Marseille edit
It is a long time to find a job by the consultation of announcements in the local newspaper which we responded by sending a letter in support of the application accompanied with a curriculum vitae (CV). If this method has its advantages, it cannot guarantee its only results today. Why? Because approximately 80 % of job offers are in the hidden market. In other words, they are not public and those who are saturated under the strength of applicants. Consequently, if you want to increase your chances of success, you have to fetch yourself the employment, even attract it to you. Yet, just respond the offers, which are in the press or online, denote a passive attitude. It is believed naively that only diplomas and work experience. No, it is necessary to go further. You have to add the rope of the visibility to the bow which establishes your profile. For that purpose, it is necessary to resort to the personal branding or the personal mark.
#JeSuisUneMarque
Let’s do an exercise of thought. Imagine that you are a company which sells such a product or assures a service. Besides traditional communication, you think about an online presence to attract more customers. First of all, it passes a Web site which acts as "digital shop window". Then, to entice the barge, you set up a blog. You also create pages on the social networks (réseaux sociaux). You obviously ensure to take care of your image regardless the used channel. You are generous with your readers by giving them what they want, even more.
Do you know what I am saying?
Within the framework of a job search, the company, is YOU! Yes, you who are maybe a shy person or those who do not understand the interest of an on-line presence and who dare not show yourselves too much on Web. We’ll have to revise your prejudice and take digital bull by the horns of the personal branding.
For that purpose, let’s begin with the Basics.
The on-line presence
Do you know your e-reputation (on-line reputation)? Have you already "googled" in your life? No? It is the opportunity to make. Are you afraid of what you are going to find? Exactly, imagine whether a recruiter comes down on you or not! Working on his personal mark requires to be present in the Google search results (SERP) when we type your name. The ideal appears when the Internet user makes a request relating to your job. But we are not even there.
In the SERP, there is a visibility. But for the "personal branding", this has to be of quality. If your patronymic is associated with the brilliant contents, it is advisable to act to remove it or get down again in the results. The main part is that your reputation is appropriate in three front pages, knowing that generally, the Internet users do not overtake the first one, if there are not three top links (what we name the golden triangle). In case of problem, it is advised to contact the site’s administrator who accommodates the litigious contents.
Phew! Finally, you notice that it has not been infringed at your e-reputation. For a very good reason: you are invisible in the eyes of search engines.
It’s essential to remedy it.
Invest the professional social networks
In the difference maybe of a company, it is not necessary to create at once a web site. It has already been necessary to start with the beginning: The professional social networks, in particular, the most symbolic, is LinkedIn. In fact, it is unthinkable to be in job search without visiting the site where you can enter in touch with a multitude of recruiters. But before doing anything, it is advisable to look at its image. Literally. If completing the profile does not put a priori with too much problem (you know your job and your work), the photo step deserves that we stop a few moments there. It is necessary to be aware of the element on which the eye of the Internet user (the possible recruiter) is going to stop in the first one. Whether we like it or not, it is going to draw conclusions which could turn out determining. To enlarge the line, if you appear in flip-flops and shorts on the beach tasting a cocktail with your slightly tipsy friends, you are off to a pretty bad start.
You understood: on the photo, it is necessary to be professional. "Easy", please tell me it is enough to put on the suit and raise your most beautiful bright smile. Yes but not only: being alone, having a neutral background, suiting in close-up, looking at the objective and shine correctly are a part recommendations of use. If you can be allowed, please take photograph by a professional.
Last thing: do not especially forget to size your photo in 400 x 400 pixels minimum. If you do not feel at ease with the software of photo alteration, a tool on-line as Canva perfects this type of task.
Why do we have so much to insist on the profile photo? Besides elements indicated, it is necessary to understand that it appears directly in the search results associated with your name of Google in the category "Images" (what is not the case of the banner of your account LinkedIn, for example). Furthermore, it serves as "professional photo of digital identity" that you will apply to other media (for example Twitter, if you plan to use it for your job search).
Promote with the contents
That's it, you are present on Web! However, do not claim victory too early! In fact, you have already been of millions having a LinkedIn profile (exactly more than 500 millions in the world among which there are 14 millions in France). Additional efforts must be supplied to distinguish you from the mass.
These can be measured in brief: the contents. The quality, of course. It is imperative to think about the fact that you plan to publish. For that purpose, there are not 36 solutions: as a company or a newspaper, you have to set up an even basic, editorial line. What is your job? What is your activity sector? What are your specialization? What is your experience? What is your expertise?
It is some of the questions to raise necessarily before launching the writing of contents. Do search on the Web to inspire your competition and pick up the subjects tendencies. When you feel ready, do launch! If necessary, review with close friends to correct mistakes of spellings and grammar (we make it all), even gather opinions.
As to the shape, you have a very wide choice. Know that there is a publication column in LinkedIn. But you can opt for a more ambitious frame by creating your own web site (your name is even better for your referencing (référencement) on Google and thus for your personal mark). See it according to your time and your money (hosting a site is at a cost). As it stands, choosing the blog is a good compromise. With the good theme (template) and the just tone (stemming from your editorial line), it is a tool adapted for your personal branding. Platforms as Wordpress or Blogger offer completely decent free solutions. Do not hesitate to spread your contents on platforms dedicated to this purpose as Medium.
Let’s insist on the fact that the contents are the mother of all the battles. It is true that this work can seem to be so boring that it should adopt some discipline. Articles must be long enough to please Google. It is recommended to publish often and regularly (once a week). But this hard work is enriching. Besides gleaning, in the passage, some skills in Web writing, mastering the text process, referencing or others, these contents are the opportunity to get in touch with other professionals. It is all the same easier to exchange when we have a "currency" ("bargaining chip"), in this particular case the fruit of your work.
Better: the latter allows you to attract the readers, even the recruiter because it constitutes the added value which distinguishes you from the competition. It is Inbound Marketing (entering marketing) applied to the employment searcher. However, this one is not incompatible with the more traditional techniques. In contrast, they complement each other. By responding job offers, you give the recruiter the opportunity to test your personal mark what weighs in favor of your application.
Design a charter of personal mark
With all this work, you must have, as a rule, a good on-line visibility. It is maybe necessary time to add the cherry on the cake which will return your quite unique mark (only that!). What is your vision? How do you explain that you are of your career in reality at this moment? What is your ambition? What is your slogan? What are your keywords? They are some of the questions having to serve to constitute your charter of personal mark. Maybe you have already known the answers because it is information built according to the development of your personal branding.
In all the cases, it is useful to collect them in a unique document to which you can report when you have to prepare a pitch of presentation (in interview), complete your profile LinkedIn … Because you have already shown professionalism, the objective, through this exercise, is to show authenticity to assert your personality.
To finish, it is recommended to follow the evolution of the results of your personal mark as a company would make for its Web site. For that purpose, you arrange several tools. On LinkedIn, Social Selling Index quantifies your personal branding and helps you to cultivate better relations. On the Internet, a site as Klout allows you to know your influence by means of between 1 and 100 determined according to your activity on the social networks.
Article written by Thierry Randretsa