Resume Actually HURT Your Job Search? (YouTern)
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Hannah, I’m a big fan of marketing plans and thought this treatment was excellent!
One suggestion I can offer for job seekers: add the Box.net application to your LinkedIn profile and share your marketing plan with your connections. This empowers your connections to identify suitable opportunities.
Ed,
Super idea! I think the marketing plan is so much more useful than a resume! It truly helps people understand HOW they can help!
Hannah,
This structure and framework is terrific; I’ve already shared it and will be sharing it again.
Quick question: Do you recommend job seekers create additional columns to chart their progress, write down existing and potential contacts, etc.? It seems to me that this would dovetail very nicely with Jibber Jobber and similar record keeping tools…
Many thanks and all the best,
Chandlee
Chandlee:
I suggest job seekers use it as a living document, adding and changing information as appropriate (new titles, company additions/subtractions). However, I still believe that job seekers should have a detailed job search tracking system, and yes Jibber Jobber is great. A simple Excel spreadsheet can work too.
I am of the belief that this should be a “simple to review” tool. Providing too much detail here could confuse the audience. However, because there are no true set guidelines, this only needs to work for the job seeker and their audience.
I’m so thrilled to see this! One of the very first things I do for my clients is create a job search marketing plan. Anything worthwhile needs a plan, especially when there are so many different things to do, goals to set, people to meet, interviews to attend, and follow-up to be done during job search. I wish more people would do it, and I hope all of those who see this article will realize how important it is!
Hi Hannah!
I LOVE this and it is so true! Absolutely imperative to engineer a marketing plan. Thank you for illustrating steps and providing such great visual direction.
Fantastic!
Rosa
Gayle,
I am glad to hear you encourage your clients to use this too! I agree, it is invaluable to creating focus and setting a clear direction. How can you have a search without this? LOL!
Thanks for your comment!
Hannah,
What a clear and powerful explanation of not only the 4 key functions of a Marketing Plan, but also instructions on explaining to your specific audiences HOW to use your plan.
Though so many job seekers don’t want to be locked into an industry, your description of ‘market preferences’ sounds a bit more flexible, and of course includes not only industries, but geographic locations and sizes of companies. Well put! Without a target goal that elicits for the reader that the candidate is focused on THEIR unique needs (and smaller companies have different needs than larger, F-500 companies, etc.), then the job seeker will be less impactful (and successful) in his career communications.
Love your resource and the thought you put into communicating it in this pithy post! Thank you!
Jacqui
Focus. Focus. Focus. That’s what a marketing plan helps the job seeker do!
Yet, the resistance always seems to be that people want to keep their options open. So, they keep themselves unfocused. What is almost a paradox, however, is that it’s not so much the “plan” as the “planning.” Taking the time to think about career direction, and to project potential targets actually helps one see opportunities that may have gone unnoticed!
Excellent post, Hannah!
Walter,
You’ve hit the nail on the head- Gosh, that paradox is definitely so problematic.
Thank you for your comment! I am always so impressed by how well you articulate your thoughts!
Hannah – This is a great tool to help job seekers focus and target their efforts with an eye on the audience. This is exactly the same thing I teach my clients, and I love this framework, as it really outlines what job seekers need to think about and be able to discuss. What a wonderful addition to the Career Collective resources. Thanks so much!
Miriam:
You know what they say about great minds!
Thank you for your endorsement and support, as always. Now, if we can just convince the thousands of unemployed to learn how to create and use one!
Hannah, It’s clear from the comments that many of us use similar tools. Yours is terrific and I’m going to use this template with my clients. As to convincing people to use one? Most people think they can do this on their own — until they find out it’s not working. We all need clarification and thought provoking questions – but few of us are willing to invest in ourselves to get it. Thanks for sharing.
Rosalind:
I am glad you found the format useful! Yes, we all need someone to hold a mirror up. It is so difficult to find the time to invest in ourselves, yet too important not to. Thanks for stopping by!
Hannah, this is an exceptionally helpful post because it shows the Marketing Plan and explains how to use it with different audiences. I have talked to many job seekers who have a plan, but fail to form the appropriate conversation around it. Thanks so much for this great illustration of how to make this great tool effective.
Hi Rita:
Thank YOU for the comment.
I get so frustrated! This is THE best tool and yet people don’t use it. I know I am preaching to the choir.
My fear is that they don’t use it because they have conversations about “needing a job” not information gathering conversations, I hope I am wrong!
I like how you mention past co-workers. I found that keeping in touch with past co-workers are a great advantage when you start looking for a job.
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Hi Juliet:
I’ve seen your ads on other career/job seeking websites. Thanks for promoting here!