Creative Ways to Market Yourself to Potential Employers
In a competitive labor market, you need to find unique ways to get hired. To do this, you must find creative ways to market yourself to potential employers.
Focusing your attention on potential employers is a smart move as they call the shots. The best part is that doing it right could open doors of opportunities you never knew possible.
Let’s dive in to learn creative self-marketing techniques to get your dream job as soon as possible.
Connect with potential employers through social media
Social media has evolved from a place where people would primarily connect with long-lost friends and family. These days, social media is more inclusive and has more room for professionals to connect. Thus, if you are looking to meet potential employers, social networks are a good place to start.
Professional social networks like LinkedIn are places where you would go to find potential employers and interact with them.
Firstly, you would need to join these platforms. Next, create a professional profile that is relatable to the industry these potential employers operate in. Then, make connections on the platform, get interactive and slowly warm up your way to the profiles of potential employers.
When you finally connect with potential employers, remain professional and don’t directly ask them for job opportunities. Having them as your connections is already a big win.
It might take time, but as long as you keep contributing cleverly to the platform, they will notice you. Also, if you improve your skillsets and reach milestones, you will increase your chances of getting recognized.
Show up to events
Employers and CEOs are always trying to create platforms where they can rub minds with other CEOs. They either host or attend events to contribute to the development of both their businesses and the industry.
From fundraisers to a summit of professionals in the industry, there are many events to look forward to. Showing up to these events will benefit you; they are where you would meet potential employers in the flesh.
The first step to getting to these events is knowing where they will hold. Next, find out what they are about so that you will be prepared to fit into the scene. To get all this information, frequently visit the official website of these events or the company hosting them.
Call the organizers to see if you need to make a reservation before you attend. Also, if there would be a dress code or any special information about the event, ask ahead.
Although you want to market yourself to potential employers at these events, there is no need to ambush them. Try not to be the center of attention, yet find a way to join in conversations. Ask questions that show you are interested in the employer’s company. Talk to people about how the employer and their company are impacting you currently.
The employer will most likely not give you a job on the spot but you can make an impact. If they remember your name, you can build a professional rapport from there.
Contribute to their work
There are hundreds or thousands of people trying to get an audience with potential employers. However, if you show persistence by contributing to their work, you might get noticed.
There are many ways employers or CEOs get in contact with the rest of the world. From TV talk shows and podcasts, to live Q&A online, there is no shortage of showing support to potential employers. Take note of when these potential employers have to make a public appearance on-air and contribute.
For example, if they are on a live TV show, make sure to phone in. Likewise, if they are on an online Q&A session, send your reasonable and unique questions. Many fans of talk show hosts and celebrities have gotten an audience by constantly contributing to their work.
This unique self-marketing tactic might take time but it has worked for many people. First, once the CEO hears or reads your name, they recognize you. Then, if they notice a pattern of sensible and impactful contributions from you, the possibilities are endless.
Send emails of how their recent work has inspired you
Anyone would be pleased to find out that their work is causing a positive impact on people’s lives. The same goes for employers and CEOs. Since these CEOs have channels through which the public can reach out to them, seize the opportunity.
The first thing to note is that you must be sincere. A genuine interest in the works and contributions of employers to the industry and society is key. Also, if you have internalized the works of these CEOs and their companies, going in-depth on their impact would seem more realistic.
Send emails every once in a while- probably monthly- to these CEOs. Appear to them as a mentee (not as someone who’s trying to work for them). This would make you seem sincere even though you are both a mentee and a job seeker.
Do your research until you get direct access to their email or at least their secretary’s email. Address these emails appropriately and sound professional. Show how you have been progressing professionally through applying their methods or being inspired by their achievements. Ask questions at the end of your emails to show that you are willing to learn.
The results might not be positive at first but persistence is key. If you can get a response, you know you have an opportunity to market yourself.
Apply their work to your activities or projects
One of the most flattering compliments an employer can get is that other professionals are making waves using their methods. Not only would they feel proud, but they would also want to meet their protégé. This presents an opportunity to market yourself to potential employers more than ever.
Knowing how to apply the methods of CEOs to your work is by studying the methods. Learn all you can about the ground-breaking works of these CEOs and their establishments. Read their books whenever you can so that you can quote or make references to them. Without doing too much, simple lessons you learn from their success over the years can make a difference.
From tasks given to you at work to personal projects, applying the winning methods of these CEOs is key. The more success you derive from doing this the more news about you would spread. Also, don’t hesitate to mention this whenever you have the chance to connect with these potential employers. The challenges you faced, what new techniques you discovered, and the results of using these methods should be mentioned.
This tactic works well during interviews. As you prove how being a student of the employer’s methods helped you achieve impressive results, you will win hearts.
Make references to their work
When you are inspired by someone else’s work, it is only ethical to show where you got the help from. Doing so for the potential employer you wish to work for would give you an advantage over the average candidate.
By now, you must have realized the importance of developing an interest in the prospective employer’s business and career. As you apply their methods to your professional endeavors, refer to their work. For example, if you write a paper on a topic the employer’s company or have published, make reference to it.
Also, always look for opportunities to show that the potential employer has inspired you. From social media to professional meetings, reference their winning methods whenever you can.
Without trying to spite other CEOs or your current employer, refer to your preferred CEO courteously. Don’t become an unauthorized ambassador of their company overnight. That would seem like you have an agenda or that you are an attention-seeker.
It is better to show this type of support to more than two potential employers. However, when there is no correlation between what you are working on and what the prospective employer does, don’t force a connection.
Start a group dedicated to the application of their work
One of the tactics of getting close to celebrities is creating a fan group for them. This method has proven successful for decades. Not only should this apply to entertainment legends, but trailblazers in business-like top CEOs also deserve to have a group for their followers. These groups are not only for waxing lyrically about what the top employers do but to learn from them as well.
Forming a group for the potential employers you are targeting is easier these days. Social media is the easiest place to start a group of professionals who are inspired by top CEOs. You may use any of the top social media platforms to get as many people to join as possible. There is no need to extend the group meetings to physical regional events as you can gather millions of people globally for the same cause.
Remember that these groups are not like entertainment fan groups, so make sure to keep them professional. Information and new industry practices should be discussed. Make the group something that these CEOs can be willing to contribute to and endorse.
As time goes on, the success of your group will draw attention to you. Not only can this provide a job opening for you with the employer, but it will also bring out other leadership qualities in you.
Apply to jobs they advertise
At the end of the day, your ultimate (or initial goal) is to work in the employer’s organization. Thus, if you try to market yourself without applying for a job, your efforts could be in vain. For this reason, don’t hesitate to apply to the job openings they have available. If you can get a job without trying many tactics to impress the potential employer, it would be better.
Always be on the lookout for jobs the potential employer’s company advertises. Checking the company’s official website at least once a week for information is a good start. Also, make job sites your favorite websites for information on jobs. When you apply, get ready for an interview.
During the interview, mention the impact of the company or the employer on your career in the questions. If you had connected with the potential employer before the interview, it would give you an advantage. However, you still have to impress during the interview and follow up with a thank you letter.
Teach others the application of their work online
Another proven way to impress a potential employer is to help others get the most out of their legacy. Teaching others how to function effectively in their duties through the prospective employer’s methods is key. Not only will you have the opportunity of working for them, but they could also contribute to your ambitions immensely.
The first thing to do is be exceptional at what you do and master the prospective employer’s methods. You could teach people through various online teaching platforms like Udemy. Also, you could use social media platforms to teach those who are interested to learn. YouTube is a good channel to teach people online.
Take the teaching seriously and grow your audience. Use any opportunity you have to reach out to the employer and ask for support. The prospective employer could decide to sponsor your teaching. Likewise, other businesses in the industry would love to work with you especially when your audience list develops.
Although it takes time to grow a large following, it is worth it in the end. you could get a job from the employer or from other employers who appreciate your knowledge. Lastly, if you change your mind about working for the employer, you would still win. From endorsements, and sponsorships, to paid lectures, you would have no shortage of income streams.
Conclusion
Getting a potential employer’s attention is not the easiest thing to do but it is possible. Being creative about how you market yourself is key. It shows a different side of you and gives you a huge advantage over other candidates. Even though the ultimate goal is working for the potential employer, more opportunities will present themselves.