Ryan Stephens Marketing

Foolproof Way to Enhance Your Job Search

30
November

In response to my post entitled, “Why Resumes are Lame,” I had a few people respond via Twitter and e-mail that you simply have to have a resume to get hired.

Did I simplify the argument to rouse a stir and amplify the discussion? I hope so. That was the intention, but the truth is I know a lot of people in this space (and others) that have received jobs without a traditional resume. Or merely as a supplement just to pass around to other constituents.

After going back and forth with one reader he finally said, “Well tell me what you’d do for one of these jobs.”

Here’s my response:

First of all, if they ask for a resume, obviously you have to give them a resume. If you know it’s going to straight the the HR person and get the impression they’ll look at, a typical resume is probably the approach. If you’re submitting a resume online — I’d personally do something really different or over the top.

(And I’ll admit I don’t know much about *developers. I suspect that, like engineering, doctors, etc. my strategy wouldn’t work nearly as well, if at all. It’s MUCH more applicable to any kind of activity that involves creative, right-brain work – either solely or as a big component of the gig. Not that developing doesn’t, but obviously you’d have to demonstrate the technical skill first.)

With the list you sent. Let’s pick one.

Let’s go with “Online Marketing Analyst” for Luggage Pros (as that’s pretty generic)

Who Would You Report To?


The first thing I notice is that you would report to the Sr. Marketing Director.

I familiarize myself with as much as I can about the company and Nick, the person I’d report to:

Since his last name isn’t there I’d try to find him via LinkedIn.

What Would Your Duties Be?


In reading the job description one of the things I notice is that many of their techniques are a lot of things that are still effective (Pay Per Click, SEO, etc.), but not quite as hot has social media marketing.

How Do You Demonstrate Value?


I might put together a proposal/plan, etc. explaining how I could use social media tools to develop a passionate community of travel enthusiasts.

Why? Travel enthusiasts need luggage and if Luggage Pros are the people that connect travel enthusiasts together they’ll be top of mind when it comes time to buying luggage.

In the proposal, which doesn’t have to be overwhelming I’d intertwine my knowledge of the skills involved in the job description, as well as, characteristics and skills I possess that I thought the company would value and appreciate.

The KEY to this approach is that if you start building these kinds of relationships way before you ever need the job you can spread what amounts to quite a bit of work out across a longer time period. Casually getting to know the person, a quick e-mail with a “have you thought about this,” or “I have a suggestion.”

How about all of you? If you wanted this job would you immediately e-mail your resume? What other techniques might you employ in this scenario?

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Posted on by Ryan Stephens

3 Comments

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  • http://www.cornonthejob.com Rich DeMatteo

    Do resumes = the best way to get a job? Definitely not. Should someone still keep a reasonable strong resume for just in case reasons? Definitely.

    I think you’ve done a nice job illustrating how to get noticed by a potential supervisor in that role, and then what really counts is you’ve outlined a proposal which will keep that persons interest. Kudos.

    And, now a quick plug for HR. My HR mind is failing me on the exact number, but companies with either at least 15, 20, or 50 employees legally need to hold a resume in an employees personnel file. Organizations may of course slip up and forget, but if they are audited by the EEOC or OFCCP then serious fines and penalties may come there way. In cases where the employer is a government contractor they can easily lose their contracts. Smart HR organizations will always ask for a resume, even if it is to have a piece of paper on file.
    .-= Rich DeMatteo´s last blog ..You have an 8% chance of living, now what? =-.

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  • http://jackieadkins.com Jackie Adkins

    Great follow-up post. You’re hired!
    .-= Jackie Adkins´s last blog ..Why Should I Care About Your Product? =-.

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  • http://www.patrickambron.com Patrick Ambron

    I think the main issue at hand is not whether or not you need a resume, but how effective it is as a job search tool. In that regard, I think Ryan is right. Resumes are largely ineffective in this day in age. Back in the day, you submitted your resume to a company, they called you in for an interview, and if you clicked, you got the job. Today, for young professionals, resumes are basically indistinguishable from everybody else. They don’t get your foot in the door anymore.

    Ryan successfully outlined new tactics you can use to demonstrate your value. To get your foot in the door for an interview. At this point, after piquing their interest, they will probably look at your resume, but probably to ensure you meet minimum requirements. So in a sense, a resume can break you, but it certainly won’t make you anymore.

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