When it comes to finding a job, the fewer people you're competing against to get a position, the better. Responding to job ads posted on the major job sites is a highly competitive situation because for most positions, at least a couple hundred people will respond. It's far better for the employer to find you in a less competitive situation. This week's job searching tip discusses establishing yourself as a known authority so potential employers can find you.
WRITING ARTICLES
Writing an article is a great way to raise your profile in your industry and/or profession. Published authors are perceived as experts and more knowledgeable than others in the profession. If you've discovered an interesting way of doing something at work that you think others would like to know about, that could be a great topic for an article. Of course if it's something unique to your company, you need to make sure your employer wouldn't consider it a proprietary trade secret. Another potential topic is discussing what you foresee happening in your industry or profession in the future.
Once you have a topic, your article can simply discuss your experiences with it. Or, you may want to interview other professionals who have experience with the topic to get their input. Being able to quote other people in the article can make it even more interesting.
You also should have at least one trade journal/magazine in mind for your article. If you're not sure what magazines there are for your profession or industry, check with your professional or trade association. You can find a directory of associations on the Association Executives site at www.asaenet.org. You can even e-mail the editor of the magazine you're targeting about the article you're thinking of writing and ask if the topic you have in mind is something they would be interested in.
WRITING A REGULAR COLUMN OR A BOOK
If you write an article and you find the experience enjoyable, you might want to consider writing a regular column for a magazine or even writing a short book. Having a regular column or having had a book published gives you enormous credibility. It also makes it easier for you to get other exposure for yourself. Published authors and columnists have an easier time getting opportunities to speak at conferences, getting interviewed on radio and TV shows, etc.
TEACHING A CLASS
If you have a knack for explaining things, teaching a college class might be for you. Becoming an adjunct professor at a college and teaching a class about your profession also helps to raise your profile. The biggest benefit is the credibility it gives you. As an adjunct professor, you'd be more likely to be given opportunities to speak at conferences, etc.
Finding Personal Meaning In Your Career
When we talk about personal meaning in terms of our career, people often think it’s about turning your passion or favorite hobby into a job. However, personal meaning can mean different things to different people. Your personal meaning doesn’t necessarily have to come from a job that you love every minute of. Instead, think of it as something you get as a reward for a job well done.
Will Inquiries Lower Your Credit Score?
What are inquiries?When you apply for credit the creditor or lender checks your credit report to verify that you qualify for the credit or loan you are applying for. The "inquiry" is then reported to the credit bureaus and shows up on your credit report.
Delivering Service to Keep your Job From Being Outsourced
One of the top concerns people in the job market have today has to do with outsourcing and globalization. Sometimes we look around and it seems like every company is looking to cut costs by moving jobs overseas. We would like to address this issue through a series of articles on the subject.
