You spent a lot of time branding yourself, why throw it away?
Although it’s true for all job seekers, it’s especially true for the older job seeker. Be yourself. Be an individual. Stand out from the crowd. Are you getting the message?
Much has been and is being said about personal branding. And a big part of that brand goes a long way to telling the world who you are and what you can do. Create a brand for yourself and then market that brand to potential employers. Seems like a simple formula.
There’s more that goes into creating your personal brand than we can cover in this short space. (We’ve discussed it here and there are mulitple other sources of information on the topic – in case you were wondering.)
Your resume. Your cover letters. Your LinkedIn profile – and how you use that profile. It’s a list that goes on and on, and it’s a list that is uniquely you. So why waste it?
Think it through. Every time you apply for a job online or submit your resume to an ATS (automated tracking system), you become invisible at worst and wallpaper at best. You’re lost. You’re buried. You’re not even a number. Why take that personal brand that you’ve worked so diligently to create and nurture, and throw it down a dark hole?
Does this mean that you should ignore the online application process? No. When you’re looking for a job, leave no stone unturned – and that includes online stones.
But, by the same token, don’t put all your eggs in that basket. (OK. Too many metaphors? Maybe.)
The message is there is so much more that you can do in your job search beyond applying online. Not only that, the other avenues that are out there offer a significantly higher potential for a positive return.