In one of the articles published here a while back, we
mentioned that one should consider him/ herself a brand. Now as with every
other brand, advertising or promoting yourself is important. So when you see “you”
the brand is diminishing before the eyes of the consumer (in this case the
employer), then it is time to advertise yourself again to remind the employer what to buy and
why they should buy it.
Here are a few ways of getting back into the employer’s
mind without appearing desperate:
1.
Re-establish old contacts: Most of the time
we take it for granted that human resource managers or other executives will
remember us. It is important to keep alive the contacts you have made. Send
them emails regularly and keep them informed whenever you have gained a new
skill. When you do that, chances are that you will always be within the radar should
anything interesting come up.
2.
Change your CV: To have no experience
should not mean your CV should be dull. Always strive to stay ahead of other
graduates with an up-to-date and attractive CV. There is absolutely no excuse
for a drab CV. Make whatever you have sound exciting. A CV must position you as
result oriented, pro-active and hard working.
3.
Know the market: The market, in this case,
refers to the relevant employers. Some 20 years ago and back, getting a job was
not as difficult if you had attained certain levels of education. Banking was
revered and being an accountant meant you were among the most respected persons
in the village. The market has changed and this is no longer the situation.
Requirements for these positions have expanded. The point is that knowing what the
market needs enables you to strategize on what you can do to effectively market
yourself and earn top dollar in a competitive world. Talking to people in your
field of expertise and other fields is important. Don’t let Twitter, Facebook
and Myspace be just for personal purposes: use them to ensure that you ink up
with professionals. Change with the times and acquire the necessary and
relevant skills before you find that you have become irrelevant to your
employer.
4.
Acquisition: You may need to acquire new skills to
help you in your job search. You may, for example, decide to learn a new
language or get a diploma. Alternatively, you can go ahead and take up that
simple job that you have been ignoring just because you have been seeing it as
beneath you. We often acquire good skills doing jobs that are somewhat not
related to our desired careers.
There was this young man who was conducting a survey on
a proposed new development in my neighborhood. As I filled the form he had
provided, I asked a few questions about himself. He informed that he was not
doing the survey because he had specialized in that field, but because he had 2
goals. One was to make sure that he got the necessary public speaking skills
and the other was that in future someone he would have met in during this
research might remember him and offer him a chance in his desired field.
Well, you see, I will definitely remember him. Compare this
young man with other graduates who sit at home waiting for their dream job to
fall into their laps. A brand will not stick in people’s minds forever, and
that is why brand owners must regularly advertise and promote it so that people
do not forget it. Therefore, you must ensure that you do all you can to keep ‘brand
you’ in your employers’ and potential employers’ minds. Good things come to
those who are aggressive.
This article is by Juliah Karimi of Staff Kenya.
