by Alesia Benedict, CPRW, JCTC
Of course your resume is the first critical step in a successful job search strategy. However there is never enough space to showcase all your strengths and experience effectively, whether your resume is one page or longer. Although the importance of the resume in capturing the hiring manager’s attention cannot be overstated, you can maximize your results by powering up your resume with additional information about your strengths on the Internet.
Career Blogging
Career blogging is a purposeful approach to target your skills and experiences. Whether currently employed and looking for a promotion or seeking a new opportunity, you can use a career blog to advance your career. It becomes a vehicle to showcase your unique experiences, training, and skills. You may post articles, white papers, or effective strategies to meet challenges on the job.
An additional benefit to the career blog is the networking opportunities created. You can create conversations and community around the specific skills you possess in the industry. Including colleagues or other members of your professional associations in online discussions can help expand the visibility of your expertise.
Online Portfolio
Post your traditional portfolio to the Internet to increase the effectiveness of this critical job search tool. For many professions, creating a portfolio is a long-standing approach to presenting past work for review. The Internet makes the portfolio accessible even beyond the resources you have targeted in your job search.
If you have decided to begin a career blog, this resource can become the equivalent of an online portfolio in terms of the articles and strategies you post. The portfolio provides proof of your accomplishments and expertise, and allows easy access for potential employers to contact you. In addition, you can include a link to your career blog or online portfolio in your resume to cover all the bases and ensure maximum exposure of your strengths.
Personal Mission Statement
A personal mission statement can contribute to your job search in several different ways. Starting with a mission statement for your job search helps define your target market, increasing the effectiveness of your efforts. Although you don’t include the mission statement in your resume, it provides a guiding principle that helps you stay on track and keep your eye on the ball throughout the job search.
In addition to targeting your job search, you can incorporate the personal mission statement into your career blog and online portfolio. You can even use this as part of your elevator pitch. The consistent message created from your personal mission statement strengthens your personal brand, which increases your confidence and the likelihood that you will be remembered by hiring managers.
Professional Organizations
Of course, you want to include industry association memberships on your resume to emphasize your commitment to the profession and your career. Leadership roles, awards, and certifications may also be listed if you have held those in the organization. To pump up the power of these associations online, become an active participant in the organization’s online community forum. Use those websites, as well as similar discussions on job posting sites, Facebook, and LinkedIn to increase your visibility, credibility, and networking opportunities.
Expand your online presence confidently and deliberately to impress hiring managers. You will be expanding your networking and job opportunities at the same time. Rev up the power of your resume and prospects will be contacting you!