As job seekers, it’s anybody’s guess when opportunity strikes. Pose a triple threat by being poised to capitalize on unexpected opportunities. Be adaptable, scalable, and available.
Be adaptable: If you want to give it your all, you NEED to be active on LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. Remain on brand while building value in your field of expertise.
Make sure you are adapting to the posting and procedural parameters of each of these social media channels. For example, understand the nuances of “Retweeting” and engaging on Twitter and the more casual tone that can be taken on Facebook. LinkedIn is quite formal, so keep that in mind.
Be scalable: Have your one page biography ready to go (used for board appointments, speaking introductions, some job applications, etc.) With this as your home base, you can reduce it as needed for shorter bio sections on sites like Twitter, About.me, or LinkedIn. It also makes sense to use this as the foundation of your elevator pitch. Further, it can form the basis of that question every job seeker loves to be asked: “Tell us a bit about yourself”. So by taking the same information and allowing for it to expand or contract, you can use it repeatedly. Whether you call it re-using, recycling, or just being resourceful, use the same material wherever, whenever, and for whatever the immediate need is.
Be available: There’s no excuse for missing interviews or calls. If you are serious about spotting opportunities or following leads, the plethora of 24-7-365 information, cellular, VoIP, and cloud technology is growing every day. Set up job search and keyword online alerts. Store your resume, cover letter, and professional reference sheet online (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, or OneDrive) so you can send them to a decision maker regardless of your location.
Have at least two forms of VoIP downloaded and make sure you know how to use them properly. The last thing an interviewer wants is to wait for you to figure out how to get the audio working when they are already supposed to be conducting the interview. With Skype and Apple’s FaceTime applications for 1:1 meetings, and Google Hangouts for groups, there are no limits to communicating.
Starting today, arm yourself with these three job approaches so can seize more interview opportunities.
Audrey, this is very strong stuff. I think that I need to add OneDrive and Google Drive to have more options in this area. Also I probably don’t use Skype as much as I could and I know my clients might like it. Great stuff.