Marketing Yourself Outside the Box

Published by Ryan Paugh on August 3rd, 2007 in Blogging, Career Development, Employment, Work | 30 Comments

The problem with résumés is that everything is about the past, about what you have done, not what you will do. And trying to make one of today's traditional résumés exciting for two seconds is like trying to breathe life into a sock puppet.

-Michael Holley Smith, author, The Résumé Writer's Handbook.

There are few things on this planet that are purely black and white. So why is your résumé? Wouldn't it be nice if employers could paint a better picture of who you are before you meet face-to-face? I think so too…

Whether you embrace the traditional job interview or reject it, there's ways to grab an employers attention before you enter the hot seat. You're living. You're breathing. You have imaginative and creative skills that surpass the capabilities of Microsoft Word.

Use the gift of modern technology to your advantage. Position yourself one step ahead of the all-too-common queries employers ask to discover who you really are. It's a grownup version of show and tell.

Here are three simple options:

Video R̩sum̩s РLights, camera, action!

There's a debate over their value. Rest assured – we're not all aspiring directors. But it's a notion I refuse to rebuff, at least without giving it a fair shot.

According to the 2007 Video Resume Survey, conducted by Vault Inc., 89 percent of employers would watch a video resume if they received it. Only 17 percent of those surveyed have even seen one!

CareerBuilder.com recently announced their new video resume service, but who's going to guide the creation of your tour de force? The answer is VIPE, Inc.

"There are a number of video resume sites out there today," says VIPE founder, Nathaniel Dean. "We are what's next – video interviewing and the platform to manage it."

Dean's company not only provides customers with the network to post a video, they also do the interview. Using questions provided by potential employers, VIPE assures results at their best. And what better way to sell yourself to a company that can't be reached for a face-to-face interview?

Of course, there's a downfall Рwe're not all archetypal gods and goddesses. "If you don't get hit on every time you step into a bar, forget about the video r̩sum̩," says career advice expert, Penelope Trunk. "You probably look better on paper."

Be a model Gen-Y. Exploit yourself online.

Linked-In, Facebook and MySpace are all great ways to network online, but if you want to take things a step further, create your own Website.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from a mentor is to create an e-Portfolio. Being a journalist, it's especially helpful for me. I can show off all my clips without the heavy binders. But the concept can really apply to any field. Decide what your potential employers want to see and show it in a unique and colorful way.

Websites can be as complicated or as simple as you want. If you're not tech-savvy, network with someone who can help you get the site off the ground. They can teach you to maintain it.

If this is way too complicated, the next option is just as effective. And you don't have to be a computer guru to figure it out.

Build a blog, score a job (She did!)

You had to design a place that chronicles your massive cascade of thought? Bam! You're immediately branded as a thinker. Running a blog shows employers your capacity for engagement.

Guess what? Recruiters are bloggers too! So there's proof you can get noticed. If you don't have the time or energy to run your own blog, comment on others. It opens up a world of networking possibilities.

So maybe you're writing skills aren't exactly up to par. If you can't even write a worthwhile r̩sum̩ how are you going to blog? In that case, maybe blogging's not for you. But keep in mind Рeven the best writers get a little sloppy when they blog. I've seen it first hand.

Nobody is going to send you to the gallows for not being perfect and the only way to get better is practice, practice, practice!

Here's your backup plan.

Follow in the footsteps of Larry Kinsmore. Print your résumé on a t-shirt, sport it around town and pray you get noticed. Inspired by his fanatical move, Larry established damnIneedAjob.com, a company that designs t-shirts for the desperately unemployed. He isn't making millions, but he's motivated countless individuals to "think outside the box."

And that's the idea! Do what others aren't and hope people take interest. Conform, and you're really nothing special.

Good Luck!