This past Tuesday night was jam-packed with invaluable career guidance thanks to Maria Scileppi, former Director of Chicago Portfolio School and professional networking extraordinaire. Through a Dabble class called How to Get Your Dream Job, Maria provided an array of tips and insight on how to stand out from the candidate crowd and make positive impressions from the moment they count.
While we don’t want to give away too much from her presentation, here are just a few key ideas we left with and will stick with us.
You Make Your Own Opportunities
While it’s easy to call yourself unlucky, it could be because you’re not recognizing – and therefore not taking advantage – of the opportunities right under your nose. At a networking or social event, instead of whipping out your smart phone the moment you’re alone or feel uncomfortable, open yourself up to meeting new people. Smile, make eye contact with others and show you’re approachable through your body language. You never know who you could meet next and what that could bring.
The same thing goes for your job search: don’t wait for permission to apply. If you know a company you would love to work for, let them know even if they haven’t posted a specific job that fits your background. Companies often don’t publish all their openings and even if they don’t have the right position for you now, that doesn’t mean they won’t in two months. Plus, if they really like you, they might even create a job to keep you onboard.
The Job Search is a Bit like Dating
Knowing where you want to work is a lot like knowing who you want to date. You want to date someone who only wants to date you back because he or she realizes how special you are. And no matter how badly you would like a new job (or significant other, for that matter), don’t settle on whatever comes your way first or else it won’t be the right match for either party in the long run.
So imagine your cover letter or email a bit like your online dating profile – after you read it, ask yourself would I want to meet me? Do I seem interesting? And if it sounds like a generic one-size-fits-all message, then you need to go back and edit it to so the employer knows you’re specifically seeking them out.
Put as Much of Your Personality in Your Application as You Can
You might have excellent experience and all the right software knowledge, but at the end of the day employers who have two very competitive candidates before them are going to choose the person they like more. It’s your personality that really makes you unique, and blending into the pack won’t get you the job.
As she points out, there is a plethora of different avenues to showcase who are you, one of the greatest ones being your own website. It goes without saying that if you are a creative professional like a graphic designer, interactive art director or copywriter in 2012, you should have an online portfolio because it’s become an industry expectation. But if you’re in a field where having your own personal website is not common, even better for standing out! This is the space to personally brand yourself and make a strong impression even before meeting a potential employer.
This is just a preview of the great information Maria has to share, so if you are interested in learning more from her be sure to sign up for her next Dabble course on Wednesday, April 4th
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Artisan Talent is a Digital, Marketing and Creative Staffing Firm placing talent in jobs perfectly matched with their skills all over the US.
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