It has been a few weeks since I posted my last blog post. There have been many new developments in my career. I’m excited to announce that I joined a Washington DC area marketing firm in in July.
Finding this perfect opportunity took quite some time, but was worth the wait. The market is very competitive right now, I went on numerous interviews with various companies in the region. I realized that I wanted to make a move from my current role last fall, and began actively seeking new employment in December. After several interviews I finally landed on my two feet.
My interview process was very grueling and took several months. Through the process I gained a few pearls of wisdom which I am more than happy to share with my fellow marketers.
1) Don’t badmouth your current employer. I was in a pretty hostile environment, I made the mistake of telling employers that was the reason I was leaving. After working with recruiters and coaches, a more effective approach is to highlight things you enjoy about your current position while explaining your ideal environment (and how the company you are interviewing with provides just that!)
2) It’s not about you. The best interviews are where you are the one asking the majority of the questions.Find out why employers are interested in you and “Sell” your abilities and how they will provide value to their company.
3) Shorten your resume. My previous resume was flashy, wordy. I worked with a recruiter to change it, emphasize my skills and past accomplishments, and was far more successful at obtaining interviews.
4) It’s all about the numbers. It takes a lot of time and dedication to get a new job, especially when you have a current job. Carve out time every day to find new leads and fill your job opportunity pipeline. The more job leads you generate, the increased odds you have.
5) Be Creative. Create a professional web presence that demonstrates your capabilites. Also be sure to have print portfolios that demonstrate your capabilities. If appropriate, go the extra mile. On one interview I created a “MEGASETH” action figure. (Essentially a modified Ken Doll). While I didn’t get the position as a preferred candidate accepted it at a lower salary, I left a positive impression. The individual I interviewed with offered it back, however I told them they were free to keep it as long as it was safe from the trash (if it ever was to be thrown away I asked that it be returned to me). The way I look at it, it sits in their office and is a constant reminder of yours truly, and a great conversation piece.
If you need advice or help putting together a personal web portfolio, please feel free to hit me up. I have extensive experience putting together portfolio sites for creative professionals and am available to help you create a site as wonderful as mine.
After all the strain of the job search, I’m very excited to be part of the MarketSmart team, everyone else who I interviewed with, well, you missed out. As a former colleague and mentor would say “Better luck next time suckaheads!”
P.S. Whaddya think of my fancy MEGASETH Action figure? Leave your comments below 🙂
