Last week, Lori Lewis hosted a webinar for Conclave about how to use the “new tools” in order to job prospect. This is a very difficult time for many in radio, and the typical pathways that used to lead to new career opportunities have changed. As a company, we have tried to make the situation better, but there’s no doubt that we’re coming up short. Lori’s participation in this webinar and writing this blog is another attempt to help out.
The events of the past several months are a reminder to everyone in radio that no job lasts forever. When The Conclave approached me to assist in their series of “job search” webinars, I immediately said “yes” and here’s why:
I’ve been there – out of work and unsure. And as I bounced back and now give back to my radio community, here is a summary of last week’s Conclave webinar that Fred summed up in five words: “Different times require different tactics.”
Today’s technology opens up better lines of communication and opportunities to help you stand out in a job search, but you could also be misusing technology and getting passed up as a result.
In a survey by the “social scrubbing” company Reppler, 95% of the hiring managers say they use social media sites to find out more about job candidates.
And almost seven in ten say they have rejected a candidate because of what they saw about them on a social networking site.
What’s not understood about this social space is that everything you say on a Facebook “Like” page or a comment on a random webpage is indexed – which means it’s “collected and stored to facilitate fast and accurate information retrieval.” Translation: Be aware of your “digital debris.”
First impressions are being made before resumes are being read. So how can you take this knowledge and work it to your benefit?
1) Manage your brand online. Are you an “aggressive job seeker” pushing yourself on people or are you authentic, having thoughtful conversations with others?
Find ways to visually tell your story through sites such as about.me or vizualize.me.
2) Build and maintain your community. Focus on establishing trust, credibility and relationships with people in order for your network to feel inclined to come to your rescue.
How to start? Find people in radio who already participate on social platforms. Send them an introduction email for a more personal connection. Then add them to your social community, too (e.g., Follow, subscribe, connect, etc.).
3) Don’t overlook Twitter and LinkedIn. These sites allow you to peek into a hiring manager’s “social Rolodex” and find out who they follow and connect with. You can learn a lot about who is in their network. It could be someone you know and it could also be someone with whom you’ve had a good (or bad) work experience.
4) Be mindful. Although privacy is your personal right, when you are looking for a job, it almost becomes an obligation to open up your Facebook wall and allow prospective employers to evaluate whether your personality may fit in with their company culture.
You can always mark some posts “public” so they can see who you are socially, and designate certain posts “private” to maintain that aspect of Facebook you enjoy.
5) Find a cause to give your time to. Giving back during a time of uncertainty will take your focus off of you. Use your social platforms to showcase a charity you’re involved with. (You might also consider volunteering your time and expertise to a company you have your eye on. It’s a great way to get in the door.)
Tomorrow, I’ll show you some of the questions that came up during the Conclave webinar, along with the ways in which I responded to them. I hope this is helpful to you – whether you’re looking for a job or you’re the one doing the hiring.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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