Thursday, May 15, 2014

Things College Grads Must Invest In To Get Hired In 2014

A good resumé isn't enough anymore.  To get noticed and hired in this competitive job market you need to take an aggressive and creative approach to marketing yourself.  Yes, that's basically what you're doing: marketing yourself to potential employers.

Image via Tulane Public Relations
I tell aspiring broadcast journalists this all the time: have a paper resumé, a digital portfolio, a strong social media network and a YouTube channel with examples of your work.  You wouldn't believe how many interns I have met who want to go into TV and yet their college professors don't tell them they need a demo reel.  I digress.

There is a great article on Forbes that explains 8 Things Today's College Students Must Invest In To Get Hired and the advice is outstanding.

Here's a quick summary: 
A Professional Headshot - you need this for your LinkedIn profile.  Delete all the drunk photos of you at the game.  Take it a step further and take the photo on the day you got your hair done.

A Stellar LinkedIn Profile - It shows up in Google results and recruiters are scanning this network to see how you tell your professional narrative.

A 3D Brand Bio - something that tells the story of your work, your life and your world.

Professional Clothing - so important.  Professional accessories are great gifts for college grads.  These don't have to be expensive, they just need to be quality pieces that makes a phenomenal first impression.

Recommendations - these go a long way in proving you're a strong candidate.

Good Stationery - you need these for thank you notes.  This was another gift suggestion I had for the recent grad.

A Video Bio - if you can produce a compelling video that engages a recruiter, think about the impression you'll make.  Again, it's no longer solely about the resumé.  You need to take it a step further.

A Career Coach - these are helpful.  There is no one formula for success but it's good to talk to someone who can offer objective advice on all aspects of your career from your presentation and appearance to your resumé and actual body of work.

Check out my internship survival guide for detailed information that you can apply not only to your internship but also to marketing yourself for that first job, as well.
Be First to Post Comment !
Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.