By now you understand that finding the perfect job requires more than simply writing a resume and posting it online. In fact, if you are going to take the “apply-on-line” approach you should spend NO MORE than 2 hours per week at it. Less than 5% of jobs are ever posted online, so if you are going to find your next job fast you need to spend your time elsewhere. The successful and savvy job seeker will develop a compelling personal brand and spend 75% of their time (or more) promoting it. Here are 7 key ways to promote your personal brand.

1) BUY PRINTED BUSINESS CARDS. I am consistently shocked by the number of job seekers who have absolutely NO way of letting other people know how to contact them other than by shoving a resume in their face. And no, the one’s yo print at home on your own computer are NOT good enough! Business cards are inexpensive. Sometimes you can even get free business cards from places like Prints Made Easy or free shipping from stores like Office Max. As for what to put on your card? I recommend the minimalist approach. Put your name, email address, phone, and LinkedIn profile address. You don’t need a title or a cute picture. Get a non-glossy finish and leave the back empty so people can jot down notes about you.

2) DEVELOP A CONCISE ELEVATOR PITCH. Give just enough information to make people want to ask you to tell them more. Don’t focus on your past, instead focus on your future. Nobody cares that you have 15 years experience in micro-processors. They want to know what you can do for THEM now! Be memorable, but not flippant or “cutesy”. Lastly, rehearse it at least 100 times out loud BEFORE you use it in a group. You want it to be polished, but not too formulaic. For more help on developing your Elevator Pitch, see my post on Jim Nudelman’s 4 Step Process.

3) SHOW UP. You have business cards and a concise elevator pitch, but what good are they if you sit all day at the computer? Plan a strategy to show up in places where your target audience is (i.e. potential employers in key companies within your target industries) or where the people who know them will be.

4) LISTEN AND BUILD TRUST. Networking is NOT about you. It’s about building a relationship. It’s about helping people in your network of friends and colleagues connect for mutual benefit. It’s about finding out what someone else needs and helping them

5) COMPLETE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE. This is one of the most important online tools you will have. A great resource for learning more about how to beef up your LinkeIn account is from Joshua Waldman with Career Enlightenment. Check him out. He’s is THE premiere professional on this topic!

6) FOLLOW UP. Develop a press kit that you can send if asked. Better yet, develop an online press kit using Visual CV or create a blog (I like wordpress). Online you can store video clips, pdf files, work examples and much more.

7) SEND A THANK YOU CARD. Every career coach from here to Katmandu tells their clients to do this. It’s an inexpensive way to keep you on the top of someone’s mind. Personal, hand written cards get past the usual gate keepers and are absolutely read by their intended recipient. If these things are true, then why is it that so few job seekers actually do it?! I must meet with 10-15 people per week. You would think my mailman and I would be on a first name basis after that. The reality is, only about 1 in 100 send a written thank you card. Does it make an impression? You bet it does! True, I don’t have any job openings. However, I do get calls and emails all the time from people who have openings. If I have a handwritten thank you note on my desk from YOU when I get the cal, how much more likely do you think I will be to pass along your name to a prospective Click on this Office Depot link RIGHT NOW and order some Thank You cards. While you are at it, click on this link and buy some stamps online. Keep them at your desk within arms reach, and write thank you notes to EVERYONE you talked to that day – in person or on the phone. DO THIS EVERY NIGHT before you go to bed! Include another business card along with a note as to how much you appreciated their time. Trust me, it will make a HUGE difference!

I hope you can see that these things aren’t difficult. They aren’t hard to remember. They don’t require an advanced degree to implement. They are easy, and there are only 7 of them. You can implement this strategy in just one week by doing just one each day. Have fun, and happy hunting!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 18. Tomorrow’s post: “The Top 3 Mistakes Job Seekers Make On LinkedIn” (A guest post written by Joshua Waldman)

If you are going to build a house you will want to have a blueprint.  Otherwise how would you know if you were supposed to install a window or a door? How would you keep the roof from falling through the floor without the proper placement of the pillars?

If you are going to develop your personal brand you will want to have a strategy — a blueprint for building your personal brand.  Here are the four pillars of that blueprint.

1) Know Your Product. When marketers go about designing brand identity they begin by studying the major products in the line(s).  Wht is it? What does it do?  How does it work?  What are the feature?  What benefits does it provide to the customers? In this case the product is YOU.  What do you have to offer your current or next employer?  What are you capable of doing for them?  Most important, what are you WILLING to do?  Get as clear about this as you can.  Be specific about what you want and are able to do.  Write it down. Study it.  Create a matrix.  When building a personal brand, you must begin with product knowledge.

2) Know Your Perfect Client. The next pillar is the ability to identify with great specificity who your perfect client is.  Who is going to “buy” what you have to offer?  Who’s needs can be fulfilled by the promise offered through your brand?  This will also help you figure out how to position your product to be attractive to your clients and customers.  In this case, your clients/customers is you employer or potential employer.  Figure out what s/he needs and make your value proposition look attractive to them. Marketers conduct market research in order to be able to clearly define every minute detail of their customers.  In the job search we call that “informational interviews.”

3) Match Client Needs With Your Product Strengths. In traditional marketing, this involves the creation of a variety of marketing channels through which you promote your product’s message. Advertising professionals have found that this is most easily done through the telling of stories which place their product directly in the hands of their perfect customer.  How can you do this as a job seeker? Can you tell a compelling story that will capture the attention of a potential employer and show them how you can meet their needs?  [Hint - resume's are probably the LAST place you should try to accomplish this pillar!]

4) Sell, sell, sell. The final pillar in your personal brand blueprint is the ability to sell what you have.  In order to accomplish this you must be diligent, creative, charming, persuasive, and a skilled negotiator.  A good sales person simply helps the buyer make a decision that s/he wants to make.  What do you need to learn in order to become a good salesperson?  Remember, you only need to make ONE sale every so often, and your product is something that you are intimately familiar and (hopefully) very fond of!

That’s the blueprint for a successful personal brand strategy.  Come back tomorrow when we talk about how to promote your brand.  Happy hunting!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 19.

Welcome December!  This month I am participating in a 30 Day Blogging Challenge with some other bloggers.  As you know, this blog is all about helping people find a new job. Not just any new job, mind you, but rather, the perfect career. That’s why we write about acing the interview, cutting time off your job search, and using Internet job boards (like LinkedIn, Monster.com, and Twitter).

This 30 day blog challenge will allow me to develop some new material to use in the Careers 2.0 website.  That means two things for you: 1) you get the opportunity to add your 2 cents to the conversation, and 2) you get it for free before everyone else! This blog is all about offering free job advice, free job resources, free resume examples, and much more. We deal with topics such as networking, building a personal brand, working with recruiters, unemployment, interviewing and salary negotiation. What would YOU like to see us cover during the 30 day challenge? I hope you will participate by adding your thoughts to the conversation.  Actually, it won’t be much fun without you! Oh, and don’t forget to pass the links along to your fellow job seekers.

While the long term goal of this blog is to help everyone in America find the perfect career for this time in their life, my short term goals are a bit more attainable. Here are my goals for 30 day blog challenge:

1. create 5 posts on Personal Branding as it relates to the job search.
2. create 5 posts on interviewing and interviewing tips for job seekers.
3. add 50 followers to Facebook blog list.
4. add 200 people to newsletter mailing list.
5. get 3 posts to get picked up by a national venue.

Thank you for joining (and encouraging) me on this 30 day blogging journey.  And don’t forget, happy hunting!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 1.  Tomorrow’s post: “Do You Have A Professional Photo?”

Social media posts this week confirmed the three most popular reasons to give thanks – family, friends and a four-day weekend.

Scores of posts and tweets about blissful days away from work have me wondering … does anyone like his job? Do hundreds of thousands of unemployed Americans spend every day grasping for a chance at a job just so they can dream of a four-day weekend?

One friend gave me this perspective; “Don’t get me wrong, I like what I do and I don’t mind my job, I just don’t want to be there.”

So it seems like this recession offers the ideal time to evaluate the way we work and make improvements that benefit the employee, the employer and the environment. News articles and blogs point to a shift in how we exchange goods and services and earn money. Thankfully the shift includes flexible options.

Small businesses are springing up like wildflowers in the Pacific Northwest. I doubt these new business owners expect many four-day weekends, but they don’t have to worry about getting fired. They work long hours, yet can arrange a work schedule that starts earlier (in pajamas if desired), accommodates family time and is all around more flexible. It’s hard to hide from the office, but you are the boss.

Home offices are another viable option for disciplined people. Truthfully, if our bosses said, “here is your stack of work for the day, leave when it’s done,” most people would not be in the office eight hours a day. Those that can avoid distractions will be more efficient and hopefully more content.

An idea I am really fond of is flextime. The brilliant concept is widely popular in other countries and could answer issues of recession, conservation and life-work balance. As suggested by the name, the flex differs from person to person. Some want to avoid high traffic times and others need to be home when the school bus arrives. Many workers telecommute part time just because they can.

Another friend planned to leave her design job and be a consultant for other companies. She loves her company yet struggles to balance family time and work time, especially with set hours, commuting and two children. Instead of letting her go, the company’s head honcho offered her a part-time, work-from-home option in which she dictated the hours and schedule. The company retained an amazing designer and my friend got everything she needed.

On the green side of things, offices that work four 10-hour shifts, like many government bureaus, conserve energy and fuel. I realize a 10-hour work day is not ideal for all. But, the timing is right to consider all options that would help people get more three-day weekends and save companies money. It’s feasible that we can come out of the recession with more people laboring joyfully – and tweets and posts to prove it.

Do you ever have a bad feeling in your gut like you are seven years old and just stole candy? How about a grating irritation that something is not quite right?

Possibly your subconscious is trying to tell you that despite saying you have a job-hunting strategy, you are not working the process.

I have felt an agitation over the past two weeks that I could not seem to shake. Although I have met some great people and had some good opportunities for side projects come my way, something did not feel right.

And it wasn’t. I got distracted and stopped doing the work required to find my perfect career. I have not been procrastinating nor did I really feel stuck. I just got overwhelmed with distractions. With this realization, I did what everyone should do once in awhile to check their progress … go back to the beginning!

My introduction to www.CareerAdvice4U.com lit a fire in my brain and under my rear. I was enthralled with the videos showing job seekers posting their strategy on the wall, step by step, with sticky notes of planned actions and benchmarks for each step. I followed suit.

But somewhere along the process I stopped holding myself accountable for those actions and steps. I let the Career Crossroads workbook sit a little too long. I set informational interviews but didn’t ask great questions. In short, I forgot about the end goal – TO FIND A PERFECT CAREER!

No wonder I feel irritated. I have been letting myself down each day I don’t work toward my goal. I am also not being a good example for others who need a proven system for finding a great job.

Thankfully, I am not one to waste time administering lashes or defeating thoughts. I am clear now and consider this hiccup part of life. To be fair, I it has been two months or less since a friend recommended CareerAdvice4U. I have accomplished some of the actions and benchmarks on my wall. I just needed to get my nose is back in the workbook, where it should be, and attack this process with the zeal I had day one.

I implore other people who are unemployed, under employed or just pining for a career change to help me stay on target. If you have tips for networking, informational interviews or ways to target companies – please share! I promise that as I learn, I will do the same.

I believe recovery is coming. I can almost hear local companies taking a deep breath and exhaling with a vision of future growth. And I want to be ready.

What would you give to have a career – job or business – that made you want to get up in the morning and get to work? Would you take half of your old salary to wear casual clothes, learn from your team every day or be your own boss? Have you ever had a work situation that made you happy … contented?

These questions have been rolling around my skull during my months of unemployment and even prior to being laid off. Lately, I have been talking to a lot of people who are also pondering the balance between money and happiness. Just this week a friend said he’d be happy to have a full-time job at fifth of his old salary (he was a six-figure salesman) with benefits just for the security. But then he mentioned a position that didn’t fit him at all. So I asked, if you don’t care how much you make, why not do something you are passionate about?

It all goes back to how we search for our career. If I am a square peg, then why do I keep trying to shove myself into a round hole? Babies learn pretty quickly that the triangle doesn’t fit in the hexagon spot, yet we adults have a tough time using this metaphor in our own lives.

Before you can brand yourself using the tools in www.CareerAdvice4U.com, you have to explore your passions. That’s why “Career Crossroads: Finding the Perfect Career” starts with personal assessment.

I wasn’t surprised by the results of my Myers-Briggs Type and Keirsey Temperament Tests because I had already made a long list of my passions. I already knew some of the careers I fit from past experience.

So I continue to ask myself – “what am I worth?” and “what makes me happy?” I know I don’t want to go back to being a starving reporter, but I’m not sure I need to match my previous six-figure salary along with the stress, migraines and loss of sleep that accompanied it. I think I would accept lesser pay for a boss that doesn’t scream at me – or to be my own boss and solely responsible for my successes and failures.

Possibly we can all have the perfect career and make great money. Why not? I am just suggesting that if we seek jobs only because of pay, and not because of what we are passionate about, well, we will probably be doing this entire job-seeking routine again in a year or less.

I definitely deserve money. I also deserve to be happy in my work. So, my goal is to find the medium and have both. With guidance from the career wizards, I believe we all can.

[Editor’s note: Guest blogger, Larque Goodson, has been unemployed for 7 months and has become a Careers 2.0 client within the last couple of weeks. She says that the resources in the Premium Membership are some of the most valuable tools she has found in her entire job search. She lives in Portland, Oregon and is searching for a communications job that utilizes her excellent skills in writing, presenting, photography, marketing and sales. If you would like to share your story, please send an email to: info@orcms.com.]

It has been seven months since I was laid off. My credit cards are maxed and my husband and I juggle bills like circus performers on a tight rope. Yet, this journey is helping me examine my own self-awareness and work on my personal ideology. I have gained some invaluable insights, like the following:

• I am not a job. I am not less valuable because I lack employment. On the contrary, I am priceless and it would be a shame to take a job in which I’d be miserable. How would that be a step forward?

• To go forward, I need to find ways to help others succeed in their job search. Career Advise, http://careeradvice4u.com, is an amazing program for discovering my true aspirations. Career Enlightenment, http://careerenlightenment.net, is equally remarkable for mastering social media and turning aspirations into a profession. I found both by asking people for guidance and personal recommendations.

• Ask for help. Networking is vital. I decided to start with people I knew and told them I am looking for work. It is tough at first, but people I didn’t tell found out anyway. I was incredibly fortunate to be invited to the Sandler President’s Club by former sales coach Jeff Schneider, www.schneider.sandler.com. Because of this group, I have confidence and a network of fellow trainees who I greatly admire. Watching the videos on the Careers 2.0 website is helping me figure out other places network and how to be more productive at it.

• I must keep my options open. My big break may be lurking around an unsuspecting corner. Opportunities tend to arise when – and where – I don’t expect them. I don’t always see the “point” in prospecting or networking activities until later. So, if I receive an invitation to connect, why not explore it?

• My time is precious. That means I need to find a fair balance between studying, learning, networking, job searching and enjoying life. Being smart saves me time. I am using www.twitterjobsearch.com instead of perusing the same old job boards. I’m finding tools like these are much more productive which leads to much more happiness. Why shouldn’t I do things that make me happy? So I take a hike, volunteer, cook a gourmet meal … I am enjoying doing things my job schedule once prevented. These things relieve stress and stimulate my mind. Great ideas pop into my head while I am traversing through the mountains.

• And finally, I need to RELAX more. This last, important ingredient is vital to maintaining my sanity throughout this job search process. I know this transition isn’t easy, but being frantic and stressed out won’t land me a job any faster. Frantically searching the job boards will not tell me who I really am or where to find my perfect career. I must take a breath, relax, and go do some more networking. A good start is to make a list of things I am grateful for despite my lack of work.

What about you? What have you learned about yourself since you have been laid off?

I don’t often hand out testimonials for other career coaches, but when it comes to getting the most out of your job search I’ve been impressed with the work of Joshua Waldman. Joshua runs a website called Career Enlightenment (at www.joshuawaldman.net).  Joshua is a former sales and marketing professional who brings his expertise to help job seekers learn how to effectively use social media in the job search. His career advice is right on. In my opinion, Joshua gets it.

Joshua knows that the job search is about more than simply checking out the job boards.  He knows that in order to find the perfect career, you must utilize the best job search tools available to you.  Joshua teaches his clients how to use LinkedIn, facebook, Twitter and other social media tools to promote your personal brand.  Joshua searches the Internet to find helpful tools that make your job search more effective.  He conducts interviews with key career coaches and industry leaders. His recent blog post (“Is Your Brand The Ultimate Narcissism?”)  has even been featured in the Brazen Careerist.  Other professionals recognize Joshua’s work as well!

One of the reasons I feel so strongly about Joshua’s work is because he understands how to network.  Joshua’s philosophy on networking is a lot like mine – give, give, give, and good things will come back to you. Joshua gives of himself, his time and his expertise to help people in their job search.  Lately Joshua has been speaking to job seekers in my home town of Portland, Oregon.  I caught his workshop and was impressed with his knowledge.  For those who see the value in what Joshua has to offer, he is available for individual coaching.  If you want to learn how to use social media to extend your personal brand, give Joshua a call. I have learned a lot from Joshua, and you can too!

If you are in a job search, thinking about changing careers or just getting started at choosing a career, check out Joshua Waldman’s work.  He is a great networker and a powerful resource for anyone in the job hunt.

Join us next time for: “The Cost of Being Unemployed”