We have always believed that the employer has the upper hand. They have the jobs and we want the jobs. They have the money and resources to promote their brand or product, or service, we don't. Both of these statements are false.
Let's make the job search process the launch of a business. Tom Peter's wrote about Me Inc long before it was "cool" to talk about personal branding. (Here's the FastCompany article if you haven't read it yet.) As a business, you are looking for potential business opportunities. These opportunities might include providing a service. This service would be conducted within a company. This logic puts the power back in your hands. And this continues through out the interviewing process. View the interview as an exchange. It is a two way street! You want to see if this is the "right" opportunity for your business and they want to know if you are a good fit for their company.
The other way you can level the playing field is to use the same tactics employers are using today to attract talent. They develop an on-line reputation for being an employer of choice. They tout their press releases, news and events on their corporate websites. They list their features and benefits. They are developing their brand.
It costs very little, and sometimes nothing, to develop your own on-line presence. Now you can begin to manage your on-line brand and become an service provider of choice for a company. Google, BING, Yahoo, any search engine, should point to you. Employers are searching for information about you in various places in various ways. Make it easy for them to find your service!
The Blog is the New Resume, from The Underground Job Network has summarized why having a blog is a wise move for managing Me Inc. An article by Forbes is referenced in this post and it explains the Four New Job-Search Trends.
You deserve to feel in control. You deserve to re-gain some of the lost power. Start today by managing your company!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.